tihrary  of  t:he  iDheological  ^mmaxy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 

FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 
REVEREND  WILLIAM  PARK  ARMSTRONG,  D.D. 


BR  515  .R9  1844   c.l 
Rupp,  I.  Daniel  1803-1878, 
He  pasa  ekklesia 


copy 


N 


AN  ORIGINAL  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


RELIGIOUS   DENOMINATIONS 


AT  PRESENT  EXISTING  IN 


THE  UNITED   STATES. 


HE    PASA    EKKLESIA. 


AN  ORIGINAL  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS 

AT  PRESENT  EXISTING  IN 

THE   UNITED   STATES. 

CONTAINING  AUTHENTIC  ACCOUNTS  OF  THEIR 

RISE,  PROGRESS,  STATISTICS  AND  DOCTRINES. 

WRITTEN  EXPRESSLY  FOR  THE  WORK  BY  EMINENT 

THEOLOGICAL  PROFESSORS,  MINISTERS,  AND  LAY-MEMBERS, 

OF  THE  RESPECTIVE  DENOMINATIONS. 


PROJECTED,  COMPILED  AND  ARRANGED  BY 

I.    DANIEL    RUPP, 

OF  LANCASTER,  PA. 
AUTHOFi.  OF  "  DER  MAERTYRER  GESCHICHTE,"  ETC.  ETC. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED    BY    J.    Y^    HUMPHREYS. 

HARRISBURG:  CLYDE  AND  WILLIAMS. 

1844. 


Entered,  according  to  an  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18-14,  by 

JAMES  Y.  nUMPIIREYS,  AND  CLYDE  AND  WILLIAMS, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


C.  Shennan,  Printpr, 

19  Si.  James  Street. 


PREFACE. 

The  projector  and  compiler  of  this  work,  while  examining  many 
years  since  "  Histories  of  Religions,"  and  hearing  numerous  com- 
plaints by  ministers  and  lay  members  of  different  denominations,  that 
such  books  had  unjustly  represented  their  religion,  was  forcibly  im- 
pressed, that  a  work  like  the  one  now  offered  to  the  public,  was  desi- 
rable and  much  needed  :  he  then  conceived  the  plan  of  obtaining  the 
history  of  each  denomination  from  the  pen  of  some  one  of  its  most 
distinguished  ministers  or  professors ;  thus  aflx)rding  each  sect  the 
opportunity  of  giving  its  own  history — considering  that  a  work  thus 
prepared  must  be  entirely  free  from  the  faults  of  misrepresentation, 
so  generally  brought  against  books  of  this  character. 

To  supply  this  desideratum,  and  to  furnish  a  comprehensive  history 
of  the  religious  denominations  in  the  United  States,  and  also  to  pre- 
sent to  the  public  a  book,  as  free  as  possible  from  all  grounds  of  com- 
plaint, the  projector,  two  years  ago,  made  application  to  many  of  the 
most  prominent  divines  and  lay  members  of  different  denominations, 
for  their  views  of.  such  a  work,  receiving  in  all  cases  their  approba- 
tion, and  many  at  once  consenting  to  aid,  by  writing  or  procuring 
the  necessary  articles. 

It  would  be  superfluous  to  say  any  thing  in  regard  to  the  contri- 
butors to  this  work — they  are  too  favourably  known  to  their  own 
sects  to  need  it,  and  their  names  accompanying  each  article,  is  suffi- 
cient guarantee  that  justice  has  been  done  to  all,  so  far  as  the  pro- 
jector was  enabled  to  attain  it. 

It  is  presumed,  that  no  writer  in  this  work  can  have  had  any 
motive  to  wilfully  misrepresent  the  doctrine  of  the  denomination  of 
which  he  is  a  member;  it  is  admitted,  that  he  may  have  been  inffu- 


^.j  PREFACE. 


ericed  by  a  bias,  natural  to  many,  to  present  the  "  Beauties  of  his 
own  Faith"  in  glowing  colours  ;  and  where  this  may  appear  to  have 
been  attempted,  it  is  left  to  the  reader  to  make  all  due  allowance. 

In  the  history,  and  especially  in  the  creed  of  the  different  denomi- 
nations, the  unprejudiced  reader  has  a  subject  for  candid  investiga- 
tion, and  will  be  able  to  draw  his  own  conclusions  from  authentic 
data.  Though  truth  and  eiTor  may  be  commingled,  still  the  lover  of 
free  inquiry  will  have  nothing  to  fear.  It  must  be  admitted,  that 
many  opinions  are  presented  which  cannot  be  maintained  by  "Thus 
saith  the  Lord ;"  but  as  the  projector  has  done  his  part  in  giving 
each  sect  an  opportunity  of  telling  its  own  story,  and  in  its  own  way 
he  thus  leaves  it  to  a  liberal  and  discerning  public. 

Lancaster,  Pa.,  April,  1844. 


CONTENTS. 

Associate  Presbyterian  Church  in  North  America.     By  the  Rev.  W.  I. 

Cleland  and  the  Rev.  James  P.  Miller.         -  ...         9 

Associate  Reformed  Church.     By  the  Rev.  John  Forsyth,  D.  D.  21 

Baptists.     By  the  Rev.  A.  D.  Gillette,  A.  M.            -            -            -  42 

Freewill  Baptists.     By  the  Rev.  Porter  S.  Burbank,  A.  M.       -  -       58 

Seventh  Day  Baptists.     By  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Gillett.             -            -  70 

Baptists  or  Brethren,  German.     By  the  Rev.  Philip  Boyle.         -  -       92 

Baptists,  Seventh  Day,  German.    By  William  M.  Fahnestock,  M.  D.  98 

Catholic,  Roman.     Bv  Professor  W.  Jos.  Walter.               -            -  112 

Christians,  or  Christian  Connexion.     By  the  Rev.  David  Millard.  -     166 

Church  of  God.     By  the  Rev.  John  Winebrenner,  V.  D.  M.              -  171 

Congregationalists.    By  the  Rev.  E.  W.  Andrews.            >           .  -      184 

Cumberland  Presbyterians.     By  the  Rev.  Richard  Beard,  D.  D.       -  212 

Dutch  Reformed.     By  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Brownlee,  D.  D.  ■•            -  -     220 

Disciples  of  Christ.     By  the  Rev.  R.  Richardson.      ...  250 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church.     By  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Shimeall.        -  -     270 

Evangelical  Association.     By  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Orwig.           -            -  300 

Friends  or  Quakers.    By  Thomas  Evans.              -         .  -            -  ••     306 

Friends.     By  William  Gibbons,  M.  D.            -            -            -            -  323 

German  Reformed  Church.     By  the  Rev.  Lewis  Mayer,  D.  D.   -  -     337 

The  Jews  and  their  Religion.     By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Leeser.    -            -  350 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.     By  the  Rev.  S.  S.  Schmucker,  D.  D.  -     370 

Latter  Day  Saints.     By  Joseph  Smith.            ....  404 
Moravians,  or  more  properly,  Unitas  Fratrum,  or  United  Brethren's  Church. 

By  L.  D.  Von  Schweinitz.         ..-.--     411 

w 

The  Methodist  Society.     By  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Stilwell.        -           -  423 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.     By  the  Rev.  Nathan  Bangs,  D.  D.  -     425 

Methodist  Protestant  Church.     By  the  Rev.  James  R.  Williams.     -  461 

Reformed  Methodist  Church.     By  the  Rev.  Wesley  Bailey.       -  -     466 

True  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church.     By  the  Rev.  J.  Timberman.       -  478 

The  Mennonites.    By  Christian  Herr.    .            .            -            -  -     486 

Reformed  Mennonite  Society.    By  the  Rev.  John  Herr.       -           -  502 


10 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Presbyteries.  Tlie  following  summary  of  the  statistical  table  will 
present  some  idea  of  the  present  condition  of  this  society.  The  names 
of  the  Prcsbyicries  generally  indicate  their  locality.  ** 


Presbyteries. 

States. 
New  York, 

No.  Minis. 

No.  Cong. 

No.  Commu. 

Cambridge,    - 

4 

10 

924* 

Albany,    - 

New  York, 

5 

7 

556* 

Philadelphia, 

Pennsylvania, 

7 

18 

1165* 

Stamford, 

Upper  Canada, 

.3 

6 

521 

Slicnano^o,      .              .              - 

Pennsylvania, 

8 

19 

2259 

Allegheny, 

Pennsylvania, 

10 

23 

963* 

Chartiers,      ... 

Pennsylvania, 

12 

20 

2122* 

Ohio, 

Ohio, 

7 

17 

]2bl* 

Kichland, 

Ohio, 

5 

16 

735* 

Muskingum, 

Ohio, 

8 

22 

1519* 

Miami,           ... 

Ohio, 

6 

23 

738* 

Indiana,  .             .             - 

Indiana, 

3 

14    , 

367* 

Illinois, 

Illinois, 

7 

16 

327* 

One  Foreign  Mission, 

Trinidad,  W.I. 

2 

Ministers,  itinerating. 

18 

105 

211 

13,477 

The  Synod,  which  is  composed  of  all  the  ministers  and  one  ruling 
elder  from  each  congregation,  meets  annually  on  its  own  adjournment. 
Each  Presbytery  meets  on  its  own  adjournment,  and  as  often  as  cir- 
cumstances require. 

The  Theological  Seminary  is  located  at  Cannonsburg,  Pa.  It  has 
two  professorships — one  of  didactic  theology  and  Hebrew,  at  present 
filled  by  James  Martin,  D.  D. ;  the  other  of  church  history,  pastoral 
theology  and  biblical  literature,  at  present  filled  by  Thomas  Beveridge, 
D.  D.  At  this  institution  there  is  but  one  term  each  year,  which  con- 
tinues from  the  first  Monday  of  November  until  the  last  of  March. 
The  students  are  required  to  attend  four  terms  to  complete  their  course 
of  study.  The  professors  give  lectures  on  their  respective  subjects. 
The  text-book  which  is  used  in  didactic  theology  is  "  Johannis  Markii 
Christiax.'e  Tiif,ologi.5;  Medulla." 

DOCTRINE   AND    DISCIPLINE. 

The  Associate  Presbyterian  Church  of  North  America,  is  a  branch 
of  the  Church  of  Scotland ;  and  holds  the  doctrines  of  the  Reforma- 

•  Those  marked  tims  «  are  incomplete,  there  being  no  returns  from  several  congrega- 
tions, and  some  of  these  the  largest  in  the  Presbytery  :  15,000  is  the  estimated  number  of 
communicants. 

Several  Presbyteries,  though  marked  as  located  in  a  particular  state,  include  also  the 
care  of  congregations  in  neighbouring  states,  e.  g.  the  Presbytery  of  Cambridge,  New 
York,  includes  the  congregations  in  Vermont  and  Canada  East. 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


11 


tion  as  set  forth  in  the  standards  of  the  Westminster  Assembly.  Hence 
the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  is  her  Confession  of  Faith ;  the 
Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms  are  her  authorized  systems  of  cate- 
chetical instruction.  The  Form  of  Presbyterial  Church  Government, 
and  the  Directory  for  public  worship  and  for  family  worship,  are  re- 
ceived and  acknowledged  as  of  obligatory  authority  in  this  church. 
The  xxiii.  chapter  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  respecting  the  con- 
cern of  the  civil  magistrate  with  the  church,  is  received  with  some 
explanations,  which  are  given  in  the  Declaration  and  Testimony  which 
this  church  has  adopted  and  published.  These  explanations  deny  to 
the  civil  magistrate  any  authority  in  or  control  over  the  church,  as 
respects  either  doctrine  or  discipline,  by  virtue  of  his  office.  The 
church  is  regarded  as  a  free  and  independent  society,  to  be  governed 
and  regulated  according  to  the  rules  laid  down  in  the  Word  of  God, 
and  responsible  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  her  duty  to  Christ  her 
only  king  and  head. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Confession  of  Faith  concerning  public,  social, 
religious  vowing  or  covenanting,  as  set  forth  in  the  xxii.  chapter  of 
the  Confession  of  Faith,  and  as  formerly  practised  by  the  churches  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  the  Reformed  Church  of  Holland,  is 
both  held  and  practised  by  this  church, — with  this  difference,  that 
the  civil  part  of  the  National  Covenant  of  Scotland,  and  the  Solemn 
League  and  Covenant  of  the  kingdoms  of  Scotland,  England,  and  Ire- 
land, or  any  mingling  of  civil  with  religious  affairs,  have  not  been 
regarded  by  this  church  as  belonging  to  the  religious  and  ecclesias- 
tical part  of  this  duty. 

This  church,  both  in  doctrine  and  practice,  has  always  adhered  to 
the  use  of  a  literal  poetic  version  of  the  inspired  Book  of  Psalms  in 
the  praises  of  God,  as  that  only  appointed  of  God,  and  consequently 
the  only  proper  one. 

As  other  bodies  of  professing  Christians,  both  in  Great  Britain  and 
this  country,  profess  adherence  to  the  standards  and  doctrines  of  the 
Westminster  Assembly,  the  Associate  Church  also,  from  an  early 
period  of  her  existence  in  this  country,  has  published  a  "  Declaration 
and  Testimony,"  more  particularly  setting  forth,  explaining,  and  de- 
fending some  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Westminster  standards,  and 
stating  the  prevailing  errors  against  which  this  church  considers  her- 
self called  upon  to  testify.  To  this  Declaration  and  Testimony  she 
has  prefixed  a  narrative,  briefly  setting  forth  some  of  the  leading  facts 
in  her  history,  and  the  reasons  of  her  maintaining  a  separate  commu- 
nion from  other  existing  denominations  of  the  present  day.  These 
books,  which  constitute  the  publicly  authorized  subordinate  standards, 


12 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


together  witli  her  Book  of  Discipline,  set  forth  all  the  distinctive  prin- 
ciples and  doctrines  of  this  church.  These  books  she  calls  her  subor- 
dinate standards,  because  held  in  subordination  to  the  Bible, — the 
supreme  standard  of  the  church  of  Christ. 

The  following  formula  of  questions,  proposed  to  private  members 
on  their  admission  to  fellowship  in  the  church,  will  give  a  brief  btit 
pretty  distinct  view  of  the  principles  and  religious  practices  of  this 
church : 

1.  Do  you  believe  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
t(f  be  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  ? 

2.  Do  you  profess  your  adherence  to  the  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith,  Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms,  Form  of  Presbyterial 
Church  Government,  and  Directory  for  the  worship  of  God,  as  these 
are  received  and  witnessed  for  by  us,  in  our  Declaration  and  Testi- 
mony, for  the  doctrine  and  order  of  the  church  of  Christ? 

3.  Do  you  profess  your  resolution  through  grace  to  continue  in  the 
faith,  according  to  the  profession  you  now  make  of  it,  and  to  be  sub- 
ject to  the  order  and  discipline  of  the  house  of  God  ;  to  be  diligent  in 
your  attendance  on  public  ordinances,  teaching  and  sealing,  according 
to  your  profession,  on  secret  prayer,  on  family  worship,  as  you  may 
have  opportunity,  (to  be  used  if  the  applicant  be  a  head  of  a  family,) 
in  keeping  up  family  worship  daily,  morning  and  evening,  and  to 
perform  all  other  duties  incumbent  on  you,  according  to  this  profes- 
sion, in  whatever  station  you  may  occupy  in  life  ;  and  that  you  will 
make  conscience  of  promoting  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  his 
truths,  as  by  other  means,  so  more  especially  by  a  holy  and  spiritual 
conversation,  consistent  with  your  profession  ? 

HISTORY. 
The  Associate  Presbyterian  Church  in  North  America,  is  a  branch 
of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  The  brief  space  to  which  this  sketch  is 
necessarily  limited,  forbids  us  to  refer  particularly  to  that  eventful 
period  in  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  that  intervenes  be- 
tween the  years  1638  and  1688.  Yet  the  causes  which  ultimately  led 
to  the  Secession  of  1733,  may  be  distinctly  found  in  the  history  of 
that  period.  During  that  reforming  period  the  church  complained  of 
the  law  of  patronage  as  an  evil,  and  had  obtained  various  acts  against 
it,  particularly  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  at  Edinburgh,  March  9th, 
164i),  Charles  I.  and  II.  Pari.  2  Sess.  Act  39,  the  patronage  of  kirks 
was  abolished.  That  act  had  such  an  immediate  connexion  with  the 
origin  ot  the  Associate  Church,  that  we  may  transcribe  at  least  a  part 
of  it,  as  follows — "  Considering  that  patronage  and  presentation  of 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


13 


kirks  is  an  evil  and  bondage,  under  which  the  Lord's  people  and  the 
ministers  of  this  land  have  long  groaned;  and  that  it  hath  no  M^arrant 
in  God's  w^ord,  but  is  founded  only  on  the  common  law^,  and  is  a  cus- 
tom popish,  and  brought  into  the  kirk  in  time  of  ignorance  and  su- 
perstition ;  and  that  the  same  is  contrary  to  the  Second  Book  of  Dis- 
cipline, in  which,  upon  solid  and  good  ground,  it  is  reckoned  among 
the  abuses  that  are  desired  to  be  reformed,  and  [contrary]  unto  seve- 
ral acts  of  General  Assemblies;  and  that  it  is  prejudicial  to  the  liberty 
of  the  people  and  planting  of  kirks,  and  unto  the  free  calling  and  entry 
of  ministers  unto  their  charge :  and  the  said  estates  being  willing 
and  desirous  to  promote  and  advance  the  reformation  foresaid,  that 
every  thing  in  the  house  of  God  may  be  ordered  according  to  his 
word  and  commandment,  do  therefore,  from  a  sense  of  the  former 
obligations,  and  upon  the  former  grounds  and  reasons,  discharge  for 
ever  hereafter,  all  patronages  and  presentation  of  kirks,  whether  be- 
longing to  the  king  or  any  laic  patron,  presbyteries,  or  others  within 
this  kingdom,  as  being  unlawful  and  unwarrantable  by  God's  word, 
and  contrary  to  the  doctrine  and  liberties  of  this  Kirk  ;  and  do  there- 
fore rescind,  make  void,  and  annul  all  gifts  and  rights  granted  there- 
anent,  and  all  former  acts  made  in  Parliament,  or  in  any  inferior 
judicatory,  in  favour  of  any  patron  or  patrons  whatsoever,  so  far  as 
the  same  doth  or  may  relate  unto  the  presentation  of  kirks ;"  making 
it  a  penal  offence,  under  any  pretext,  to  give  or  receive  such  presenta- 
tion. And  Presbyteries  were  prohibited  from  admitting  to  trials  for 
ordination  any  candidate  upon  any  such  presentation. 

It  may  here  be  remarked,  that  this  act  was  in  full  accordance  with 
the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  from  her  first  organization 
under  the  doctrines  and  principles  of  the  Reformation  from  Popery. 
In  the  first  Book  of  Discipline,  drawn  up  by  John  Knox,  we  find  the 
following  rule:  "No  minister  should  be  intruded  on  any  particular 
kirk,  without  their  consent."  The  same  principle  is  asserted  in  the 
Second  Book  of  Discipline,  adopted  in  1578,  and  in  force  until  1640. 
This  principle  is  also  repeatedly  recognised  in  the  Directory  of  the 
Westminster  divines. 

The  above  Act  of  Parliament  continued  in  force  in  the  Church  of 
Scotland  until  the  year  1712,  or  the  11th  of  Queen  Anne,  when  the 
doctrine  of  patronage  was  again  revived  by  Act  of  Parliament,  in  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  to  the  great  grief  of  at  least  most  good  men  in 
her-  Many  of  these  not  only  opposed  the  reviving  of  patronage  to 
the  last,  in  the  General  Assembly,  but  entered  their  solemn  protest 
against  it  in  the  Assembly.  The  exercise  of  the  right  of  patronage, 
at  this  time  restored  to  the  patrons,  was  for  some  time  used  with 


J.  HISTORY  OF  THE 

mildness,  and  the  wishes  of  the  congregations  were  generally  con- 
sulted by  the  patrons.  But  men  greedy  of  power  and  gain,  were 
not  lonfT  restrained  by  principles  of  moderation.*  Cases  soon  arose, 
where  the  patrons  altogether  disregarded  the  wishes  of  the  people; 
and  church  courts  were  soon  found  corrupt  enough  to  sustain  them 
in  it. 

A  flaf^rant  case  of  this  kind  occurred  in  the  parish  of  Kinross,  in 
the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of  Dunfermline.  Sir  John  Bruce  the 
patron,  gave  the  presentation  to  a  Mr.  Robert  Stark,  a  very  unpopular 
nominee,  to  whose  ministry,  the  body  of  the  people  could  not  be  in- 
duced to  submit.  This  case,  according  to  a  late  historian,  was  one 
of  the  most  scandalous  intrusions  that  ever  was  made  in  a  Christian 
congregation.!  The  Presbytery  positively  refused  to  take  any  steps 
towards  Mr.  Stark's  ordination.  The  Synod  of  Fife,  to  which  the 
Presbytery  of  Dunfermline  belonged,  with  the  aid  of  the  Assembly, 
resolved,  however,  to  settle  him  at  all  hazards.  This  case  came 
before  the  General  Assembly  in  May,  1732,  and  it,  together  with 
similar  cases,  which  were  now  becoming  more  frequent,  led  to  the 
adoption  of  an  act  at  that  meeting  of  the  Assembly,  *^  anent  planting 
vacant  churches,"  in  which  the  doctrine  of  patronage  was  recognised, 
and  such  settlements  as  that  of  Kinross  were  approved. 

This  act  gave  great  offence  to  many  godly  people,  and  was  re- 
garded as  violating  the  long  received  principles  of  the  church. 

In  October  following,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  minister  at  Stirling, 
in  a  sermon  preached  at  the  opening  of  the  Synod  of  Perth  and  Stir- 
ling, condemned  with  freedom  and  plainness  of  speech  some  of  the 
prevailing  sins  of  that  time,  and  particularly  the  act  of  the  Assembly 
of  May  preceding,  "  Anent  i/te  settlement  of  vacant  churches,  SfC." 
referring  to  the  Kinross  and  other  cases. 

The  Synod  took  offence  at  the  freedom  with  which  Mr.  Erskine 
attacked  the  act  and  decisions  of  the  Assembly,  and  immediately  took 
measures  to  censure  him  for  the  sentiments  uttered  in  the  sermon. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  proceedings  which  led  to  the 
secession  and  organization  of  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Scotland, 
which  event  took  place  on  the  17th  of  November,  1733. 

The  reader  will  at  once  see  the  connexion  between  the  secession 
and  the  proceedings  of  the  church  on  the  subject  of  patronage.  The 
seceding  brethren  who  formed  the  Associate  Presbytery  maintained, 
that  in  condemning  patronage  and  the  decisions  of  the  judicatories 


*  Strulhcr's  History  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.  p.  599. 
t  Fruzcr's  Life  of  Ralph  Erskine,  p.  190. 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  |5 

sanctioning  the  settlement  of  ministers  in  congregations  against  the 
consent  of  the  people,  they  were  only  acting  in  conformity  with  the 
acknowledged  principles  of  the  church.  They  accordingly  bore  a 
very  decided  testimony  against  patronage.  In  a  similar  manner  the 
Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  expressed  their  sentiments  on 
this  subject. 

"  The  revival  of  patronage  was  one  of  the  evils  which  resulted  to 
the  church  from  merging  the  Parliament  of  Scotland  into  that  of 
England,  in  1707. 

"  The  members  of  the  British  Parliament,  being  generally  of  the 
communion  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  England,  and  one  class  of 
them  dignitaries  in  it,  it  was  not  to  be  expected  they  would  act  the 
part  of  friends  to  the  Presbyterian  interest.  Accordingly,  in  the  year 
1711  [1712?],  when  a  party  who  entertained  a  deadly  hatred  against 
the  English  dissenters,  and  against  the  Church  of  Scotland,  prevailed, 
the  ParUament  grievously  injured  both,  and  took  from  the  people 
belonging  to  the  latter,  the  liberty  of  choosing  their  own  pastors; 
restoring  to  some  men  of  rank,  or  to  the  crown,  certain  rights,  which 
they  claimed  from  the  laws  and  customs  of  popish  times,  to  provide 
for  vacant  congregations  such  ministers  as  they  thought  fit."* 

There  were,  it  is  true,  other  causes  of  grievance  at  the  same  time 
that  patronage  was  restored ;  but  this  was  the  most  prominent,  and 
the  one  which  led  to  the  secession  and  organization  of  the  Associate 
Presbytery  of  Scotland,  and  that  led  to  the  organization  of  the 
Associate  Church  of  North  America.  It  may  here  be  observed,  that 
the  main  question  at  issue  then,  was  precisely  the  same  in  all  its 
important  bearings,  with  the  one  which  has  issued  in  the  great  seces- 
sion of  1843. 

One  other  circumstance  it  may  be  necessary  to  state,  in  order  to 
trace  the  origin  of  the  Associate  Church  in  this  country  to  its  proper 
source.  In  the  year  1744  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Scotland 
having  greatly  increased,  it  was  judged  necessary,  for  the  sake  of  con- 
venience, to  constitute  a  Synod.  But  in  the  next  year  a  controversy 
arose  in  the  Synod,  which  issued  in  its  disruption.  The  oath  to  be 
sworn  by  such  as  were  admitted  burghers,  or  freemen  of  towns  in 
Scotland,  had,  in  some  places,  this  clause :  "  Here  I  protest  before 
God  and  your  lordships,  that  I  profess  and  allow  with  all  my  heart, 
the  true  religion  presently  professed  within  this  realm,  and  authorized 
by  the  laws  thereof,  that  I  shall  abide  thereat,  and  defend  the  same 
to  my  life's  end,  renouncing  the  Roman  religion  called  Papistry." 

*  Narrative,  p.  28,  6th  edition,  W.  S.  Young,  Philadelphia,  1839. 


16 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


The  coniroversv  turned  on  the  point,  whether  it  was  consistent  and 
lawful  for  dissenters,  or  those  who  had  withdrawn  from  the  national 
church,  to  swear  this  oatii,  knowing  that  it  was  the  profession  of 
relif^ion  in  the  national  church  that  was  intended  by  the  government 
imposing  the  oath.  Difierent  sides  of  this  question  were  advocated 
in  8vnod,  and  the  disputes  ran  so  high  that,  in  1747,  the  body  divided, 
and  each  party  claimed  the  name  of  the  "Associate  Synod."  But 
the  public  soon  affixed  distinguishing  epithets  to  each  of  the  parties. 
Those  who  opposed  the  lawfulness  and  consistency  of  swearing  the 
oath,  were  called  A nti -burghers,  and  the  advocates  of  the  oath 
Bu7-ghers.  It  was  with  the  former  of  these  that  the  Associate  Pres- 
bytery in  this  country  was  connected.  The  latter  never  had  an 
organization  in  this  country. 


THE  INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  ASSOCIATE  CHURCH  INTO 
NORTH   AMERICA. 

At  an  early  period  of  the  secession,  individuals  approving  of  the 
principles  of  the  secession  emigrated  to  this  country,  both  from  Scot- 
land and  Ireland.  These  not  finding  here  any  denomination  of  pro- 
fessing Christians  fully  concurring  with  them  in  their  views  of 
religious  faith  and  duty,  and  wishing  still  to  retain  the  principles  of 
the  Church  of  Scotland  in  their  primitive  purity,  they  petitioned  the 
Anti-burgher  Associate  Synod  of  Scotland,  to  send  over  some  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  to  their  assistance. 

In  compliance  with  this  petition,  Messrs.  Alexander  Gellatly  and 
Andrew  Arnot  were  sent  over.  The  former  with  a  view  of  perma-' 
nently  remaining  in  the  country,  the  latter  for  a  period  of  two  years. 
They  did  not,  however,  reach  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  par- 
ticular place  of  their  destination,  until  the  year  1754.  These  brethren 
were  authorized  by  the  Synod  to  organize  congregations,  and  to  con- 
stitute themselves  into  a  Presbytery,  which  they  accordingly  did  in 
November,  1754,  under  the  name  of  the  Associate  Presbytery  of 
Pennsylvania.  Notwithstanding  the  various  difficulties  which  they 
had  to  encounter  in  their  first  labours,  these  brethren  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  seeing  the  ordinary  evidence  of  success  attending  their  labours ; 
in  a  short  time  there  were  urgent  applications  for  their  labours  from 
dilVorcnt  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  from  Delaware,  New  York,  Virginia, 
and  North  Carolina. 

Mr.  Arnot  returned  at  the  expiration  of  his  appointment,  and  Mr. 
Gellatly  was  removed  by  death  in  1701 ;  but  the  Presbytery  continued 
to  increase  by  the  arrival  of  missionaries  from  Scotland,  until  the 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


17 


intercourse  between  the  two  countries  w^as  interrupted  by  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  revolutionary  war.  By  this  time  the  number  of  ministers 
had  increased  to  thirteen ;  and  the  applications  to  the  Presbytery  for 
supply  of  preaching  and  the  dispensation  of  the  sacraments  increased 
in  a  still  greater  degree. 

At  this  period  it  was  judged  necessary  to  divide  the  Presbytery. 
Those  ministers  settled  in  New  York,  with  the  congregations  in  that 
State  and  east  of  it,  were  set  off  into  the  new  Presbytery,  which  was 
called  the  Presbytery  of  New  York.  The  others  remained  under 
the  old  designation,  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  and  had  the 
care  of  such  congregations  as  were  located  in  Pennsylvania  and 
southward  of  it.  This  division  of  the  Presbytery  took  place  on  the 
20th  of  May,  1776. 

There  were  at  this  time  also  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  three 
ministers  belonging  to  another  body  of  dissenters  from  the  Church  of 
Scotland,  called  "  Reformed  Presbyterians."  An  attempt  was  shortly 
after  this  made  to  form  a  union  between  these  brethren  and  the 
Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania.  After  some  twenty  meetings 
of  unsuccessful  efforts,  when  the  affair  had  been  apparently  dropped 
by  both  parties,  it  was  unexpectedly  brought  on  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  when  the  members  were  not 
all  present,  by  the  efforts  of  one  of  the  members  of  the  Presbytery  of 
New  York,  and  in  violation  of  a  former  express  agreement  of  the 
Presbytery,  and  carried  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  moderator.  The 
part  of  the  Presbytery  who  at  the  time  opposed  the  union,  wished  the 
matter  delayed  until  the  judgment  of  the  Synod  in  Scotland  could  be 
obtained  on  it ;  but  the  others  declared  themselves  no  longer  in  con- 
nexion with  the  Synod  in  Scotland,  and  proceeded  to  pass  censures 
on  their  brethren  who  did  not  fall  in  with  the  union.  This  event  took 
place  on  the  13th  of  June,  1782. 

The  united  body  denominated  themselves  the  Associate  Reformed 
Synod,  from  a  combination  of  the  names  of  the  two  bodies  from 
which  the  parties  came. 

This  union,  instead  of  making  two  bodies  into  one,  as  was  its  pro- 
fessed design,  divided  two  into  three;  for  those  of  the  Associate 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  who  refused  to  join  the  union,  believing 
the  terms  of  it  inconsistent  with  truth  and  of  schismatical  tendency, 
continued  their  former  organization.  Their  course  was  approved  by 
the  Synod  in  Scotland  ;  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Synod  disap- 
proved of  what  their  members  had  done,  and  sent  in  other  ministers 
to  supply  their  place.  So  that  the  two  original  bodies  continued  to 
exist,  and  the  new  one  also. 


18 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


The  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  was  almost  extinguished  by  this 
union.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  at  which  the  above  trans- 
action took  place,  besides  the  moderator,  there  were  present  five 
ministers  and  five  ruling  elders:  thrqe  ministers  and  two  ruling  elders 
voted  in  favour  of  the  union,  and  two  ministers  and  three  ruling  elders 
ao-ainst  it.  So  that  but  two  ministers  were  left  in  the  Presbvtery  of 
Pennsylvania  at  the  time,  for  the  absent  ministerial  members  at  first 
fell  in  with  the  union ;  and  for  a  time  these  two  ministers,  Wm.  Mar- 
shall, of  Philadelphia,  and  James  Clarkson,  of  York  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, with  their  elders,  composed  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  Associate  Presbytery  of  New  York  had  joined  the 
union  previously. 

The  Synod  of  Scotland,  however,  as  soon  as  practicable,  sent  over 
others  to  their  assistance,  and  in  a  few  years  most  of  those  who  at 
first  had  joined  the  union,  abandoned  it,  and  returned  to  the  Presbytery 
of  Pennsylvania,  so  that  in  a  short  time  her  affairs  began  again  to 
revive. 

Nothing  however  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred  in  the  Presby- 
tery from  this  period  until  the  formation  of  the  Synod  in  1801. 
During  this  period  a  number  of  ministers  arrived  from  Scotland,  and 
some  were  educated  in  this  country.  The  first  institution  for  the 
purpose  of  educating  students  in  theology  by  this  body,  was  establish- 
ed in  1793,  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  John  Anderson,  D.  D.,  of 
Beaver  County,  Pennsylvania,  who  continued  to  serve  as  sole  profes- 
for  of  theology  until  1818,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of  old  age. 
From  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Anderson,  in  1793,  until  the  formation 
of  the  Synod,  in  1801,  six  young  men  had  been  licensed  to  preach 
the  Gospel. 

Before  noticing  the  formation  of  the  Synod,  it  is  necessary  to  give 
an  account  of  the  organization  of  the  Presbytery  of  Kentucky.  The 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  being  wholly  unable  to  meet  the  appli- 
cations for  preaching  which  were  sent  from  Tennessee  and  Kentucky, 
directed  the  applicants  to  apply  directly  to  the  Synod  in  Scotland  for 
missionaries.  They  did  so,  and  in  answer  to  the  petition,  the  Synod 
sent  two,  viz.,  Messrs.  Robert  Armstrong  and  Andrew  Fulton,  mis- 
sionaries to  Kentucky,  with  authority  to  constitute  themselves  into  a 
Presbytery.  These  missionaries  arrived  in  Kentucky  in  the  spring 
of  1798,  and  formed  themselves  with  ruling  elders  into  a  Presbytery 
on  the  28th  of  November  of  the  same  year,  by  the  name  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Kentucky. 

This   accession  of  strength  enabled  these  Presbyteries   to   form 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


19 


themselves  into  a  Synod.  A  resolution  to  that  effect  was  passed  in 
the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  at  their  meeting  in  Philadelphia,  May 
1st,  1800.  After  setting  forth  the  reasons  for  this,  they  "  Resolved, 
that  this  Presbytery  will,  if  the  Lord  permit,  constitute  themselves 
into  a  Synod,  or  court  of  review,  known  and  designated  by  the  name 
of  the  Associate  Synod  of  North  America.  To  meet  in  Philadelphia 
on  the  third  Wednesday  of  May,  1801,  at  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.  That 
Mr.  Marshall  open  the  meeting  with  a  sermon,  and  then  constitute 
the  Synod.  The  rest  of  the  day  to  be  spent  in  solemn  prayer  and 
fasting." 

The  Synod  met  pursuant  to  this  appointment.  The  roll  then  con- 
sisted of  seventeen  ministers.  These  were  divided  into  four  Presby- 
teries, viz.,  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  the  Presbytery  of  Char- 
tiers,  the  Presbytery  of  Kentucky,  and  the  Presbytery  of  Cambridge. 
At  this  time  there  were  also  several  probationers  preaching  under  the 
care  of  the  Synod.  Until  the  year  1818  appeals  might  be  taken  from 
this  Synod  to  that  of  Scotland.  But  at  that  time  it  was  declared  a 
co-ordinate  Synod  by  the  General  Associate  Synod  of  Scotland. 

From  this  period  until  the  present  time,  this  society  has  regularly 
increased  in  members  and  ministers.  It  is  perhaps  worthy  of  remark, 
that  her  members  have  increased  in  a  greater  proportion  than  her 
ministers. 

About  the  year  1820  an  attempt  was  made  to  form  a  union  between 
this  church  and  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  West,  who  had 
separated  from  what  was  at  that  time  the  General  Associate  Re- 
formed Synod,  on  account  of  the  latitudinarian  principles  of  the  latter. 
A  correspondence  was  carried  on  between  the  two  bodies  for  some 
years,  and  nearly  every  obstacle  to  a"  union  seemed  to  be  removed, 
but  the  attempt  was  at  length  abandoned.  This  result  seemed  to  be 
owing  in  a  great  measure  to  the  nature  of  the  last  communication 
from  the  Associate  Reformed,  the  tenor  of  which  was  unconciliating 
and  unkind. 

Between  the  years  1838  and  1840,  six  or  seven  ministers  were 
deposed  or  suspended  for  various  offences.  These  have  since  formed 
themselves  into  a  Synod,  and  have  assumed  the  name  of  the  Asso- 
ciate Synod  of  North  America.  Two  ministers,  also,  in  the  south, 
one  in  South  Carolina  and  the  other  in  Virginia,  who  had  been 
suspended  on  account  of  their  connexion  with  slavery,  have  also 
assumed  ihe  name  of  the  Associate  Church.  These  have  united,  or 
are  about  to  be  united,  to  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the 
South.     A  minister  of  the  Presbytery  of  Miami  has  also  joined  with 


20  ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

a  suspended  minister  of  the  same  Presbytery,  and  formed  what  they 
denominate  the  "  Free  Associate  Presbytery  of  Miami." 

These  dcfccti(ins  of  ministers  have  consequently  occasioned  some 
reduction  in  the  number  of  the  people  ;  but  this  loss  has  been  more 
than  compensated  to  the  society  by  the  peace,  harmony  and  order 
that  have  since  prevailed. 

January,  1844. 


HISTORY 


THE  ASSOCIATE  UEFOHMED   CHURCH. 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  FORSYTH,  D.  D., 

PROFESSOR  IN  THE  ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  SEMINARY,  OF  NEWBURG,  N.  Y. 

Of  the  earliest  Scots'  Presbyterian  Churches  in  this  country,  we 
have  no  very  certain  accounts,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  in  South 
Carolina.  In  1680,  Lord  Cardron  took  measures  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  colony  in  South  Carolina,  with  the  view  to  afford  a  place 
of  refuge  to  his  persecuted  Presbyterian  brethren.  This  was  formed 
at  Port  Royal,  and  the  minister  of  it  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  Dunlop,  after- 
wards Principal  of  the  University  of  Glasgow.  An  invasion  by 
the  Spaniards,  and  the  English  Revolution  of  1688,  which  afforded 
the  exiles  an  opportunity  of  returning  to  their  native  land,  led  to  the 
abandonment  of  the  colony.  Numbers  of  private  persons,  however, 
remained  in  Carolina,  who  were  gathered  into  congregations  under 
the  care  of  a  Presbytery  which  continued  to  exist  until  about  the  close 
of  the  last  century.  Of  these  churches,  only  one  now  remains,  the 
Old  Scots'  Church  of  Charleston. 

During  that  dark  period  of  Scottish  history,  from  1660  to  1688, 
numbers  of  Presbyterians  were*  transported  to  the  American  planta- 
tions, and  sold  as  slaves.  Wodrow  sets  the  number  down  at  3000. 
They  were  for  the  most  part  sent  to  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  and 
New  Jersey.  To  a  congregation  formed  of  these  exiles,  in  New 
Jersey,  Fraser,  the  author  of  the  work  on  Sanctification,  for  some 
years  preached ;  he  afterwards  removed  to  New  England,  and  from 
thence  returned  to  Scotland.  It  is  much  to  be  lamented  that  the  ac- 
counts of  these  Scottish  Churches  are  so  exceedingly  scanty,  inas- 
much as  their  history  is  connected  with  that  of  the  American  Pres- 
byterian and  the  Associate  Reformed  Churches.* 

*  Wodrow  the  historian  corresponded  with  many  of  them  for  a  long  series  of  years ; 
his  correspondence,  now  in  course  of  publication  by  the  Wodrow  Society,  it  is  to  be 
hoped  will  throw  much  light  upon  this  early  period  of  American  Presbyterian  history. 


22 


UISTOUy  OF  THE 


The  earliest  application  to  tlie  Secession  Church  of  Scotland  for 
ministerial  aid,  was  made  very  soon  after  the  secession  took  place. 
In  173G,  the  Associate  Presbytery  received  a  letter  from  a  number  of 
persons  in  Londonderry,  Chester  County,  Penn.,  requesting  that  an  or- 
dained minister,  or  a  probationer  might  be  sent  to  them,  and  promising 
that  all  the  expenses  of  the  mission  should  be  defrayed  by  themselves. 
The  condition  of  the  Presbytery,  however,  was  such,  the  demand  for 
labourers  at  home  was  so  great,  as  to  render  it  impossible  to  do  more 
than  send  to  the  people  of  Londonderry  a  friendly  letter.  (McKer- 
row's  Hist.  Secess.  i.  230.)  The  first  minister  sent  out  to  America 
by  the  Secession  Church,  was  the  Rev.  Alex.  Gellatly,  who  arrived 
in  1751,  and  after  a  laborious  ministry  of  eight  years,  finished  his 
course  at  Octorara,  Penn.  The  Covenanters,  or  Reformed  Presby- 
terians, sent  out  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cuthbertson  in  1751 ;  he  was  followed, 
in  1774,  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Lind  and  Dobbin.  As  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Church  was  made  up  of  these  denominations,  a  very  brief 
survey  of  their  history  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

Of  the  Reformed  Presbytery,  it  is  only  necessary  to  observe,  that 
it  originally  consisted  of  those  who  objected  to  the  terms  on  which 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland  was  re-established  at  the  Revolu- 
tion of  1G88 ;  they  considered  that  she  had  fallen  from  the  attainments 
she  had  made,  especially  about  the  year  1G46,  and  to  which  she  was 
bound  by  solemn  covenants.  While  they  professed  to  rejoice  in  the 
blessings  secured  to  Britain  by  the  banishment  of  the  house  of  Stuart, 
they  still  regarded  the  constitution  both  of  Church  and  Slate  as  im- 
perfect, and  hence,  while  they  refused  to  become  members  of  the 
former,  they  at  the  same  time  declined  to  recognise  the  legality  of  the 
latter.  Their  most  distinguishing  principles,  are  those  which  relate 
to  civil  government.  As  these  will  be  fully  explained  by  a  member 
of  that  communion,  it  is  not  necessary  to  state  them  in  this  place. 

The  Secession  originated  in  1733,  and  was  occasioned  by  a  sermon 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  in  which  he  strongly  in- 
veighed against  certain  recent  acts  of  the  Assembly  having  reference 
to  the  settlement  of  ministers.  For  this  sermon  (preached  at  the 
opening  of  the  Synod  of  Perth  and  Sterling)  he  was  immediately 
called  to  account,  but  refused  to  submit  to  the  censure  imposed,  ap- 
pealing from  the  sentence  of  the  Synod  to  the  General  Assembly. 
The  result  was  the  secession  from  the  Establishment  of  Mr.  Erskine, 
together  w  ilh  his  brother  Ralph  of  Dunfermline,  Mr.  Wilson  of  Perth, 
and  Mr.  Moncricf  of  Aberncthy,  and  the  formation  of  a  body  known 
as  the  Associate  Presbytery.  Immediately  upon  constituting  them- 
selves  into  a  Presbyfery,  they  emitted  a  Testimony,  in  which  they 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


23 


declared  that  they  had  not  separated  from  the  Church  of  Scotland, 
but  only  seceded  from  "  the  prevailing  party ;"  they  appealed  to  the 
"  first  free  reforming  assembly"  for  an  adjudication  of  their  case,  they 
declared  their  faithful  adherence  to  all  the  Canons  and  Confessions  of 
the  church,  and  they  particularly  and  strongly  testified  against  the 
unsound  doctrines,  as  well  as  the  mal-practices  which,  for  some  years 
previous,  had  been  creeping  into  the  church.  This  testimony  they 
required  all  who  afterwards  joined  with  them  to  approve;  a  step  this, 
eminently  injudicious,  inasmuch  as  it  was  a  large  addition  to  the  an- 
cient terms  of  communion — bred  among  them  a  spirit  of  High  Church 
exclusiveness,  and  was  the  remote  cause  of  their  subsequent  unhappy 
divisions.  In  1746  a  dispute  arose  among  the  Seceders  relative  to 
the  Burghers'  Oath.  By  this  time  the  Presbytery  had  reached  the 
dignity  of  a  Synod,  numbering  about  forty  ministers,  and  as  many 
congregations.  The  point  in  debate  was  a  clause  in  the  oath  required 
of  those  admitted  to  the  freedom  of  the  Royal  Burghs,  to  this  eifect, 
that  they  professed  the  true  religion  as  then  professed  in  the  kingdom, 
and  "  renounced  the  Romish  religion,  called  Papistry."  One  party 
maintained  that  the  taking  this  oath  was  inconsistent  with  the  position 
occupied  by  Seceders ;  the  other  party  held  that  there  was  no  such 
inconsistency,  inasmuch  as  the  oath  was  no  more  than  a  recognition 
of  the  Protestant  faith,  as  held  forth  in  the  standards  of  the  Reformed 
Church  of  Scotland.  The  former  were  called  Anti-burghers,  and 
insisted  upon  making  abstinence  from  the  oath  a  term  of  communion, 
.the  latter  were  termed  Burghers,  and  opposed  any  such  restriction. 
The  dispute,  which  was  carried  on  with  much  vehemence  and  ani- 
mosity, produced  a  division  of  the  Synod  into  two  distinct  bodies, 
each  claiming  the  name  and  the  succession  of  the  Associate  Synod ; 
but  they  were  popularly  known  by  the  names  just  mentioned.  The 
numbers  were  about  equal  at  the  time  of  the  separation,  and  the 
growth  of  the  two  bodies  in  succeeding  years  was  very  nearly  equal. 
The  first  effect  of  this  breach  was  a  change  in  the  old  Testimony  to 
meet  the  new  condition  of  things.  There  were,  thus,  in  1747,  two 
Recession  bodies,  each  having  its  own  distinctive  Testimony.  In  this 
state  the  Secession  body  continued  until  1796,  when  the  Burghers 
were  again  divided  by  a  dispute  respecting  the  power  of  the  civil 
magistrate  ci7xa  sacra.  The  subject  had  been  in  discussion  for  some 
years,  one  party  (a  very  small  one)  holding  that  the  magistrate  was 
bound  not  only  to  profess  the  true  religion,  but  also  to  maintain  it  at 
the  expense  and  by  the  power  of  the  state ;  the  other,  forming  the 
large  majority  of  the  Burgher  Synod,  approached,  in  their  views,  very 
nearly  to  what  has  since  been  termed  the  voluntary  principle,  though 


tyt  HISTORY  OF  THE 

they  did  not  absolutely  condemn  the  principle  of  a  civil  establishment 
of  relit^ion.  Connected  with  this  question,  was  another  respecting 
the  bindin'^  obligation  of  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant ;  the  for- 
mer party  asserting  the  obligation  of  these  ancient  instruments  upon 
posterity,  in  the  strongest  manner,  the  latter  admitting  it  only  in  a 
very  modified  sense.  This  dispute  resulted  in  the  separation  of  a 
small  party  from  the  Synod,  in  179G.  They  were  called  the  Old 
Litrht  Burghers;  while  the  majority  were  known  as  the  New  Lights. 
In  1806,  the  Anti-burgher  branch  of  the  Secession  was  agitated  by 
the  same  questions,  and  a  small  body,  headed  by  Prof.  Bruce  of 
Whitburn,  and  the  late  Dr.  McCrie,  the  eminent  historian,  seceded 
from  the  Synod,  in  consequence  of  a  change  in  the  Testimony  on  the 
subject  of  the  covenants,  and  the  magistrate's  power,  and  formed 
themselves  into  a  body  called  the  Constitutional  Presbytery;  but  the 
two  parties  were  popularly  known  as  the  Old  and  New  Light  Anti- 
buro-hers.  There  were  thus  four  distinct  bodies  of  Seceders,  all 
equally  strenuous  advocates  of  Presbyterian  government  and  order ; 
all  observing  the  same  forms  of  worship;  and  the  ministry  in  each 
branch  being  equally  distinguished  for  evangelical  sentiment.  Yet 
each  had  its  own  Testimony,  an  approbation  of  which  was  demanded 
as  a  term  of  communion. 

To  finish  this  brief  sketch :  in  1820  the  two  principal  branches  of 
the  Secession,  viz :  the  New  Light  Burghers  and  Anti-burghers,  united 
themselves  into  one  body  under  the  name  of  the  United  Secession 
Church.  The  two  Synods  contained  at  this  time  about  150  ministers, 
each ;  their  reunion  took  place  just  seventy  years  after  the  breach, 
and  in  the  same  building,  Bristo  Street  Church,  Edinburgh,  where 
the  division  had  occurred.  Into  this  union  the  Burghers  entered 
unanimously ;  but  a  small  party  of  the  Anti-burghers,  with  Professor 
Paxton  at  their  head,  refused  to  go  with  their  brethren.  These  dis- 
senters in  1827  joined  the  Old  Lights,  (Dr.  McCrie's  party.)  While 
in  1837  the  Old  Light  Burghers  returned  to  the  communion  of  the 
Established  Church,  thus  leaving  at  the  present  time  but  two  branches 
of  the  Secession,  viz:  the  United  Synod,  numbering  some  400 
churches,  and  the  Old  Light  Anti-burghers  with  40  or  r)0. 

The  earliest  missions  to  this  country,  were  sent  out  by  the  Anti- 
burgher  Synod.  Having  received  in  1751,  a  very  earnest  applica- 
tion from  Rev.  Mr.  Alexander  Craighead,  of  Octorara,  for  ministerial 
aid,  the  Synod  appointed  Messrs.  James  Harne,  and  John  Jamieson 
to  proceed  as  missionaries  to  America.  These  appointments  having 
not  been  fulfilled,  the  Synod  in  1752,  passed  a  very  stringent  "act 
concerning  young  men  appointed  to  missions  in  distant  places,"  to 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


25 


the  effect  that  if  unwilling  to  go  wherever  the  Synod  might  choose 
to  send,  they  should  no  longer  be  recognised  as  theological  students. 
In  1760,  this  act  was  extended  to  probationers,  and  it  was  enacted 
that  probationers  refusing  to  be  sent  to  North  America,  by  the  Synod, 
should  be  deprived  of  their  license;  and  in  1763,  it  was  farther 
enacted,  that  no  probationer,  under  appointment  to  North  America, 
could  be  proposed  as  a  candidate  in  the  moderation  of  any  call  in 
Scotland.  In  our  day,  this  would  be  deemed  ecclesiastical  tyranny 
of  a  high  order ;  still  it  shows  the  exceeding  earnestness  of  the  Synod 
to  answer  the  American  call  for  help. 

In  1752  Messrs.  Gellatly  and  Arnot  arrived;  the  former  as  a  per- 
manent labourer  here :  the  latter  being  a  settled  minister  in  Scotland, 
and  having  been  sent  out  for  a  special  purpose,  soon  returned  home. 
These  brethren  were  charged  by  the  Synod,  to  constitute  themselves 
into  a  Presbytery,  immediately  on  their  arrival  in  Pennsylvania, 
which  they  did  under  the  name  of  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania. In  1753,  the  Rev.  James  Proudfit  was  sent,  and  after 
'  labouring  as  an  itinerant  for  some  years,  was  settled  at  Pequa,  Penn- 
sylvania. The  hands  of  the  Presbytery  were  strengthened  in  1758, 
by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Mr.  Matthew  Henderson;  and  1761,  by  the 
arrival  of  Rev.  Messrs.  John  Mason,  (afterwards  of  New  York,)  Robert 
Annan,  and  John  Smart;  in  1762,  by  that  of  Rev.  William  Marshall. 
In  1770  Messrs.  John  Roger  and  John  Smith  arrived,  with  instruc- 
tions in  reference  to  a  subject  which  shall  presently  be  mentioned. 

The  Burgher  Synod  received  in  1751,  a  very  earnest  application 
for  a  minister  from  a  number  of  persons  resident  in  Philadelphia ;  this 
request  was  renewed  in  the  year  following,  (1752,)  with  the  promise 
of  defraying  all  the  charges  of  the  mission.  In  consequence  of  re- 
peated and  earnest  apphcations,  the  Synod  resolved,  in  1754,  upon 
establishing  a  mission  in  America,  and  they  appointed  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Clark,  minister  of  Ballybay,  in  Ireland,  to  proceed  to  Penn- 
sylvania ;  but  he  was  prevented  from  fulfilling  the  appointment  at  that 
time.  However,  in  1764,  Mr.  Clark,  in  company  with  the  major 
part  of  his  congregation,  emigrated  to  America,  and  settled  the  town 
of  Salem,  Washington  County,  New  York.  He  was  followed  in 
1766,  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Telfair  and  Kinloch.  Mr.  Telfair  became 
the  minister  of  the  Burgher  Congregation,  in  Shippen  Street,  Phila- 
delphia.*    Mr.  Kinloch   ultimately  returned   to  Scotland,  and  was 

*  It  may  be  here  stated  that  the  Shippen  Street  congregatioM,  united  with  the  old 
Scots'  Church,  in  Spruce  street,  about  the  year  1753  or  1784.  The  ground  in  Shippen 
Street,  is  \vc  bcHcve,  still  used  as  a  burial  ground. 

3 


2G 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


settled  in  Paisley.  In  1770,  he  was  called  b}-  the  Old  Church  in 
(.'ambridge,  Washington  County,  New  York,  but  the  call  was 
declined. 

The  Burgher  ministers  appear  to  have  had  no  desire  to  keep  up  a 
separate  organization  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic;  they  accordingly 
united,  very  soon  after  their  arrival,  with  their  brethren ;  but  the 
union  was  disturbed  by  the  refusal  of  the  Scottish  Synod  to  approve 
of  it.  In  1776  the  old  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  was  divided  into 
two ;  the  one  bearing  the  old  name,  the  other  called  the  Presbytery 
of  New  York;  this  procedure  was  also  condemned  by  the  Scottish 
Synod,  but  no  attention  was  paid  to  their  order  to  rescind  the  act  of 
division. 

An  attempt  was  made  in  1765  to  unite  the  Associate  Presbytery 
of  Pennsylvania  to  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  and  New  York ;  the 
minutes  of  the  conference  held  by  the  joint  committee,  of  which  Dr. 
Witherspoon  and  Dr.  Mason  were  members,  are  now  before  the 
writer,  but  they  are  too  long  for  insertion.  The  chief  points  of  dis- 
cussion were  the  ground  and  extent  of  the  Gospel  offer,  the  divine 
right  of  Presbyterian  government,  and  the  qualifications  for  the 
ministry.  This  attempt  at  union  might  perhaps  have  been  successful, 
but  for  the  animosities  excited  by  a  foolish  publication  of  the  New- 
castle Presbytery,  against  the  first  secession  ministers  who  came  to 
this  country.* 

The  Revolution  of  1776  may,  in  one  sense,  be  regarded  as  the 
cause  of  the  union  which  produced  the  Associate  Reformed  Church. 
The  importance  of  union  among  the  divided  Scots'  Presbyterian 
churches  in  this  country,  had  indeed  been  felt  long  before  it  was 
actually  accomplished.  The  weakness  of  the  congregations  of  the 
several  sects  showed  the  need  of  united  effort ;  and  the  consciousness 
of  this  gradually  excited  and  increased  the  desire  for  it,  until  the 
independence  of  the  colonies,  in  the  judgment  of  many,  removed  the 
ancient  causes  of  disunion.  During  the  progress  of  the  war  several 
conventions  were  held  between  the  members  of  the  Associate  and 
the  Reformed  Presbyteries,  with  the  view  to  attain  this  desirable  end. 
A  detailed  account  of  these  conventions  would  be  of  little  use,  even 
if  we  had  ampler  materials  for  giving  it  than  we  actually  possess. 
It  will  suffice  to  say,  that  the  three  Presbyteries  sat  in  Philadelphia 
in  October,  1782,  and  formed  themselves  into  a  Synod,  under  the 
name  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of '  North  America,  on  a 
basis  consisting  of  the  following  articles,  viz. : 

*  For  fuller  details  see  McKcrrow's  History,  vol.  i. 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


27 


1.  That  Jesus  Christ  died  for  the  elect. 

2.  That  there  is  an  appropriation  in  the  nature  of  faith. 

3.  That  the  Gospel  is  addressed  indiscriminately  to  sinners  of  man- 
kind. 

4.  That  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  alone  condition  of  the 
covenant  of  works. 

5.  That  civil  government  originates  with  God  the  Creator,  and  not 
with  Christ  the  Mediator. 

6.  The  administration  of  the  kingdom  of  Providence  is  given  into 
the  hand  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Mediator;  and  magistracy,  the  ordi- 
nance appointed  by  the  Moral  Governor  of  the  worltl  to  be  the  prop 
of  civil  order  among  men,  as  well  as  other  things,  is  rendered  sub- 
servient by  the  Mediator  to  the  welfare  of  his  spiritual  kingdom,  the 
church,  and  has  sanctified  the  use  of  it  and  of  every  common  benefit, 
through  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

7.  That  the  law  of  nature  and  the  moral  law  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures  are  substantially  the  same,  although  the  latter  expresses 
the  will  of  God  more  evidently  and  clearly  than  the  former,  and 
therefore  magistrates  among  Christians  ought  to  be  regulated  by  the 
general  directory  of  the  Word  as  to  the  execution  of  their  oflice. 

8.  That  the  qualifications  of  justice,  veracity,  &c.  required  in  the 
law  of  nature  for  the  being  of  a  magistrate,  are  also  more  explicitly 
revealed  as  necessary  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  But  a  religious  test, 
any  further  than  an  oath  of  fidelity,  can  never  be  essentially  neces- 
sary for  the  being  of  a  magistrate,  except  where  the  people  make  it  a 
condition  of  government. 

9.  That  both  parties  when  united  shall  adhere  to  the  Westminster 
Confession  of  Faith,  the  Catechisms,  the  Directory  for  Worship,  and 
propositions  concerning  church  government. 

10.  That  they  shall  claim  the  full  exercise  of  church  discipline 
without  dependence  upon  foreign  judicatories. 

Upon  this  basis  all  the  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery,  and 
all  the  Associate  ministers,  with  the  exception  of  two  members  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  (Messrs.  Marshall  and  Clarkson,)  united. 
A  small  minority  of  the  people  in  the  two  communions  also  declined 
to  enter  into  it.  From  these  minorities  have  sprung  the  Covenanter 
denomination  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Associate  on  the  other.  The 
limits  of  this  article  preclude  any  extended  comment  upon  this  basis; 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  observe,  that  at  this  distance  of  time  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  discover  the  reason  for  inserting  some  of  its  articles.  In 
reference  to  the  extent  of  the  atonement,  the  nature  of  faith,  and  the 
extent  of  the  Gospel  offer,  there  had  never  been  any  difference  of 


oy  HISTORY  OF  THE 

o]iinion  among  llicsc  parties;  and  it  is  therefore  sonfievvhat  surprising 
ihat  these  topics  arc  mentioned.  There  had  been  a  dispute  about 
common  hcncfils,  i.  c.  whether  the  common  blessings  of  life  were 
derived  to  mankind  in  virtue  of  Christ's  mediation,  or  were  merely 
bestowed  bv  God  as  Creator.  But  a  calm  and  candid  perusal  of  the 
painphlcts  begotten  by  this  controversy — once  deemed  a  very  vital 

one will  convince  any  one  that  it  was  a  dispute  about  words  rather 

than  things.  Most  of  the  articles,  it  will  be  perceived,  relate  to  the 
subject  of  magistracy,  and  this  was  the  grand  topic  of  difference,  viz. 
the  essential  qualifications  of  the  civil  magistrate,  and  the  extent  of 
his  power  circa  sacra.  On  these  last  points,  it  must  be  confessed,  that 
the  language  of  the  basis  is  by  no  means  clear,  yet  it  is  perhaps  as 
much  so  as  its  authors  intended,  and  as  much  so  as  the  subject  admits. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  each  of  these  bodies  held  to  the  West- 
minster Confession,  their  catechisms  were  the  same,  their  govern- 
ment, forms  of  worship  and  mode  of  administering  the  sacraments 
identical ;  their  views  of  Gospel  doctrine,  and  even  the  styles  of 
preaching  prevalent  among  them,  were  quite  similar.  Their  differ- 
ences had  grown  out  of  acts  of  discipline,  rather  than  points  of  doc- 
trine. 

Here  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  give  some  brief  notices  of  the 
leading  persons  who  were  active  in  effecting  this  union.  The  Rev. 
Thomas  Clark  was  one.  Perhaps  no  minister  of  his  day  was  "  in 
labours  more  abundant"  than  he ;  and  many  interesting  traditions  are 
still  in  existence  respecting  him  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  His 
public  ministrations  were  marked  by  some  eccentricities,  so  that  he 
usually  attracted  large  crowds  to  hear  him.  But  he  was  a  man  emi- 
nently given  to  prayer,  laborious,  zealous,  of  a  most  catholic  spirit, 
and  he  had  many  seals  of  his  ministry,  not  only  by  his  labours  in  the 
pulpit,  but  also  by  his  private  faithfulness,  with  all  sorts  of  persons, 
at  home  and  abroad.  He  longed  for  the  salvation  of  souls;  in  season 
and  out  of  season,  he  made  full  proof  of  his  ministry.  After  a  most 
laborious  ministry  of  about  thirty  years  (in  this  country),  he  died  sud- 
denly at  Long  Cane,  in  South  Carolina,  in  1796.  He  was  the  founder 
and  first  minister  of  the  church  at  Saletn,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  John  Mason,  of  New  York,  was  one  of  the  most  ac- 
complished preachers  and  pastors  of  his  age.  He  "  was  a  man  of 
a  sound  strong  mind,  of  extensive  learning,  and  of  unusually  fervent 
piety.  His  scholarship  was  rare.  He  had  so  habituated  himself  to 
classical  studies,  that  at  the  age  of  tw^enty,  he  spoke  the  Latin  lan- 
guage on  all  the  higher  subjects  of  discourse,  with  equal  ease  and 
greater  elegance,  than  his  mother  tongue.     In  Greek  his  proficiency 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


29 


was  but  little  inferior ;  and  he  was  familiar  with  Hebrew.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-four,  he  taught  logic  and  moral  philosophy  in  the  semi- 
nary of  the  Anti-burghers  at  Abernethy.  His  lectures  were  in  Latin. 
As  a  preacher  he  was  uncommonly  judicious  and  instructive ;  as  a 
pastor  singularly  faithful  and  diligent,  and  as  a  friend  and  companion 
he  displayed  an  assemblage  of  excellencies  i-arely  found  in  so  great  a 
degree  in  one  person.  Few  ministers  have  ever  lived  in  New  York, 
in  so  high  esteem,  or  died  so  deeply  and  generally  lamented." — The 
following  testimony  of  regard  is  from  the  pen  of  the  late  Dr.  Linn, 
who  knew  Dr.  Mason  well : — "  He  had  prudence  without  cunning, 
cheerfulness  without  levity,  dignity  without  pride,  friendship  without 
ceremony,  charity  without  undue  latitude,  and  religion  without  osten- 
tation."* For  thirty  years  he  was  minister  of  the  Old  Scots'  Church, 
(Cedar  Street,)  New  York ;  he  died  in  1792,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  distinguished  son.  Dr.  John  M.  Mason.  He  is  said  to  have  written, 
in  connexion  with  Gov.  Livingston  of  New  Jersey,  some  powerful 
political  papers,  during  the  discussions  that  preceded  the  Revolution. 
Banished  in  common  with  other  Presbyterians  from  the  city  during 
its  occupancy  by  the  British  army,  he  acted  as  a  chaplain  to  the 
American  forces,  and  was  very  warmly  esteemed  by  Washington. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Annan  had  been  a  fellow-student  with  Dr.  Mason, 
and  they  came  to  this  country  about  the  same  time.  He  was  first 
settled  at  Neelytown,  in  Orange  county,  New  York;  and  during  the 
early  years  of  the  Revolution  he  was  a  very  active  promoter  of  the 
Whig  cause.  About  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  called  to  the  charge 
of  a  newly  formed  Scots' church  in  Boston;  but  finding  himself  unable 
to  carry  out  the  discipline  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  he  removed  to 
Philadelphia,  and  for  some  years  was  minister  of  the  Spruce  Street 
Church.  He  afterwards  accepted  of  a  call  from  a  congregation  in 
Baltimore.  In  this  his  last  fixed  charge  he  continued  about  six  years, 
when  he  demitted  it  in  favour  of  the  present  pastor.  Dr.  John  M. 
Duncan.  He  died  in  1818.  He  wrote  (with  some  slight  aid  from 
Dr.  Mason)  a  short  but  very  excellent  exposition  of  the  Westminster 
(Confession ;  a  narrative  of  the  steps  which  led  to  the  union ;  a  tract 
on  Universahsm ;  one  on  civil  government;  and  while  resident  at 
Philadelphia,  he  engaged  in  a  discussion  with  the  late  Dr.  Rush  on 
the  subject  of  capital  punishment.  He  was  a'  man  of  superior  elo- 
quence, an  able,  though  a  rather  bitter  controversialist ;  he  seems  to 
have  been  better  fitted  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a  congregation,  than 
to  carry  up  the  superstructure. 

*  Miller's  Life  of  Rogers,  p.  164. 


„^  IIISTORV  OF  THE 

The  Eev.  James  Proudfil  was  also  educated  for  the  ministry  at 
Abcrncthy.  His  first  settlement  was  at  Pequa,  Pennsylvania.  After 
labourinfT  here  upwards  of  twenty  years,  he  was  called  to  Salem,  as 
the  successor  of  INIr.  Clark,  where  he  remained  until  his  decease,  in 
1802.  For  some  years  before  his  death,  his  son,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alex. 
Proudfit,'was  associated  with  him  in  the  pastoral  charge.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  Presbyterian  ministers  settled  north  of  Troy,  and  for 
many  years  he  was  abundant  in  labours  over  a  wide  extent  of  country; 
not  a  few  of  the  largest  congregations  in  Washington  county  having 
been  founded  by  him.  He  published  nothing,  but  he  was  eminent  for 
his  holiness.  A  brother  minister  who  had  long  known  him,  once  said 
to  his  son,  that  "he  was  the  holiest  man  he  ever  knew."  So  great 
was  his  acquaintance  with  the  Bible,  that  he  was  often  called  by  his 
friends  the  concordance.  Of  the  Covenanting  brethren,  JNIessrs.  jDoii/w, 
Lind,  and  Cuthbertson,  we  regret  that  we  are  unable  to  give  any 
certain  information. 

In  this  connexion  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  give  a  few  notices 
respecting  the  principal  localities  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church, 
in  these  early  days  of  her  history.  The  earliest  settlements  were  in 
Pennsylvania,  within  the  Cumberland  Valley.  From  these,  colonies 
went  forth  to  various  parts  of  the  United  States.  Numbers  emigrated 
to  west  Pennsylvania,  but  in  what  year,  we  are  unable  to  state, — we 
only  know  that  these  emigrants  formed  some  of  the  earliest  Presby- 
terian churches  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains.  Some  of  the  first 
settlers  in  Pennsylvania  remained  but  a  short  time,  and  then  removed 
to  the  upper  parts  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  The  Old  Church 
in  Philadelphia,  was  formed  by  a  few  pious  Scotsmen,  who  at  first 
met  together  as  a  praying  society.  The  Old  Church  in  New  York 
was  formed  by  the  separation  of  the  Scottish  members  from  the  Wall 
Street  Church  in  1751,  in  consequence  of  changes  in  the  forms  of 
worship,  and  the  neglect  of  Presbyterian  order.  In  Orange  county, 
a  colony  of  Irish  Presbyterians  was  established  under  the  auspices  of 
Col.  Clinton,  the  founder  of  the  Clinton  family,  so  early  as  1734 ;  from 
these  have  sprung  the  various  Associate  Reformed  churches  in  that 
county.  Others  were  induced  to  settle  on  the  Colden  and  Campbell 
patents.  The  first  settlement  in  Washington  county,  was  made  by 
r>r.  Clark ;  his  congregation  emigrated  from  Ireland  about  the  year 
17G0:  one  part  going  to  Carolina,  another  portion  accompanying 
liim  to  Washington  county.  To  this  day,  this  county  is  eminently 
Scottish  in  its  religious  peculiarities.  It  may  be  added,  that  the 
Associate  Reformed  Church  was  one  of  tiie  first  to  plant  the  standard 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  State  of  Kentucky ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  last 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH.  g, 

century  the  prospect  of  increase  in  that  commonweahh  was  highly 
promising.  These  prospects  were,  however,  soon  darkened  and 
destroyed  by  dissensions  among  the  ministers.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century,  the  Lexington  Academy  was  founded  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church.  It  was  incorporated  by 
the  legislature  of  the  State,  and  received  from  the  same  source  the 
very  handsome  endowment  of  4000  acres  of  land.  Had  the  affairs 
of  this  institution,  and  of  the  church,  been  managed  with  ordinary 
prudence,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  it  would  now  have  been 
among  the  best  colleges  in  the  gi'eat  valley  of  the  West.  But  the 
opportunity  was  madly  thrown  away,  and  now  it  is  irrecoverably 
gone.  All  the  subsequent  efforts  of  the  church  to  extend  herself  in 
Kentucky,  have  been  attended  by  no  encouraging  results. 

In  addition  to  these  early  settlements  of  the  church,  in  the  States 
of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Carohna,  and  Kentucky,  it  should  be 
mentioned  that  there  were  some  in  New  Hampshire  and  Maine.  Mr. 
Greenleaf  gives  some  notices  of  them  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History  of 
Maine.  They  were  associated  under  the  name  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Londonderry.  The  region,  however,  was  unfavourable  to  the  growth 
of  Presbyterianism ;  so  soon  as  the  older  generation  was  removed, 
their  descendants  became  "  like  the  people  of  the  land,"  and  dege- 
nerated into  independency,  though  the  name  of  Presbytery  was  still 
kept  up.  The  consequence  was,  that  the  Synod  in  1802  passed  the 
harsh  and  unwise  act,  declaring  this  Presbytery  no  longer  a  portion 
of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church. 

We  now  resume  the  history  of  the  Synod.  As  before  stated,  it  was 
constituted  at  Philadelphia,  in  1782,  and  was  then  composed  of  three 
Presbyteries,  and  numbered  in  all  fourteen  ministers.  One  of  the 
first  acts  of  the  Synod,  after  its  organization,  was,  the  adoption  of  a 
series  of  articles,  which  were  afterwards  published  under  the  very 
unsuitable  name  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church  :  among  the  people  it  was  known  as  "  the  Little  Constitution." 
These  articles  were  vehemently  attacked  both  by  the  Covenanters  (in 
Scotland)  and  the  Seceders  here;  yet  they  deserve  attention  as 
showing  the  ardent  attachment  of  the  men  of  that  day  to  "  the  truth 
and  peace ;"  they  furnish  striking  evidence  that  they  possessed  a  truly 
catholic  spirit,  and  were  eminently  free  from  that  mean  and  narrow 
sectarian  temper  which  has  often  been  displayed  by  those  who  make 
the  loudest  professions  of  universal  charity.  Our  limits  forbid  the  in- 
sertion of  these  articles ;  and  we  shall  only  say  in  reference  to  them, 
that  the  spirit  of  charity  and  moderation  which  they  breathe,  has 
been  characteristic  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church  from  that  day 


.^2  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  this;  in  no  case  has  she  altemptcd  to  profit  by  the  dissensions  of 
her  ncio-hbours,  and  Avifh  the  single  and  noble  exception  of  the 
Moravians,  no  other  denonnination  in  this  country  has  ever  displayed 
less  sectarianism  than  she.  Whether  these  articles  were  designed  to 
serve  onlv  a  temporary  purpose  or  not,  can  hardly  be  determined  at 
this  distance  of  time;  the  fact,  however,  is,  that  they  were  ultimately 
laid  aside  for  a  fuller  exposition  of  the  church's  faith — a  measure  that 
was  probably  owing  to  the  uneasiness  created  in  the  minds  of  some 
weak  but  sincere  persons,  by  the  incessant  and  virulent  attacks  of  the 
enemies  of  the  union.  The  final  result  was,  that  the  Westminster 
Confession  and  the  Catechism,  after  a  careful  revision,  at  several  suc- 
cessive meetings  of  Synod,  in  the  articles  relating  to  the  power  of  the 
magistrate,  w'cre  published  in  one  volume,  in  1799,  under  the  title  of 
"The  Constitution  and  Standards  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church 
in  North  America,"  and  they  have  continued  to  be  such,  down  to  the 
present  day. 

The  ground  occupied  by  the  United  Church  was  the  same  as  that 
held  by  the  Cliurch  of  Scotland.  The  testimonies  of  Covenanters 
and  Scceders  were  approved  so  far  as  they  did  not  conflict;  but  the 
simple  standards  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  were  adopted  as  the 
standards  of  the  church  in  the  United  States,  only  with  a  slight 
change  of  ihcir  language  on  the  subject  before  named.  And  even 
this  change  amounted  to  no  more  than  the  incorporation  in  the  Con- 
fession of  the  very  sentiments  expressed  by  the  Church  of  Scotland 
on  this  head,  in  her  adopting  act  of  1G4G.  The  Directory  for  Wor- 
ship and  the  Propositions  of  Church  Government  remained  unchanged; 
the  Rules  of  Discipline  and  Forms  of  Process  were  not  so  much 
altered  as  drawn  out  into  a  regular  system,  the  want  of  which  the 
Church  of  Scotland  has  long  felt;  instead  of  rules  she  has  only  pre- 
cedents for  her  guide  in  matters  of  discipline.  In  this  connexion  it 
may  be  mentioned,  that  various  doctrinal  acts  were  passed  by  the 
Synod,  which  w^re  intended  to  oppose  particular  errors  prevalent  at 
the  time.  Of  these,  the  acts  on  Faith  and  Justification,  written  by 
the  late  Dr.  John  M.  Mason ;  on  Original  Sin,  by  the  Rev.  Robert 
Forrest,  and  on  the  Atonement,  by  Dr.  Robert  Proudfit,  are  very 
valuable  expositions  of  Scripture  truth,  and  have  long  been  highly 
prized. 

For  twenty  years  after  the  union,  the  growth  of  the  church  was 
very  rapid;  in  fact,  the  demand  for  labourers  in  all  parts  of  the  land. 
New  England  excepted,  was  far  greater  than  the  Synod  could  pos- 
sibly supply.  This  rapidity  of  increase  led  the  church,  in  1803,  to 
adopt  a  measure— under  the  influence  of  Dr.  Mason,  of  New  York— 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


33 


which  was  altogether  premature,  and  ultimately  exerted  a  most  dis- 
astrous influence  upon  her  fortunes;  this  was  the  division  of  the 
church  into  four  Provincial  Synods  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Scioto,  and  the  Carolinas,  under  a  representative  General  Synod. 
The  size  of  the  denomination  did  not  warrant  this  measure ;  the  pro- 
vincial Synods,  held  at  great  expense  and  trouble,  found  that  they 
had  no  business  to  transact  worth  the  name,  and  in  a  few  years 
ceased  to  assemble ;  the  affairs  of  the  church  fell  into  the  hands  of  a 
few,  and  thus  jealousies  were  engendered,  the  evil  effects  of  which 
are  felt  to  this  day. 

In  1800  it  was  resolved  to  take  steps  for  the  establishment  of  a 
Theological  Seminary,  as  the  only  means  of  supplying  the  increasing 
demand  for  ministers  ;  and  in  the  meantime  an  effort  was  to  be  made  to 
obtain  a  supply  of  ministers  from  Scotland.  For  these  purposes.  Dr. 
John  M.  Mason  was  sent  as  the  agent  of  the  church  to  Great  Britain 
in  1802 ;  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  funds  to  the  amount  of  about 
$6000,  the  largest  pari  of  which  was  expended  in  the  purchase  of  a 
most  valuable  library ;  and  on  his  return  he  was  accompanied  by  five 
Scottish  ministers,  several  of  whom  still  survive.  At  the  meeting  of 
Synod  in  1804,  the  plan  of  the  Seminary  was  carefully  framed;  Dr. 
Mason  was  chosen  Professor  of  Theology;  and  the  sessions  of  the 
Seminary  began  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year,  in  the  city  of  New 
York.  This  was  the  first  Seminary  established  in  the  United  States, 
and  for  many  years  the  most  famous  seat  of  theological  learning  in 
our  country.  The  chief  credit  of  its  foundation,  and  especially  of 
the  admirable  plan  on  which  it  was  based,  belongs  to  Dr.  Mason.  It 
is  the  model  according  to  which  all  the  other  Seminaries  of  the  As- 
sociate Reformed  Church  have  since  been  framed.  Of  the  character 
of  Dr.  Mason,  his  unrivalled  eloquence,  his  rich  and  varied  scholar- 
ship, his  immense  popularity,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  speak.  He  is 
one  of  the  very  few  American  clergymen,  whose  fame  is  as  bright  in 
Britain  as  in  the  United  States.  Yet  it  is  melancholy  to  reflect  that 
his  fame,  once  so  great,  is  rapidly  passing  away,  for  he  has  left  no 
durable  monument  behind  him.  The  Seminary  might  have  been 
such,  but  he,  unfortunately  for  it,  as  well  as  for  himself,  undertook  too 
much,  and  besides,  lacked  that  indomitable  perseverance  which  never 
rests  until  it  has  fully  attained  its  objects.  The  Seminary  which  he 
founded,  exists  indeed  in  another  place,  but  on  the  spot  of  its  nativity 
it  is  now  almost  unknown. 

Dr.  Mason's  writings  deserve  a  high -rank  in  the  theological  litera- 
ture of  this  country ;  but  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  they  are  in 
no  respect  what  they  would  have  been,  had  the  energies  of  his  mind 


84 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


been  concentrated  upon  his  duties  as  a  theological  professor.  His 
earliest  work,  which  was  published  about  five  years  after  his  admis- 
sion to  the  ministry,  was  upon  the  subject  of  Frequent  Communion. 
For  many  years,  in  fact  since  the  days  of  prclatic  persecution,  the 
Scottish  churches  were  accustomed  to  observe  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  not  more  than  twice  a  year,  and  in  some  cases  only 
once.  Besides  the  usual  preparation  sermon,  the  sacrament  Sabbath 
was  invariably  preceded  by  a  fast  day  on  the  Thursday,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  a  thanksgiving  day  upon  the  Monday.  Palpably  opposed 
as  this  was  to  the  spirit  of  the  Directory,  which  declares  that  "  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  frequently  to  be  observed,"  the  church  had  become 
so  wedded  to  these  "  days,"  that  it  was  deemed  by  many  almost  a 
profanation  of  the  sacrament  to  celebrate  it  without  them.  Dr. 
Mason  set  himself  to  oppose  these  additions  to  the  New  Testament 
Passover,  as  he  well  knew  that  its  frequent  observance  was  impossi- 
ble so  long  as  they  were  continued  ;  his  "  Letters,"  addressed  to  the 
members  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  were  the  means  of 
working  the  desired  change  in  many  congregations,  though  in  some 
parts  of  the  church  "  the  days"  are  observed  even  to  the  present 
time.  But  the  great  work  of  Dr.  Mason  is  his  masterly  treatise  on 
"  Catholic  Communion,"  published  in  1816.  The  circumstances 
which  gave  rise  to  this  important  work  are  given  in  the  work  itself, 
and  need  not  be  here  repeated.  It  is  a  singular  coincidence  that  its 
appearance  was  contemporaneous  with  that  of  the  treatise  of  Mr. 
Robert  Hall  of  Leicester  on  the  same  subject,  and  in  which  substan- 
tially the  same  principles  are  defended.  Previous  to  the  appearance 
of  Dr.  Mason's  work,  the  practice  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church, 
in  common  with  the  other  branches  of  the  Scottish  Church  in  this 
country,  had  been  that  of  exclusive  communion.  We  say  that  such 
was  her  practice,  and  it  furnished  a  sad  illustration  how  the  practice 
of  a  church  which  glories  in  her  orthodoxy,  may  be  in  palpable  con- 
tradiction to  her  own  standards.  In  the  days  of  the  Westminster 
Assembly  the  doctrine  of  exclusive  communion  was  condemned, 
especially  by  Baillic  and  Rutherford,  two  of  the  greatest  lights  of  their 
age,  as  one  of  the  peculiar  errors  of  the  Independents,  who  would 
neither  commune  with  other  Christians,  nor  allow  others  to  commune 
with  them.  The  Confession  of  the  Scottish  Church  asserts  in  the 
plainest  terms  the  duty  of  communing  with  all,  in  every  place,  who 
call  on  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  God  in  his  providence 
gives  the  opportunity.  But  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  the 
Scottish  Secession  an  unchristian  spirit  of  exclusiveness  began  to 
manliest  itself;  new  terms  of  communion  were  framed,  which  had 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


35 


never  before  been  heard  of  in  the  Christian  church ;  they  assumed 
ground  which  was  a  virtual  unchurching  of  all  other  denominations 
of  Christians ;  and  they  were  forced  to  put  a  construction  upon  the 
language  of  their  own  Confession  relative  to  the  communion  of  saints, 
at  war  with  the  well-known  sentiments  of  the  Westminster  divines, 
and  almost  too  absurd  to  need  refutation.  The  great  aim  of  Dr. 
Mason's  work  was  to  expound  and  defend  the  doctrine  of  the  church 
on  this  subject,  and  to  bring  the  practice  of  the  church  into  a  corre- 
spondence with  her  own  authorized  standards.  On  this  account,  as 
well  as  for  the  influence  which  it  was  the  means  of  exerting,  it  de- 
serves an  honourable  notice  in  the  history  of  the  church.  The 
appearance  of  this  work  gave  great  offence  to  those  in  our  own  and 
some  other  denominations,  who  either  could  not  or  would  not  see  the 
difference  between  catholic  communion  and  promiscuous  communion, 
and  an  attempt  was  made  to  answer  it;  still  it  was  the  means  of  pro- 
ducing a  happy  change  in  the  practice  of  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  church  of  which  its  author  was  a  member.  But  candour  requires 
the  statement,  that  in  some  other  parts  of  the  church,  the  doctrine  of 
exclusive  communion  is  taught  and  practised.  The  discussion  of  this 
subject,  connected  as  it  was  in  point  of  time  with  an  attempt  to  intro- 
duce a  new  version  of  the  Psalter,  greatly  helped  to  increase  those 
sectional  jealousies  which  had  existed  for  some  years  before.  All 
the  great  interests  of  the  church  languished ;  the  Seminary  was  be- 
coming involved  in  pecuniary  difficulties — a  fact  however  no  way 
surprising,  when  it  is  considered  how  sadly  its  pecuniary  affairs  were 
mismanaged.  The  ministers  in  the  western  States  made  loud  com- 
plaints against  what  they  deemed  innovations  on  the  ancient  order  of 
the  church ;  these  proving — as  might  have  been  expected  from  the 
very  manner  in  which  they  were  made — ineffectual,  the  entire  Synod 
of  Scioto  at  length,  in  1820,  withdrew  from  the  superintendence  of 
the  General  §ynod.  This  was  a  step  in  palpable  violation  of  the 
essential  principles  of  Presbyterianism ;  it  was  a  causeless  dismem- 
berment of  the  church.  Those  who  adopted  it  did  not  pretend  that 
the  General  Synod  had  sanctioned  heresy ;  they  could  not  pretend 
that  their  interests  were  neglected,  for  quite  as  large  a  number  of 
those  educated  in  the  seminary  at  New  York  were  settled  in  the 
western  States,  as  in  any  other  portion  of  the  country.  The  only 
thing  which  furnished  them*with  a  show  of  complaint  was  the  act  of 
the  General  Synod  allowing  ihe  use  of  a  different  version  of  the 
Psalms  from  that  which  had  been  in  use  in  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church.  But  no  attempt  was  made  to  force  a  new  version  upon 
unwilling  congregations.     Now  it  must  be  manifest  to  all  that  if 


36 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


secession,  or,  in  other  words,  the  dismemberment  of  a  denomination, 
be  warrantable  on  such  grounds,  the  foundation  of  such  a  body  must 
be  cxccedinf^Iv  insecure.  All  the  old  and  sound  Presbyterian  writers, 
as  Rutherford,  Durham  and  Baillie,  are  agreed  in  maintaining,  that 
the  only  proper  grounds  of  separation  are,  the  authoritative  sanction- 
ing of  gross  heresy,  or  the  positive  interference  with  the  rights  of 
conscience :  nor  will  even  these  justify  it,  until  faithful  though  un- 
availing efforts  have  been  made  to  remove  the  grievance.  The 
eminent  writers  whose  names  have  been  given,  unite  in  declaring, 
that  to  secede  merely  because  the  supreme  judicator}'^  tolerates 
something  which  one  party  deems  to  be  an  evil,  while  perfect  free- 
dom is  allowed  to  testify  against  it,  is  to  be  guilty  of  schism.  The 
truth  is,  that  the  schism  of  which  we  have  spoken  is  to  be  traced  to 
that  absurd  longing  after  an  absolute  uniformity  in  the  mere  externals 
of  Divine  worship,  which  Scottish  Presbyterianism  derived  from  the 
Westminster  Assembly  ;  this,  we  are  persuaded,  more  than  any  other 
cause,  has  cramped  the  energies  and  hindered  the  advancement  of 
the  Associate  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States. 

In  1821,  the  Synod  of  the  Carolinas  petitioned  the  General  Synod 
to  be  erected  into  an  independent  Synod.  The  ground  on  which  it 
was  made  was  the  great  distance  of  the  Synod  from  the  place  at 
which  the  General  Synod  usually  assemibled,  and  the  consequent  im- 
possibility of  their  being  represented  in  the  supreme  council  of  the 
church.  The  request  was  granted.  For  many  years  after  that 
event,  the  Southern  Synod  could  hardly  be  said  to  have  grown ;  but 
within  the  last  few  years  a  more  enterprising  spirit  has  been  diffused 
among  its  members,  and  the  prospects  of  increase  are  more  promising 
than  at  any  previous  period.  The  increase  of  the  Western  Synod 
may  be  said  to  have  kept  pace  with  the  rapid  strides  with  which  the 
Western  States  have  advanced  in  population  and  in  wealth.  At  the 
time  of  their  separation  in  1820,  the  number  of  ministers  did  not  ex- 
ceed twenty;  now  it  is  more  than  one  hundred.  The  details  of  their 
statistics  we  shall  leave  to  the  close  of  our  article.  Both  the  ministers 
and  membership  of  the  Western  Synod  arc  very  strenuous  advocates 
of  what  they  denominate  a  "Scriptural  Psalmody,"  by  which  they 
understand  not  merely  a  psalmody  based  upon  the  Scriptures,  but  the 
Book  of  Psalms,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  imitations  such  as  that  of  Dr. 
Watts,  and  even  of  all  translations  of  olher  portions  of  the  Sacred 
Word.  Not  only  are  there  congregations  confined  to  the  use  of  the 
Scots'  version  (as  it  is  sometimes  called)  in  the  worship  of  God,  but 
their  ministers  also  are  compelled  to  use  this  version  when  called  to 
officiate  in  the  pulpits  of  other  denominations.    Whether  this  subject 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


37 


does  not  receive  an  undue  prominence  among  them,  is  a  question 
which  it  might  be  deemed  improper  for  one  ia  determine,  who  is  in  a 
great  measure  unacquainted  with  the  circumstances  of  that  branch  of 
the  church.  However  this  may  be,  it  is  very  certain  that  psahiiody 
forms  the  standing  topic  of  discussion  in  all  the  periodicals  connected 
with  the  Western  Synod,  and  is  th^  theme  of  not  a  few  sermons. 
They  are  also  very  strongly  opposed  to  the  doctrine  of  catholic  com- 
munion ;  though  it  would  probably  be  doing  many  of  them  injustice 
to  affirm  that  they  hold  to  the  doctrine  of  exclusive  communion  in 
the  strongest  sense  of  the  phrase.  We  are  not  indeed  aware  that  the 
Synod,  as  such,  has  ever  given  forth  any  positive  deUverance  upon 
the  subject  of  communion ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  practi- 
cal sentiment  of  the  majority  of  ministers  and  members  is  in  favour 
of  the  exclusive  system.  Of  late  years  the  Synod  has  also  taken  very 
decided  ground  against  slavery;  in  many  of  the  congregations,  we 
are  informed,  that,  not  only  are  actual  slaveholders  excluded  from 
their  communion,  but  even  those  who  have  ceased  to  be  such,  are  re- 
fused, unless  they  express  sorrow  for  their  past  sin  in  the  matter. 
These  remarks  apply  to  the  southern  branch  of  the  church  also,  ex- 
cept in  relation  to  the  subject  of  slavery.  In  the  Northern  Synod,  on 
the  other  hand,  while  there  are  some  who  entertain  the  views  just  ex- 
pressed on  the  subjects  of  psalmody  and  communion,  yet  the  majority 
of  its  members  hold  to  a  more  liberal  way  of  thinking. 

About  the  time  of  the  separation  of  the  Western  Synod,  a  proposal 
was  made  to  unite  the  Associate  Reformed  and  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Churches,  under  the  name  of  "  The  Reformed  Protestant  Church  of 
North  America."  The  cause  of  the  failure  of  this  projected  union 
has  never  been  very  satisfactorily  explained.  In  the  report  of  the 
committee  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  the  coldness  with 
which  the  proposal  was  received  by  some  few  of  the  classes  of  the 
Dutch  Church,  is  given  as  the  reason  for  their  recommendation  not 
to  prosecute  the  business.  But  there  must  have  been  some  more 
potent  agency  than  this  at  work ;  it  is  well  known  that  the  pride  of 
one  very  distinguished  member  of  the  committee  of  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Church  was,  in  some  way,  wounded  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
affair,  and  there  are  those  who  ascribe  to  this  circumstance — whether 
properly  or  not  the  writer  cannot  positively  determine — the  unhappy 
termination  of  the  project.  At  the  very  same  meeting  of  General 
Synod  at  which  it  was  resolved  to  be  inexpedient  to  prosecute  the 
attempt  at  union  with  the  Dutch  Church,  on  account  of  the  coldness 
of  a  few  of  her  classes,  a  proposition  of  union  was  received  from  the 
General  Assembly.     A  joint  committee  was  immediately  appointed, 


38 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  a  basis  of  union  was  very  hastily  framed,  and  it  having  received 
the  approval  of  the  two  bodies,  was  sent  down  to  their  respective 
rrcsbvtcries  for  their  action.  Those  under  the  care  of  the  Assembly 
do  not  appear  to  have  ever  had  the  thing  before  them ;  at  all  events 
they  never  acted  upon  it. 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  General  Synod,  in  1822,  it  appeared 
that  a  large  majority  of  the  Presbyteries  and  Congregations  were 
most  decidedly  opposed  to  the  projected  union.  Yet,  strange  to  relate, 
those  very  men  whose  consciences  had  been  so  scrupulous  about  the 
coldness  of  a  few  of  the  Dutch  classes,  as  to  deem  it  necessary  to 
drop  the  project  of  union  (a  union  be  it  observed  worthy  of  the  name) 
with  that  church,  had  got  so  completely  rid  of  their  scruples,  that  they 
resolved  to  proceed  with  another  proposal  of  union,  in  the  face  of  the 
expressed  negatives  of  a  majority  of  their  own  Presbyteries.  The 
subject  was  debated  for  some  days ;  when  the  vote  was  taken,  there 
were  for  union  seven,  against  it  six,  and  silent  four.  The  majority 
immediately  declared  the  Synod  dissolved;  and  in  palpable  violation 
of  the  constitution  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  they  w^ere  at  once  ad- 
mitted as  members  of  an  Assembly  to  which  they  had  never  been 
chosen.  Within  a  week  after  this  secession  from  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Church,  her  valuable  library  was  with  singular  expedition 
removed  from  New  York  to  Princeton.  We  venture  to  affirm  that  a 
more  disgraceful  proceeding  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  annals  of  the 
American  Church.  The  actors  in  this  scene,  besides  having  the  ex- 
pressed mind  of  the  church  of  which  they  were  the  representatives, 
knew  that  their  scheme  would  have  been  completely  frustrated  if  all 
the  delegates  to  the  Synod  had  been  present ;  they  knew,  at  the  very 
time  the  vote  was  taken,  that  several  of  these  delegates  from  a  dis- 
tant part  of  the  church  were  on  their  way.  The  indecent  haste  with 
which  the  library  was  removed  from  New  York,  and  the  silent  man- 
ner in  which  it  was  effected,  proved  that  these  seceders  were  them- 
selves conscious  that  their  doings  would  not  bear  investigation.  It  is 
deeply  to  be  lamented  that  the  proposed  union  of  1822  was  managed 
in  the  manner  described.  To  an  unprejudiced  mind  there  appears  no 
reason,  on  the  score  of  principle,  why  these  two  branches  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  should  maintain  a  separate  existence;  their 
standards,  their  government,  and  their  discipline  are  the  same,  and 
while  there  is  a  difference  in  some  of  their  forms  of  worship,  yet,  as 
this  would  be  no  just  cause  for  originating  a  separation,  it  cannot  be 
a  just  reason  for  continuing  it.  Had  the  proper  preparatory  steps 
been  taken,  had  due  time  been  allowed  the  ministers  and  congre- 
gations of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church  to  consider  the  subject: 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH.  39 

the  writer  believes  that  within  a  few  years  a  happy  union  of  the  two 
bodies  might  have  been  effected.  But  managed  as  the  business  was, 
they  were  only  placed  wider  apart  than  ever.  Such,  however,  was 
the  end  of  the  General  Synod,  for  it  never  met  again ; — ill  advised  in 
its  origin,  unprosperous  through  its  whole  existence,  and  miserable  in 
its  termination,  it  began  in  pride  and  ended  in  plunder. 

The  Synod  of  New  York  now  resumed  its  ordinary  meetings,  and 
took  the  place  of  the  General  Synod  as  the  supreme  judicatory  of  the 
church  in  the  northern  States.  But  its  members,  unfortunately, 
wanted  the  vigour  requisite  in  the  existing  circumstances  of  the 
church ;  the  consequence  was  the  irrecoverable  loss  of  the  old  con- 
gregations in  the  city  of  New  York.  They  even  went  so  far  as  to 
direct  their  students  of  theology  to  attend  the  seminaries  of  other  de- 
nominations, instead  of  appointing  a  professor  of  their  own ;  the  re- 
sult was,  just  that  which  might  have  been  anticipated,  the  loss  of  the 
greater  part  of  these  candidates  for  the  ministry.  At  length,  in  1829, 
the  Synod  awoke  from  this  long  and  singular  sleep ;  it  was  resolved 
to  revive  the  Seminary,  whose  operations  had  been  suspended  in  1821, 
and  to  establish  it  at  Newburgh,  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Joseph 
McCarroll,  D.  D.,  who  was  at  the  same  time  chosen  Professor  of 
Theology.  Steps  were  taken  to  recover  the  library  transferred  to 
Princeton  in  1822  ;  a  representation  of  the  case,  marked  by  great  mo- 
deration, was  presented  to  the  Assembly  in  1830,  which  having  proved 
unavailing,  legal  measures  were  adopted,  and  after  a  protracted  suit, 
the  library  was  obtained  and  removed  to  the  Seminary  at  Newburgh. 

From  the  preceding  statement  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  Asso- 
ciate Reformed  Church,  since  1822,  has  existed  in  three  independent 
divisions,  at  the  North,  the  West,  and  the  South.  An  ineffectual 
attempt  was  made,  in  1827,  to  revive  the  General  Synod  on  the  old 
footing ;  this  failure  was  not  produced  by  any  of  the  old  causes  of 
disunion,  for  by  this  time,  there  was  a  uniform  practice  in  all  the 
details  of  Divine  worship  throughout  the  several  divisions  of  the 
church ;  but  it  arose  from  the  conviction  which  had  been  created  in 
many  minds,  that  in  a  country  of  such  vast  extent  as  ours,  and  with 
so  many  peculiarities  of  local  interests  and  feelings,  the  affairs  of  the 
church  will  be  much  better  managed  by  particular  Synods,  than  by 
a  representative  General  Synod  or  Assembly,  having  appellate  juris- 
diction. This  sentiment,  the  truth  of  which  is  very  remarkably  esta- 
blished by  the  history  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church  for  the  last 
twenty  years,  is  gaining  ground  both  at  ihe  North  and  the  West ;  and 
we  do  not  believe  that  any  considerable  portion  of  our  church  will 
ever  consent  to  the  erection  of  such  a  Synod,  having  appellate  juris- 


40 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


diction  over  the  whole  United  States.  This  is,  in  fact,  to  carry  the 
principle  ol'  Prcsbyterianism  to  an  unwarrantable  length ;  all  the  ar- 
guments adduced  to  prove  the  necessity  of  such  Synods  or  Assem- 
blies, if  worth  any  thing,  prove  the  necessity  of  a  permanent  Ecume- 
nical Synod  or  Assembly.  Recent  events,  especially  the  increasing 
agitation  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  convince  us  that  the  day  is  not 
very  distant,  when  the  other  and  larger  branches  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  will  be  compelled  to  take  the  same  posi- 
tion, on  this  subject,  with  the  Associate  Reformed  Church. 

It  only  remains  to  add  to  this  historical  sketch,  that  for  the  last 
five  or  six  years  a  correspondence  has  been  going  on  between  the 
Associate  Reformed,  the  Associate,  and  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Churches,  with  a  view  to  their  amalgamation  into  one  body.  Among 
persons  of  right  Christian  feelings,  and  of  enlarged  minds,  there  can 
be  but  one  opinion,  as  to  the  desirableness  of  such  a  union ;  but  we 
are  sorry  to  say,  that  at  the  present  time,  the  prospect  of  its  accom- 
plishment is  by  no  means  flattering.  Still,  the  parties  concerned  are 
acting  with  great  caution,  and  experience  proves  that  in  all  attempts 
at  union,  the  dictate  of  true  wisdom,  is  "  festina  lente."  The  great 
deliberation  by  which  this  movement  has  been  distinguished,  may  at 
least  inspire  the  hope  that  when  the  union  does  take  place,  it  will  be 
a  union  that  deserves  the  name.  And  yet,  if  it  were  speedily  effected, 
while  we  should  greatly  rejoice,  the  question  would  force  itself  upon 
us — why  should  the  united  Scottish  Church  maintain  a  separate  exis- 
tence in  America  'i  We  confess  that  we  should  look  upon  this  as  a 
step  towards  a  yet  more  blessed  consummation.  We  should  look 
upon  it  as  the  harbinger  of  that  day,  when  Presbyterians,  so  long 
divided  and  alienated,  though  one  in  their  confession  and  government, 
forgetful  of  their  ancient  animosities,  shall  unite  their  hearts  and  their 
energies  against  that  common  and  mighty  foe  which  is  every  day 
putting  on  renewed  strength,  that  deadly  foe  by  which  in  other  days 
so  many  of  our  Presbyterian  fathers  were  sent  to  join  and  increase 
"  the  goodly  company  of  martyrs." 

We  shall  conclude  the  article  with  the  statistics  o^the  church. 

I.  T/ie  Synod  of  A''ew  York,  contains  four  Presbyteries,  viz :  New 
York,  Saratoga,  Washington,  and  Caledonia.  The  whole  number  of 
ministers  is  34;  and  of  congregations,  settled  and  vacant,  about  43. 
The  Theological  Seminary  is  at  Nevvburgh,  Rev.  Joseph  McCarroIl, 
D.  D.,  Professor  of  Theology  ;  the  Professorship  of  Church  History  is 
at  present  vacant. 

II.  T/ic  Synod  of  the  JVesl,  about  four  years  since,  was  turned  into  a 
General  Synod,  having  under  its  care  the  following  particular  ones,  viz: 


ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH.  41 

1.  The  East  Sub-Synod,  containing  the  following  Presbyteries:  Big 
Spring,  Monongahela,  The  Lakes,  Mansfield,  Steubenville,  Biairsville, 
Second  Ohio.  The  East  Synod  contains  about  GO  ministers,  and 
about  100  congregations,  settled  and  vacant.  The  Theological 
Seminary  is  established  at  Alleghany,  near  Pittsburg,  under  the  care 
of  Rev.  John  T.  Pressley,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Theology;  Rev.  James 
L.  Dinwiddle,  Professor  of  Biblical  Criticism ;  the  Professorship  of 
Church  History  is  vacant. 

2.  The  West  Sub-Synod  contains  the  following  Presbyteries :  First 
Ohio,  Chilicothe,  Springfield,  Kentucky,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan. 
It  numbers  about  40  ministers,  and  70  or  80  congregations,  settled 
and  vacant.  The  Theological  Seminary  is  established  at  Oxford, 
Ohio,  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Claybaugh,  D.  D.,  Professor 
of  Theology. 

III.  The  Synod  of  the  South,  contains  the  following  Presbyteries : 
First  Carolina,  Second  Carolina,  Georgia  and  Tennessee.  The  num- 
ber of  ministers  is  about  25,  and  of  congregations  40.  They  have  a 
Literary  and  Theological  Institution,  called  The  Clarke  and  Erskine 
College,  in  Abbeville  District.  The  names  of  the  Professors  we  are 
unable  to  give,  though  we  understand  the  College  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 


II I  ST  oil  Y    OF    THE    BAPTISTS. 

BY  THE  REV.  A.  D.  GILLETTE,  A.  M., 

PASTOn  OF  THE  ELEVENTH  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA. 

Whoever  thinks  of  a  noble  river,  as  it  flows  in  majesty  towards 
the  ocean,  without  contemplating  the  bubbling  springs  and  mountain 
rivulets  of  which  its  deep  channels  are  composed  ? 

WJicn  we  look  upon  the  form  and  features  of  some  distinguished 
and  useful  man,  we  naturally  inquire,  Where  was  he  born?  Who 
were  his  parents  ?  What  is  the  history  of  his  childhood  1  and  by 
what  step  in  life  has  he  gained  that  mental,  moral  and  civil  elevation, 
which  places  him  so  far  above  the  thousands  of  his  race  ? 

On  becoming  acquainted  with  some  be^iign  institution,  we  ask, 
Whence  its  origin? — and  listen  to  its  history,  or  the  narration  of 
whatever  is  of  moment  in  its  character,  with  an  avidity  and  interest 
which  bespeak  us  engaged  in  no  ordinary  way. 

Our  divine  Saviour  asks,  "Whether  the  baptism  of  John  was  from 
heaven  or  of  men?"  We  know  that  the  religion  which  John,  Jesus 
and  the  Apostles  taught,  was  from  heaven.  Christianity  is  no  graft 
from  some  former  tree,  no  remnant  of  some  old  religion,  no  substi- 
tute; but  a  new  and  living  faith:  direct  from  God— the  love  of 
Christ,  and  the  mind  of  the  Spirit ;  it  is  a  system  destined  to  glorify 
its  divine  authorship,  and  save  the  souls  of  such  as  repent  of  sins  and 
believe  its  holy  teachings. 

It  may  in  truth  be  said  of  any  people  professing  and  calling  them- 
selves Christians,  that  their  principles  are  from  the  same  source,  pro- 
vided they  are  according  to  the  Gospel  of  God.  This  we  fully 
believe  concerning  all  evangelical  Christian  churches,  irrespective  of 
names. 

The  origin  of  Christian  communities,  their  distinct  organization, 
their  history  as  separate  societies,  the  progress  of  their  sentiments 
among   men,  are  subjects  of  curious   and   profitable  investigation, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  43 

a  fact  which  we  are  glad  to  find  is  receiving  a  degree  of  public 
attention,  somewhat  proportionate  with  its  reasonable  and  legitimate 
claims  upon  the  intelligent  inquirer  after  truth. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  SENTIMENTS  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 

Mosheim  declares  the  origin  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Baptists  to  be 
hid  in  the  remotest  ages  of  antiquity.  Milner,  the  ecclesiastical  his- 
torian, also  shows,  that  the  sentiments  of  the  Baptists  were  held  by 
the  primitive  church,  and  not  departed  from  until  the  year  253,  when 
Cyprian,  an  African  bishop,  decided,  "  That  those  whose  weak  state 
did  not  permit  them  to  be  nashed  in  loater,  were  yet  sufficiently  bap- 
tized by  being  sprinkled." 

Church  history  shows  us  clearly  that  in  every  age  since  the 
Saviour's  advent,  there  have  been  communities  of  Christians  among 
whom  were  held  most,  and  by  some  all  of  the  peculiar  doctrines  of 
the  Baptists  of  the  present  day :  such  were  the  Piedmontese,  Wal- 
denses,  and  disciples  of  Gundulphus. 

When  the  Roman  papacy  sent  its  monks  into  Britain  for  the  pur- 
pose of  converting  the  people  to  the  dogmas  of  their  spurious  faith: 
British  bishops  and  congregations  were  found  in  great  numbers  wor- 
shipping God  according  to  a  pure  Gospel,  and  administering  baptism 
and  communion  to  such  only  as  lived  a  godly  life,  after  the  pattern 
shown  them  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  These  Christian  people  resided 
chiefly  in  the  north  part  of  the  Island,  among  whom  the  "  beast  and 
false  religion  found  no  favourites."  In  the  south,  and  among  the 
Kentish  people,  most  of  whom  were  Druids  or  Pagans,  the  Roman 
mission  was  so  far  successful,  as  to  persuade  many  to  mingle  with 
their  heathen  ceremonies  others  called  Christian  that  were  of  Roman 
origin. 

The  early  British  Christians  held  all  the  evangelical  doctrines  as 
essential  to  church  fellowship,  and  withheld  the  ordinances  of  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper  from  bad  livers  and  unconscious  infants ; 
maintaining  that  it  was  the  privilege  of  believers  only.  And,  as  up  to 
the  fifteenth  century  immersion  was  practised  in  all  cases  except 
upon  the  infirm  and  sick:  it  was  of  course  the  unquestioned  conviction 
of  all,  that  our  practice  and  sentiments  in  this  thing  were  according 
to  the  Bible ;  for  we  now  hold  that  baptism  is  immersion  "  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost."  Also  with  those 
"  ancients"  we  hold,  "  that  true  penitents  and  sincere  Christians  only 
are  subjects  of  baptism." 

It  is  understood  by  the  most  intelligent  among  us,  that  we  are  Pro- 


44 


mSTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 


tcstants  onlv  in  the  union  of  sentiment  against  the  Papal  heresy,  and 
accordincj  to  the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel  which  wc  hold  in  common 
with  all  evangelical  churches. 

We,  as  a  people,  never  submitted  to  antichristian  Rome ;  but  have 
triven  thousands  of  lives  rather  than  be  restrained  from  worshipping 
God,  through  the  threats  and  power  of  wicked  rulers  ;  we  never 
yielded  to  the  "Man  of  Sin,"  except  in  dying  by  the  power  of  its  brute 
force,  its  inquisitorial  cruelties. 

The  adherents  of  our  views  did  not  always  separate  themselves 
entirely  from  other  communities,  or  from  Christians  who  did  not 
agree  with  them  in  these  peculiar  sentiments;  hence  they  are  not 
clearly  distinguished  in  the  history  of  early  times,  and  seldom  by  the 
name  of  Baptists :  a  name  we  never  gave  ourselves,  but  one  used  by 
others  to  signify  the  primitive  and  gospel  manner  of  imitating  Christ 
in  his  divinely  appointed  ordinances. 

Men  of  our  views,  such  as  Milton,  and  Bunyan,  and  others,  stood 
high  in  office,  and  were  embalmed  in  the  affections  of  the  people, 
who  never  enjoyed  the  privileges  of  a  separate  connexion,  with  our 
present  organization  and  plans  of  benevolence. 

Mosheim  says,  "  In  the  middle  and  succeeding  ages,  there  were 
individuals  who  professed  Baptist  sentiments,  mixed  up  with  the  gene- 
ral body  of  Christians  scattered  over  a  wide  surface." 


REASONS  WHY  OUR  SENTIMENTS  AND  HISTORY  WERE  SO 
UNKNOWN  IN  THE  EARLY  AGES. 

The  discipline  and  morals  of  the  large  national  churches,  in  the 
third  and  fourth  centuries,  became  so  antichristian,  that  such  as  had 
the  purity  of  Christ's  kingdom  at  heart,  after  striving  in  vain  to  resist 
the  heathenish  innovations,  withdrew,  as  they  should  have  done,  from 
churches  no  longer  worthy  of  the  Christian  name.  By  the  corrupted 
party  they  were  soon  confounded  with  heretics ;  the  favourites  of  a 
corrupt  government,  and  a  worse  faitii,  even  sacrilegiously  assumed 
the  name  "  Catholic." 

But  the  faith  of  those  who  retired  by  themselves  was  pure,  their 
discipline  scriptural,  and  among  them  we  must  look  for  the  Churcii 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

This  people,  in  Rome,  were  called  Novatians ;  in  Africa,  Donatists  ; 
in  Greece,  Paulicians. 

The  people  holding  Baptist  or  purely  gospel  sentiments  concerning 
the  ordinances  of  religion,  are  the  people  who,  under  various  name?, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  45 

given  by  their  enemies,  have  in  all  ages  of  the  Church,  contended  in 
argument  and  unto  death,  for  the  sole  authority  of  the  "  Holy  Scrip- 
tures," and  have  discarded  as  ruinous  heresy,  the  bold  assumption, 
that  for  human  safety  and  convenience  "  the  Church  has  a  right  to 
change  somewhat." 

Many  writers  upon  Church  History  refer  our  origin  to  the  Munster- 
men  of  Germany,  a  sect  originating  in  secular  causes,  and  proceeding 
to  violence  and  insurrection ;  a  charge  to  which  we  have  not  the 
mortification  of  assenting,  having  ever  been  a  peaceable,  and  until 
within  a  few  years,  an  every  where  persecuted  people ;  even  now,  in 
Germany  and  Denmark,  our  missionaries  are  being  fined,  imprisoned, 
and  opposed,  and  that  too  by  a  church  and  state  which  Luther  is 
said  to  have  reformed. 

The  Baptists  in  no  land  or  nation  ever  returned  "  evil  for  evil,  but 
contrariwise"  they  have  sought  peace  and  prosperity  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  their  religious  enterpi'ises,  asking  of  human  authorities  the 
boon  of  being  let  alone. 

So  far  as  we  are  informed,  the  Munster-men  never  baptized,  but 
by  sprinkling, — we  never  but  by  immersion ;  they  long  since  ceased  to 
be  a  separate  society ;  we  continue  growing  and  flourishing  like  the 
cedars  of  Lebanon. 

The  Baptists  of  Holland,  France,  Switzerland,  and  England,  and 
in  all  Europe,  are  well  supported  by  evidence,  in  considering  them- 
selves the  descendants  of  the  Waldenses ;  who,  though  cruelly  op- 
pressed by  despots  and  popes,  have  maintained  visibility  in  the  world, 
from  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and  whose  residence  has  been  princi- 
pally confined  to  the  fine  valleys  of  Piedmont.  They  are  found  in 
communities  of  800,000  at  a  time,  refusing  any  submission  to  the 
Papal  heresy,  and  dying  by  whole  villages,  rather  than  break  their 
allegiance  to  Christ  their  king. 

In  1120,  this  people  say,  "We  acknowledge  no  sacraments  as  of 
divine  appointment,  but  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  We  con- 
sider these  as  visible  emblems  of  invisible  blessings.  We  regard  it  as 
proper  that  believers  use  these  symbols,  notwithstanding  which  we 
maintain  that  believers  may  be  saved  without  these  signs,  where  they 
have  no  opportunity  of  observing  them." 

Among  their  writings  in  1120,  is  the  following  :  "  Antichrist  seduces 
the  people  from  Christ,  teaches  to  baptize  children  into  the  faith,  and 
attributes  to  this  the  work  of  regeneration  :  thus  confounding  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  with  the  external  rite  of  baptism." 

They  "  counted  baptism  of  infants  unnecessary,  because  they  are 
not  of  age  to  believe,  or  capable  of  giving  evidence  of  faith."     They 


40  HISTORY  OF  THE  BAI»TISTS. 

refer  to  Tcrtiillian  as  believing  the  same  doctrine,  and  instance  the 
practice  of  many  of  the  ancients  to  be  the  same  as  their  own. 

A  council  was  hcKI  in  Lomber,  in  1175,  when  and  where  the  "men 
of  Lyons"  being  condemned,  one  charge  against  them  was,  "  they 
denied  infants  to  be  saved  by  baptism." 

In  II 79  the  Waldensians  w^cre  condemned  by  the  Pope  and  coun- 
cil for  "  denying  baptism  to  infants." 

Mezeray,  a  French  historian,  says,  upon  the  manner  of  baptizing 
in  1200,  "  They  plu7iged  the  candidate  in  the  sacred  font,  to  show 
(hem  what  operation  that  sacrament  hath  on  the  soul."  Farin  says, 
"  The  x\lbigeos  esteem  the  baptism  of  infants  superstitious."  Mosheim, 
AlHx,  Limborck,  Gretzen,  Montanus,  Hassius,  Bcllarmine  and  others, 
none  of  whom  were  Baptists,  make  the  sentiments  of  the  Waldenses 
the  same  with  those  of  modern  Baptists. 

In  1577,  this  people  say  to  the  French  king,  "We  believe  that  in 
the  ordinance  of  baptism,  we  are  received  into  the  holy  congregation 
of  God's  people,  previousli/  professing  and  declaring  our  faith  and 
change  of  life." 

Wicklifle  says,  *'  As  to  children's  estate  as  to  salvation  or  damna- 
tion, he  can  say  nothing  what  God  will  do  with  them  ;  but  for  those 
who  make  baptism  the  thing  to  save  them,  and  the  parents'  omission 
thereof  to  damn  them,  he  utterly  denies ;  because  as  God  hath  not 
appointed  baptism  to  work  grace  or  to  regenerate,  so  it  would  be  un- 
reasonable, to  charge  damnation  upon  little  ones  for  the  parents'  ne- 
glect."    He  adds,  "  believers  are  the  only  subjects  of  baptism." 

It  appears  evident  from  the  foregoing,  that  the  history  of  the  Bap- 
tists, is  not  the  history  of  a  people  seceding  from  other  denominations. 
Not  Protestants  properly  so  called,  unless  for  having  always  protester! ; 
but  they  are  descendants  of  a  people  who,  much  to  the  annoyance  of 
Popery,  have  resisted  all  its  seductive  arts — have  endured  from  it 
fire  and  famine  and  sword,  and  continued  in  great  numbers,  to  charge 
the  Man  of  Sin  with  having  usurped  the  place,  and  power,  which 
belong  to  God  only. — Such  people  have  held  Christ  to  be  the  Head 
of  his  Church,  the  Scriptures  the  only  rule  of  faith,  and  the  "  true 
church"  to  include  all  such  as  "fear  God  and  work  righteousness." 

This  proves  that  in  various  parts,  as  well  as  in  England  and 
America,  the  history  of  the  Baptists,  unlike  most  other  churches,  in- 
stead of  dating  from  the  Reformation,  runs  back  to  a  distinct  class  of 
sentiments,  held  by  a  community,  which  early  Welsh  and  British  his- 
tory shows,  have  existed  ever  since  the  days  of  the  Apostles. 

We  want  it  distinctly  to  appear  that  we  claim  the  existence  of  our 
principles  and  not  our  name.     We  do  not  say  that  a  separate  church 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  47 

has  been  known  as  a  Baptist  Church  from  the  Apostles,  but  that  vieics 
and  practices  which  we  now  hold,  and  which  cause  us  to  be  called 
Baptists,  were  held  by  Christians  in  all  past  time ;  and  they  would 
be  called  Baptists  were  they  now  to  appear  in  any  part  of  the 
world. 

"  Church  history,"  so  called,  is  mainly  a  history  of  the  apostate 
Church  of  Rome,  drunk  with  the  blood  of  martyrs.  The  history  of 
the  true  church,  except  a  few  scraps,  remains  to  be  written  with 
human  pen,  but  its  "  record  is  on  high."  The  history  of  papal  power 
is  no  more  the  history  of  "  the  church,"  than  is  that  of  George  the 
Third  the  history  of  America:— against  calling  it  such  the  Baptists 
conscientiously  protest. 

Mosheim  has  given  a  history  of  the  primitive  church,  which  ap- 
plies to  no  body  of  Christians  but  Baptists.  He  says,  "  The  churches 
in  those  early  times  were  entirely  independent,  none  of  them  subject 
to  any  foreign  jurisdiction  ;  but  each  one  governed  by  its  own  rulers 
and  laws.  For  though  the  churches  founded  by  the  Apostles  had 
this  particular  deference  shown  them,  that  they  were  consulted  in 
difficult  and  doubtful  cases:  yet  they  had  no  juridical  authority,  no 
sort  of  supremacy  over  others,  nor  the  least  right  to  enact  laws  for 
them.  A  bishop,  during  the  first  and  second  century,  was  a  person 
who  had  the  care  of  one  Christian  assembly.  In  this  assembly  he 
acted  not  so  much  with  the  authority  of  a  master  as  with  the  zeal  and 
diligence  of  a  faithful  servant.  Baptism  was  administered  in  the  first 
century  without  the  public  assemblies,  in  places  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  and  was  performed  by  the  immersion  of  the  whole  body  in 
water." 

Robinson  says,  "All  this  time  they  were  Baptist  churches;  and 
though  all  the  fathers  of  the  four  first  ages,  down  to  Jerome,  were  of 
Greece  and  Syria  and  Africa ;  and  though  they  gave  great  numbers 
of  histories  of  the  baptism  of  adults:  yet  there  is  not  one  record  of 
the  baptism  of  a  child,  until  the  year  370,  when  Galates,  the  dying 
son  of  the  Arian  Emperor  A^alens,  was  baptized  by  order  of  the 
monarch,  who  swore  he  '  would  not  be  contradicted.'  The  young 
prince's  age  is  not  given,  and  the  assigning  his  illness  as  the  cause  of 
his  baptism,  indicates  clearly  that  infant  baptism  was  not  then  in 
practice." 

BAPTISTS   IN   BRITAIN. 

Welsh  and  British  historians  show,  that  about  sixty  years  after  the 
Ascension  of  our  Lord,  the  Gospel  was  preached  in  their  island :  many 


48  HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 

of  the  voyal  family,  and  multitudes  of  the  common  people  received  it. 
Tliey  prospered,  as  the  Gospel  had  free  course  and  was  glorified,  or 
sullered,  as  the  Pagans  were  disposed  to  persecute  and  destroy  them. 

In  the  sixth  century,  Austin,  with  forty  monks,  arrived  there  from. 
Rome,  and  demanded  that  they  and  their  bishops  should  receive 
tiirec  things — one  was,  "give  baptism  to  your  children."  All  were 
rejected ;  whereupon  this  emissary  said,  "  Sins  then  ye  wol  not  receive 
peace  of  your  brethren,  ye  of  other  shall  have  warre  and  wretche." 
Tiicy  add,  "  We  have  no  mention  of  the  christening  or  baptizing 
cliildren  in  England,  before  the  coming  of  Austin,  in  597,  and  to  us, 
it  is  evident  that  he  brought  it  not  from  Heaven,  but  from  Home." 

"  Baptist  doctrines  were  held  and  practised  in  the  recesses  of  their 
mountainous  principality  all  along  through  the  dark  ages  of  Popery." 

God  had  a  regular  chain  of  true  witnesses  in  that  country  in  every 
age,  from  the  first  introduction  of  Christianity  to  the  present  time, 
who  never  received  or  acknowledged  the  Pope's  supremacy.  "  They 
were  like  the  millions  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  vale  of  Piedmont,  re- 
siding on  green  and  fruitful  meadows,  surrounded  by  high  and  lofty- 
mountains,  separated  from  other  nations,  as  if  the  allvvisc  Creator  had 
made  them  on  purpose  as  places  of  safety  for  his  jewels,  that  would 
not  bow  the  knee  to  Baal." 

The  British  Baptists  continued  to  multiply;  and  in  1689  they,  with 
forty  of  their  bishops,  assembled  in  an  association  at  London,  and 
adopted  a  confession  of  faith ; — the  same  was  adopted  by  the  Phila- 
delphia association  in  1742.  Though  the  style  is  quite  obsolete,  yet 
as  a  "  form  of  sound  words,"  it  is  the  groundwork  of  many  more 
recently  constructed  articles,  which  newer  associations  have  adopted. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  who  was  self-constituted  "  head  of  the 
church"  in  England,  many  Baptists  suffered  death  by  burning  and 
other  means,  and  many  were  banished ;  in  Elizabeth's  time,  they 
were  imprisoned  and  executed ;  and  in  the  reign  of  James,  numbers 
sought  safety  by  flight  into  Holland. 

In  1401,  William  Sawtre,  who  was  supposed  to  deny  infant  baptism, 
was  the  first  to  suffer  death  for  his  religion ;  and  Edward  Wightman, 
a  Baptist,  of  Burton  upon  Trent,  was  the  last  thus  obliged  cruelly  to 
die  in  that  reign  for  our  ancient  faith.  Baptists  had  the  honour  of 
both  leading  the  way  and  bringing  up  the  rear,  of  all  the  martyrs 
who  v;ere  burnt  alive;  and  many  of  the  thousands  who  suffered  death 
during  the  two  hundred  intervening  years,  were  of  the  Baptist 
denomination. 

Although  taxed  for  the  support  of  the  National  Church  and  greatly 
oppressed  :  yet  the  Baptists  still  remain  in  that  island  a  growing  and 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 


49 


highly  respectable  body  of  Christians,  numbering  about  2000  churches, 
having  four  colleges,  and  several  religious  papers ;  and  to  them  alone 
belongs  the  unspeakable  honour  of  originating,  in  1792,  the  mis- 
sionary concert  for  prayer,  and  the  first  successful  mission  to  the 
heathen  in  India,  which  was  begun  under  the  supervision  of  Casey, 
Marshman,  Ward,  Fuller,  Hall,  and  Pierce — an  enterprise  which  has 
put  the  Gospel  in  the  languages  spoken  by  one  half  of  the  human  family, 
and  sent  missionaries  into  almost  all  the  other  great  nations  of  the 
world. 

The  English  Baptists  are  congregational  or  independent  in  the 
constitutional  government  of  their  churches,  and  are  protected  by  an 
act  of  toleration,  in  common  with  all  who  belong  not  to  that  church 
of  which  the  crowned  sovereign  is  the  head. 

Since  the  days  of  Bunyan,  and  iong  before  his  time,  the  Welsh, 
Scotch,  English,  and  Irish  Baptists,  have  been  highly  favoured  in  the 
talents  and  standing  of  their  bishops  and  public  men ;  and  every  roll- 
ing year  shows  that  their  sentiments  are  spreading,  and  their  useful- 
ness multiplying  converts  to  Christ  in  great  companies  at  home  and 
in  foreign  lands.  God  is  giving  them  great  favour  in  the  sight  of  the 
heathen ;  and  of  late  their  contributions,  in  proportion  to  their  ability 
to  do  good  to  all  men  as  they  have  opportunity,  have  not  been  sur- 
passed by  any  other  people. 

Many  of  our  excellent  pastors,  were  born  and  religiously  nourished 
by  the  fostering  care  of  the  English  Baptist  Churches. 

BAPTISTS    IN   AMERICA. 

When  we  recollect,  that  most  of  the  early  emigrants  to  New  Eng- 
land came  from  their  fatherland  in  search  of  "  freedom  to  worship 
God,"  we  are  not  surprised  to  hear  Cotton  Mather  saying  "  Many  of 
the  first  settlers  in  Massachusetts  were  Baptists,  and  as  holy  and 
watcliful  and  fruitful  and  heavenly  a  people  as  perhaps  any  in  the 
world." 

"Early  in  the  sixteenth  century,  in  England,  Sir  Edward  Coke, 
being  in  church,  where  lawyers  went  in  those  good  early  times,  he 
one  day  discovered  a  lad  taking  notes  during  service.  Being  pleased 
with  the  modest  worth  of  the  lad,  he  asked  his  parents  to  permit  him 
to  educate  their  emulative  son.  Coke  sent  him  to  Oxford  College. 
He  drank  from  the  fountains  of  knowledge,  and  in  those  draughts  he 
found 

'The  sober  certainty  of  waking  bliss,' 


50  HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 

"  •  As  the  hart  panlclh  for  the  water  brooks,'  he  longed  for  the 
wisdom  that  rouses  the  might  which  so  often  and  so  long  slumbers  in 
a  peasant's  arm.  He  communed  with  the  past  and  with  his  own 
startling  thoughts.  He  summoned  around  him  the  venerable  sages 
of  antiquity,  and  in  their  presence  made  a  feast  of  fat  things. 

'A  perpetual  feast  of  nectared  sweets. 
Where  no  rude  surfeit  reigns.' 

"  At  the  fount  of  holiest  instruction  he  cleared  his  vision  ;  and,  from 
the  mount  of  contemplation,  breathed  in  worlds  to  which  the  heaven 
of  heavens  is  but  a  veil. 

"  But  his  soul  was  too  free  for  the  peace  of  his  sycophantic  asso- 
ciates ;  his  principles  Vvcre  too  philanthropic  for  the  selfishness  of  that 
age ;  the  doctrines  which  he  scorned  to  disavow,  were  too  noble  for 
Old  England, — and  he  sought  an  asylum  among  the  icy  rocks  of  this 
wilderness  world.  He  came,  and  was  driven  from  the  society  of 
while  men,  through  wintry  storms  and  savages  more  lenient  than 
interested  factions,  to  plant  the  first  free  colony  in  America.  That 
boy  was  the  founder  of  Rhode  Island;  that  man  was  the  patriot  who 
stooped  his  anointed  head  as  low  as  death  for  universal  rights,  and 
ever 

*  Fought  to  protect,  and  conquered  \>nl  to  bless ;' 

that  Christian  was  Rogek  Williams,  the  first  who  pleaded  for 
liberty  of  conscience  in  this  country,  and  who  became  the  pioneer  of 
religious  liberty  for  the  world." — Magoon. 

"  Roger  Williams  justly  claims  the  honour  of  having  been  the  first 
legislator  in  the  world,  in  its  latter  ages,  that  fully  and  effectually  pro- 
vided for  and  established  a  full,  free,  and  absolute  liberty  of  con- 
science," says  Gooernor  HopJdns. 

"  Roger  Williams  possessed  one  of  those  rare  minds,  which  looks 
upon  truth  with  an  eagle  gaze,  and  what  he  saw  clearly,  that  he  main- 
tained with  invincible  courage. 

"  But  the  war  he  waged  was  with  *  soul  oppression.'  Having  been 
a  Puritan  minister,  he  was  driven  from  England  by  those  persecutions 
for  opinion,  which,  lil;e  the  confusion  of  languages  at  Babel,  drove 
men  asunder,  and  peopled  the  earth.  When  Williams  arrived  in 
Massachusetts,  he  proclaimed  that  the  only  business  of  the  human 
legislator  is  with  the  actions  of  man  as  they  affect  his  fellow-man  ; 
but,  as  for  the  thoughts  of  his  mind,  and  the  acts  or  omissions  of  his 
life  as  respects  religious  worship,  the  only  lawgiver  is  God,  the  only 
human  tribunal,  a  man's  own  conscience. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  5  [ 

"  Williams  opposed  the  church  membership  right  of  suffrage,  all 
law  compelling  attendance,  and  all  taxes  for  the  support  of  worship. 
Great  astonishment  and  disturbance  arose  about  their  '  ill-gotten  egg 
of  toleration;'  but  the  eloquent  young  Episcopal  divine  had  won  the 
hearts  of  the  people  of  Salem,  who  called  him  to  be  their  pastor. 
The  court  forbid  it.  Williams  withdrew,  and  exercised  with  great 
celebrity  the  pastoral  office  in  Plymouth  for  two  years,  when  he 
returned  to  Salem,  and  was  received  with  gladness  by  the  people,  to 
punish  whom,  the  court  withheld  from  the  town  of  Salem  a  tract  of 
granted  land." — Mrs.  Emma  WiUarcl. 

Williams  complained  to  the  churches  of  the  injustice  o(  the  court ; 
but  that  court  disfranchised  Salem  until  ample  apology  should  be 
given.  Williams  then  met  the  clamour  of  all;  and  even  his  own 
wife  turned  against  him.  But  he  declared  )ns  determination  rather 
to  die  than  abjure  his  principles.  The  court  sentenced  him  to  exile. 
It  being  midwinter,  his  earnest  request  to  remain  till  spring  was 
granted.  Soon  again  the  voice  of  Williams,  their  recently  beloved 
pastor,  was  heard  pleading  for  the  emancipation  of  the  soul  from  sin 
and  from  man's  dominion.  Throngs  listened  with  saving  delight  to 
him  whom  they  expected  would  soon  plead  with  and  for  them  no 
more. 

The  court  \vas  pfarmed,  and  sent  a  vessel  to  convey  him  to 
Enoland  •  bnt  he  was  not  to  be  found.  Williams  was  an  exile :  a 
wanderer  in  0  ^vilderness  and  savage  land, — in  the  cold  of  wmter 
and  on  sto^fTiy  nights, — had  not  "  food  or  fire  or  company, — knew 
not  wh?L  bed  or  bread  did  mean,  or  better  shelter  than  a  hollow 

tree." 

A  few  adherents  joined  him,  and  they  stopped  at  Sekonk.  Governor 
?V^inslow,  fearing  his  remaining  in  his  province  would  offend  others, 
wrote  to  Williams,  by  Governor  Winthrop,  that  he  had  better  "steer 
his  course  to  Narragansett  Bay."  Williams  embarked,  and  threw 
himself  upon  the  mercy  of  Canonicus,  a  savage  chief,  who  protected 
the  wanderer,  no  longer  sustained  but  banished  by  his  Christian 
brethren. 

Canonicus  would  not  sell,  but  gave  Williams  all  the  land  between 
Pawtucket  and  Mashassuck  rivers,  "  that  they  might  sit  down  in 
peace,  and  enjoy  it  for  ever."  Regarding  the  whole  transaction  as 
the  result  of  Divine  overruling,  they  named  their  new  home  Pr.ovi- 

DENCE. 

The  Pequod  or  King  Philip's  war  ensued.  Williams's  influence 
among  the  Indians  kept  other  tribes  from  joining  the  enemy.  He 
says,  "  The   Lord  helped  me  immediately  to  put  my  life  into  my 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 

hand,  and,  scarce  acquainting  my  wife,  to  ship  myself  alone,  in  a 
poor  canoe,  and  to  cut  through  a  stormy  wind,  with  great  seas 
every  minute,  in  hazard  of  life,  to  the  sachem's  house.  Three  days 
and  nights  my  business  forced  me  to  lodge  and  mix  with  the  bloody 
Pequod  ambassadors,  whose  hands  and  arms,  mcthought,  reeked 
with  the  blood  of  my  countrymen,  murdered  and  massacred  by  them 
on  Connecticut  river,  and  from  whom  I  could  not  but  nightly  look 
for  their  bloody  knives  at  my  own  throat  also.  God  wonderfully 
preserved  and  helped  me  to  break  in  pieces  the  Pequods'  negotia- 
tions and  design,  and  to  make  a  finish,  by  many  travels  and  charges, 
the  English  league  with  the  Narragansetts  and  Mohegans  against  the 
Pequods." 

Thus  by  the  influence  of  this  "  martyr  spirit,"  this  young  divine, 
whose  spiritual  and  ix)liiical  attainments  seemed  two  centuries  in 
advance  of  the  world,  were  the  colonies  of  New  England,  which  had 
so  recently  exiled  him,  saved  ivom  falling  a  prey  to  the  savage  knife. 

Williams  was  founder  and  first  President  of  Rhode  Island  colony ; 
he  continued  in  that  oflice  many  years;  was  several  times  ambassa- 
dor at  the  court  of  England.  He  obtained  a  charter  from  the  king, 
and  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  fh^i  civilized  world  and  savage 
nations.  None  finally  did  him  more  honour  than  his  persecutors, 
whom  he  requited  kindly  the  cruelties  he  had  received. 

Though  responsible  for  all  the  doings  of  justice  ia  his  colony,  vet 
Williams  ceased  not  to  teach  and  preach  unto  tlie  people  whom  he 
governed,  and  the  natives  near,  the  unsearchable  richts  of  Christ. 
He  made  tedious  journeys  to  other  settlements  as  an  herala  of  salva- 
tion to  lost  men.  Having  taken  the  Bible  for  his  rule  of  doctrine  and 
practice,  he  soon  discovered  that  it  taught  no  infant  baptism,  bu\.  re- 
quired repentance  and  faith  in  all,  and  especially  such  as  professfi 
Christ,  which  must  be  done  by  being  "buried  with  Christ  in  baptism." 

Hubbard  says,  "  Many  of  his  people  entertained  the  same  views." 
There  being  no  minister  in  New  England  who  had  been  baptized  by 
immersion  on  a  profession  of  faith:  in  March,  1639,  Ezekiel  Holliman 
baptized  Roger  Williams,  who  then  administered  the  rite  to  Holliman 
and  ten  others. 

The  course  pursued  was  the  best  and  only  way,  by  which  they,  and 
persons  shut  out  from  access  to  all  organized  Baptist  churches,  could 
aflbrd.  Williams  had  been  ordained  by  an  English  Episcopal  Church 
Bishop,  a  professed  successor  of  the  Apostles  ;  none,  and  certainly  not 
our  Episcopal  brethren,  will  deny  his  "  divine  right"  to  administer  the 
ordinance;  and  liis  Prayer  Book  required  that  he  "dip  the  candidate 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 


53 


in  the  water  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

Thus  was  founded,  under  Roger  Williams,  as  Governor  of  Rhode 
Island,  and  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  Ezekiel  Holliman, 
deputy  governor,  with  ten  others,  the  first  Baptist  church  on  the  con- 
tinent of  America.  To  these  members  twelve  others  were  soon  added, 
and  from  that  day  to  the  present  that  church  has  been  a  burning  and 
a  shining  light ;  by  its  instrumentality  thousands  have  been  born  to 
live  eternally.  Among  its  membership  and  bishops  it  has  enrolled 
some  of  the  most  eminent  scholars,  statesmen,  jurists,  and  divines, 
that  ever  consecrated  talents,  time,  property,  and  acquirements,  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  mankind. 

In  1638,  Rev.  Hanserd  Knollys,  an  Episcopalian,  fled  Ensrlish 
persecution  for  his  Baptist  views,  and  came  to  Boston ;  here  he  was 
opposed,  so  he  left  and  settled  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  where  he 
preached  for  four  years.  He  returned  to  London  in  1641,  and  founded 
a  Baptist  church  in  that  city,  where  he  had  crowds  of  hearers,  whose 
pastor  he  continued  until  1691,  when  he  died  in  peace,  at  the  good 
old  age  of  ninety-three  years.  Dr.  Mather,  says,  *'  He  had  a  respect- 
ful character  in  the  churches  of  this  wilderness." 

Baptist  sentiments  prevailed  much  in  Boston  vicinity  about  1646. 
Records  show  that  the  popularity  of  sentiment  against  infant  baptism 
was  the  chief  means  of  calling  a  Synod  of  Congregationists,  to  com- 
pose a  platform  for  the  government  of  their  churches.  Hooker,  the 
founder  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  died  too  soon  to  attend ;  but  he  had 
published  a  book  teaching,  that  "  children  as  children  had  no  right  to 
baptism,  so  that  it  belongs  not  to  any  predecessor  either  nearer  or 
farther  off  removed  from  the  next  parents,  to  give  right  of  this  privi- 
lege to  their  children." 

In  1639  attempts  to  form  a  Baptist  church  in  Boston  were  legally 
frustrated,  and  the  society  was  broken  up  by  the  court.  Five  years 
later,  a  legislative  act  was  passed,  for  the  "  suppression  of  the  ob- 
noxious sect ;"  but  says  Hubbard,  "  With  what  success  it  is  hard  to 
say,  all  men  being  inclined  to  pity  them  that  suffer." 

The  "  bloody  tenet"  was  framed  and  executed  upon  the  Baptists. 
Sir  Henry  Vane  and  Sir  Richard  Saltonstall  in  vain  remonstrated, 
being  then  in  England ;  and  the  people  who  had  fled  persecution  in  the 
old  world,  rebuilt  its  prisons,  recast  its  bolts  and  bars,  and  rekindled 
its  fires  in  the  new  world,  and  sought  thereby  to  break  down  the  con- 
sciences of  their  brethren  for  whom  Christ  died. 

Dunster,  President  of  Cambridge  College,  embraced  Baptist  senti- 


54 


mSl'OKV  OK  THE  DAPTISTS. 


mcnts,  and  lost  his  high  odicc  as  a  consequence.  But  his  preaching 
against  infant  baptism  cnhghtened  the  Rev.  Thomas  Gould,  in  Boston, 
who  with  others,  in  1G05,  founded  the  first  Baptist  church  in  that  city. 

Rev.  Thomas  Dungan,  in  1G84,  with  others,  formed  a  church  in 
Cold  Spring,  near  Bristol,  Pa.,  but  the  same  was  dissolved  in  1702. 
The  ancestors  and  parents  of  Dr.  Rush,  of  Philadelphia,  were  exem- 
plary members  of  this  church. 

Penepack  Church,  ten  miles  north  of  Philadelphia,  is  the  oldest  in 
this  State,  and  second  on  the  continent,  it  having  been  formed  in  1G86. 
This  church  has  continued  flourishing  and  useful  from  its  origin  up 
to  the  present  time.  It  dismissed  members  to  form  the  first  church  in 
Philadelphia,  which  was  the  second  in  the  State.  These  two  churches 
jointly,  for  many  years  enjoyed  the  pastoral  labours  of  the  Rev.  G. 
Eaton,  Elias  Keach,  and  others. 

In  process  of  time  emigrants  from  the  old  country  who  were 
Baptists,  and  members  of  these  first  formed  churches,  planted  them- 
selves in  Virginia,  and  in  most  of  the  principal  towns  of  the  colonies^ 
so  that  quite  a  number  of  Baptist  churches  were  founded  in  the 
seventeenth  century.  The  first  Baptist  church  in  jNew  York  was 
founded  in  1762;  but  from  16G9  Baptist  worship  and  an  irregular 
church  arrangement  had  been  maintained  in  that  city. 

All  of  the  first  formed  churches  in  the  different  States  were  fruitful 
vines,  whose  branches  hung  over  the  wall ;  they  sent  out  members  and 
ministers  who  planted  much  of  the  seed  that  has  produced  so  abun- 
dant an  harvest  in  the  former  and  latter  years. 

Very  early  attention  was  given  to  learning  by  our  churches.  A 
Literary  and  Theological  School  was  opened  at  Hopewell,  New 
Jersey,  in  1756 ;  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton,  A.  M.  was  the  president.  Another 
by  his  pupil,  Samuel  Jones,  D.  D.,  at  Penepack,  in  17G6. 

Brown  University,  Rhode  Island,  was  founded  1762.  From  these 
early  nurseries  of  learning  and  theological  knowledge  came  forth 
scholars,  who  mingling  in  with  their  less  cultivated  but  strong-minded 
and  self-educated  brethren,  the  pastors  in  those  times,  laid  a  foundation 
for  the  prosperity  and  success  which  has  attended  our  denomination's 
progress,  under  a  similar  and  harmonious  union  of  ministerial  graces 
and  gifts  ever  since.  God  grant  that  while  the  world  stands,  we  may 
be  as  humble  and  prosperous,  as  uncorrupt  in  doctrine,  and  as  holy 
in  practice,  as  were  the  fathers  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  North 
America. 

During  the  revolutionary  war  many  of  our  churches  were  scattered 
by  the  male  members  being  engaged  with  the  army  in  defending  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 


55 


rights  of  their  country  and  religion.  Many  of  the  pastors  acted  as 
chaplains  to  the  various  regiments  composing  that  brave  band,  who 
so  successfully  opposed  tyranny,  and  resolving  to  die  freemen,  rather 
than  to  live  slaves,  established  liberty  throughout  the  land. 

Of  the  Baptists,  Washington  says,  "  While  I  recollect  with  satisfac- 
tion that  the  religious  society  of  which  you  are  members,  have  been, 
throughout  America,  uniformly  and  almost  unanimously,  the  firm 
friends  to  civil  liberty,  and  the  persevering  promoters  of  our  glorious 
revolution :  I  cannot  hesitate  to  believe  that  they  will  be  the  faithful 
supporters  of  a  free,  yet  efficient  general  government." 

Under  the  new  government,  though  in  many  of  the  States  our  rights 
were  not  equal  to  those  of  other  denominations,  we  began  rapidly  to 
increase ;  and  the  prejudices  which  education  and  an  exclusive  pre- 
eminence, which  some  of  the  other  churches  enjoyed  over  us,  was 
calculated  to  nourish,  wore  gradually  away.  Attention  was  soon 
turned  to  a  vigorous  use  of  means,  calculated  to  increase  converts 
to  holiness  and  Bible  sentiments.  Institutions  of  benevolence  were 
founded,  adapted  to  facilitate  the  spread  of  a  true  faith  and  scriptural 
practice  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  land,  and  as  far  as 
possible  to  give  the  Gospel  to  a  perishing  world. 

When  we  recollect  that  the  force  of  education,  habits  and  practices 
of  all  other  denominations,  are  opposed  to  our  peculiar  views,  and 
that  a  people  are  slow  to  cast  off  the  influence  of  early  prepossessions, 
and  that  we  came  in  upon  the  community  with  our  views,  not  until 
after  other  denominations  had  preoccupied  their  mind,  by  preaching  and 
practising  in  a  different  way  :  we  are  led  to  believe  that  God  is  for  us, 
and  we  adoringly  ask,  "  What  hath  God  wrought?  He  hath  not  dealt 
so  with  any  people ;  and  as  for  his  judgments,  we  have  not  known 
them.     Praise  ye  the  Lord." 

As  organizations  for  the  speedy  fulfilment  of  our  Lord's  last  com- 
mand, we  have  an  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  which 
sends  out  ministers  at  its  charges  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  destitute 
towns  and  settlements  in  various  parts  of  the  great  Union,  and  has 
done  much  good,  especially  in  the  new  western  and  southern  States 
and  Territories ;  one  General  Convention,  for  the  prosecution  of  the 
same  cause  in  foreign  lands  and  among  the  American  Indians ;  and 
no  society  has  greater  cause  for  gratitude  than  this  has  for  the  mis- 
sionaries God  has  given  it,  and  the  success  that  has  attended  their 
consecrated  and  self-denying  labour. 

We  have  about  seven  colleges,  and  as  many  theological  semi- 
naries ;   numerous   academies,  high   and  select  schools,   under  our 


50  HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 

exclusive  influence.  Many  of  our  educated  members  are  engaged  as 
professors  and  teachers  in  our  general  literary  institutions.  Others  are 
bearin^T  a  part  in  the  responsibility  and  usefulness  which  their  various 
talents  impose  upon  them,  in  the  estimation  of  their  fellow-citizens, 
and  the  diflcrent  offices  of  trust  and  honour  which  they  are  called 
upon  to  fill  in  our  state  or  national  government. 

In  most  of  the  States  we  have  conventions  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
moting education,  Sunday-schools,  and  missionary  labour — contem- 
plating the  supply  of  those  who  are  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace, 
and  aiding  small  and  pecuniarily  weak  churches  in  supporting  com- 
petent and  acceptable  pastors,  and  other  means  of  usefulness  to  the 
people  in  their  immediate  or  remote  vicinity. 

Associations  of  churches  in  a  single  county  or  district  of  a  State  are 
voluntarily  formed  for  social  and  benevolent  action,  as  the  circum- 
stances of  their  vicinity  or  the  ardour  of  their  piety  may  demand. 
Every  church  being  independent,  associations  have  no  control  over 
the  doctrine  or  practice  of  the  churches  composing  the  body.  Councils 
can  only  give  advice,  and  recommend  the  continuance  or  withdrawal 
of  fellowship  from  churches,  as  they  may  be  worthy  or  unworthy. 

We  publish  about  twenty-five  religious  periodicals  ;  one  quarterly 
review.  We  have  one  National  Bible  Society,  which  contemplates 
mainly,  as  its  field  of  labour,  the  supply  of  the  heathen  with  such 
translations  of  the  Scriptures  as  our  missionaries  shall  in  faithfulness 
prepare  for  them. 

Through  these  benevolent  channels  about  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars  annually  flow  from  our  communicants,  who  in  addition  to 
these  contributions  support  their  own  pastors,  poor  members.  Sabbath- 
schools  and  other  efTorts  of  usefulness  in  the  individual  congregations. 

We  suppose  about  four  millions  of  American  citizens  are  depen- 
dent on  the  Baptists  for  the  religious  discipline  and  teaching  which 
they  receive,  and  with  the  rapid  increase  of  population  our  responsi- 
bilities will  also  be  increased.  To  meet  and  supply  these  solemn 
wants,  we  have  about  nine  thousand  churches,  six  thousand  minis- 
ters ;  and  with  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  increase  since  our  last 
statistical  information,  we  have  about  one  million  of  members — all  of 
whom  profess  to  be  followers  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world. 

We  have  one  General  Publication  Society,  for  the  purpose  of  circu- 
lating books  and  tracts  adapted  to  the  wants  of  our  members,  and  to 
become  the  means  of  salvation  to  the  perishing,  among  whom  we 
are  commanded  to  shine  as  lights  in  the  world. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 


57 


Such  an  array  of  numbers  calling  themselves  Christians,  and  such 
organized  instrumentalities  for  the  furtherance  of  their  views  among 
men,  can  but  impress  the  pious  of  all  denominations  with  the  import- 
ance of  praying  for  us,  that  we  become  not  corrupt  in  doctrine  or 
practice,  but  maintain  the  true  faith,  and  continue,  with  them,  that 
Christlike  spirit  of  co-operation  in  opposing  the  kingdom  of  sin  and 
error,  and  establishing  in  all  lands  the  empire  of  our  common 
Emanuel. 

For  this  may  we  pray,  and  to  this  end  may  we  labour,  until  the 

period  shall  arrive  when  the  relationship  of  diflerent  denominations 

and   official  or  organized    agencies  in   the  church  below,  shall  be 

•  absorbed  in  the  adoring  views  which  we  shall  then  enjoy  of  Him 

•whose  fulness  fiUeth  all  in  all. 


FREEWILL   BAPTISTS. 

BY  THE  REV.  PORTER  S.  BURBANK,  A.  M.,  HAMPTON,  N.  H. 

•  From  the  early  period  in  this  country's  history  when  Baptists  came 
to  be  a  distinct  branch  of  the  Christian  Church  in  America,  at  ihe^ 
banishment  of  Roger  WilHams  from  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  and 
his  settlement  in  Rhode  Island,  different  views  of  the  Atonement  and 
Christian  Theology  generally,  have  obtained  among  them ;  some 
inclining  to  Calvinisfic,  others  to  Arminian,  sentiments.  The  first 
Baptist  Church  in  America  was  of  general  views,  and  the  Baptists  in 
several  of  the  states  were  Arminian  long  before  the  Freewill  Baptist 
Connexion  arose,  while  others  were  Calvinistic.  As  Calvinism  be- 
came more  and  more  introduced,  some  churches  of  general  sentiment 
went  down,  others  went  over ;  others  still,  were  inclined  to  the  Ar- 
minian side,  but  co-operated  with  those  churches  which  were  Cal- 
vinistic ;  and  generally  there  was  but  one  denomination  of  Baptists 
in  America  till  the  origin  of  the  Freewill  Baptists,  a  little  more  than 
sixty  years  ago.  This  article  on  the  "  Freewill.  Baptists''  will  embrace 
summary  sketches  of  their  origin  and  history,  doctrine  and  usages, 
and  present  statistics. 

L   ORIGIN    AND    HISTORY. 

The  Freewill  Baptist  Connexion  in  North  America  commenced 
A.  D.,  1780,  in  which  year  its  first  church  was  organized.  Elder 
Benjamiv  Randall,  more  than  any  other  man,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  may  be  regarded  the  founder  of  this  denomination.  He  was 
born  in  Newcastle,  N.  H.,  in  1749,  where  he  lived  until  of  age,  during 
which  time  he  obtained  a  Mod  mercantile  and  Enfrlish  education. 
From  a  child  he  was  much  accustomed  to  serious  meditation  and 
deep  religious  impressions.  He  did  not,  however,  experience  a  change 
of  heart  until  his  22d  year,  when  the  distinguished  George  Whitefield 
was  the  instrument,  under  God,  of  his  awakening  and  conversion. 
It  was  not  long  before  he  became  convinced,  in  spite  of  his  early 
education,  that  believers,  and  they  only,  were  the  proper  subjects  for 


FREEWILL  BAPTISTS,  59 

Christian  baptism,  and  that  immersion  was  the  only  scriptural  mode. 
He  was  baptized  in  1776,  and  united  with  the  Calvinistic  Baptist 
Church  in  Berwick.  Very  soon  after  this  he  commenced  preaching; 
and  within  the  first  year  he  saw  quite  a  revival  under  his  preaching, 
in  his  own  native  town.  It  will  be  proper  here  to  remark,  that  Mr. 
Randall  possessed  strong  and  brilliant  powers  of  mind ;  and  though 
he  was  not  liberally  nor  classically  instructed,  yet  with  a  good  English 
education  to  set  out  with,  by  close  application  and  untiring  diligence, 
in  a  few  years  he  came  to  be  well  informed  in  general  knowledge, 
and  especially  in  biblical  literature  and  practical  theology ;  to 
which  may  be  added  a  clear  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  deep 
and  fervent  spirituality.  His  soul  also  drank  deeply  into  the  doctrine 
of  a  full  and  free  salvation.  From  Newcastle  and  adjoining  towns, 
where  he  both  met  with  violent  opposition  and  saw  many  souls  con- 
verted, he  extended  his  labours  more  into  the  country,  and  himself 
soon  removed  to  New  Durham.  There  a  great  revival  commenced 
under  his  labours.  The  work  spread  also  into  adjacent  towns.  About 
this  time  Mr,  Randall  was  several  times  called  to  account  for  his 
errors,  that  is,  Anti-Calvin  sentiments.  In  one  of  these  public  meet- 
ings, held  July  1779,  at  the  close  of  the  discussions,  it  was  publicly 
announced  by  the  leading  minister,  that  he  had  "  no  fellowship  with 
Brother  Randall  in  his  principles."  To  which  Mr.  Randall  imme- 
diately responded:  "  It  makes  no  difference  to  me,  who  disowns  me, 
so  long  as  I  know  that  the  Lord  owns  me :  and  now  let  that  God  be 
God,  who  answers  by  fire ;  and  that  people  be  God's  people,  whom 
He  owneth  and  blesseth."  In  this  way  was  Mr.  Randall  pushed  out, 
and  forced  to  stand  by  himself  alone.  The  same  year  the  church  in 
Loudon  and  Canterbury,  with  its  minister,  and  the  church  in  Strafford 
and  minister,  protested  against  Calvinism  and  stood  independent,  until 
at  an  early  period  they  came  into  the  new  connexion.  By  these 
ministers  Mr.  Randall  was  ordained,  in  March,  1780;  and  on  30th 
June,  same  year,  he  organized,  in  New  Durham,  the  first  Freewill 
Baptist  Church.  "  This,"  in  his  own  words,  "  is  the  beginning  of  the 
now  large  and  extensive  connexion  called  Freewill  Baptists." 

The  gospel  which  Elder  Randall  preached  was  one  of  a  free  and 
full  salvation ;  and  he  seemed  to  preach  it  with  a  holy  unction,  in 
demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  in  power.  He  believed  that  men  pos- 
sessed minds  free  to  will  and  to  act,  and  that  God's  exercise  of  par- 
doning grace  was  always  compatible  with  man's  free  volition ;  that 
the  gospel  invitations  were  to  all  men  ;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  enlightens 
and  strives  with  all,  and  in  a  general  rather  than  a  partial  atonement ; 
that  Christ  invites  all  freely  to  come  to  him  for  life,  and  that  God 


60 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


commands  all  men  every  where  to  repent.  Such  were  the  views  of 
this  man  of  God,  such  are  the  Freewill  Baptist  sentiments  now.  In 
the  true  spirit  of  a  faithful  ambassador  for  Christ,  commissioned  of 
God  rather  than  by  men,  he  went  forth  into  the  great  gospel  vine- 
yard, preaching  to  and  praying  his  fellow-men  to  be  reconciled  to  God; 
and  the  Lord  abundantly  scaled  his  ministry.  For  a  while  he  went 
on  to  baptize,  adding  the  converts  to  the  New  Durham  Church ;  but 
soon  there  were  several  churches  associated  with  this.  It  will  be 
proper  here  to  remark,  that  at  the  time  of  the  origin  of  the  Freewill 
Baptists,  evangelical  piety  and  the  life  and  power  of  godliness  were 
at  a  very  low  ebb  in  the  two  leading  denominations  in  this  section  of 
the  country.  In  the  Calvin  Baptist — we  speak  generally — there 
was  much  of  real  Antinomianism;  much  was  preached  of  uncondi- 
tional election  and  reprobation,  and  but  little  to  the  impenitent  upon 
immediate  repentance  and  seeking  religion ; — and  in  the  Congrega- 
tionalist,  experimental  religion,  in  many  cases,  was  scarcely  con- 
sidered a  prerequisite  to  church-membership  or  to  entering  the 
ministry.  Churches  were  in  a  lax  state  of  discipline,  and  much  of 
the  preaching  was  little  else  than  dull  moral  essays,  or  prosy  disqui- 
sitions on  abstract  doctrines.  Any  reader,  at  all  acquainted  with  the 
history  of  the  Church  at  the  period  of  which  mention  is  here  made, 
will  admit  the  full  truth  of  our  statement;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
we  take  much  pleasure  in  informing  the  reader  that  these  remarks, 
in  our  opinion,  have  no  application  whatever,  at  the  present  time,  to 
these  now  truly  evangelical  and  pious  denominations.  Such  then 
being  much  of  the  preaching  of  the  times,  it  was  to  have  been 
expected  that  the  preaching  of  Elder  Randall  and  the  other  pioneers 
with  him  in  the  cause  oi  free  salvation,  should  occasion  much  excite- 
ment; their  sentiments  and  measures  be  the  subjects  of  frequent 
discussion  and  various  opinions ;  that  some  would  fall  in  with  them, 
while  others  would  oppose  and  deride.  All  these  results  actually 
followed.  Publishing  a  full  atonement,  and  gospel  salvation  free  for 
all  to  embrace,  and  exhorting  their  hearers  immediately  to  turn  to 
God,  the  Lord  working  with  them :  many  accepted  the  glad  tidings 
and  embraced  religion.  Revivals  spread.  Several  ministers  and 
some  churches  came  out  from  other  denominations  and  united  with 
the  new  connexion ;  other  ministers  were  raised  up  and  churches 
organized,  as  the  reformation  extended.  One  of  the  first  four  minis- 
ters was  liberally  and  theologically  educated.  The  new  sect  was 
everywhere  spoken  against;  fanaticism,  delusion,  wildfire,  was  the 
cry ;  and  by  their  enemies  they  were  variously  styled,  Randallites, 
General  Provisioners,  New-Lights,  Freewillers,  etc.     Elder  Randall 


FREEWILL  BAPTISTS. 


61 


had  already  established  large  churches  in  Tamworth  a'nd  in  Straf- 
ford, in  addition  to  those  above  named.  The  little  vine  soon  ran 
over  the  wall— and  in  less  than  two  years  several  churches  were 
organized  in  the  State  of  Maine,  and  their  whole  number  was  nine. 
In  the  fall  of  1781,  he  made  an  eastern  tour,  and  preached  in  several 
towns  west  of,  and  on,  the  Kennebec  river,  in  most  of  which  places 
he  saw  revivals  commence,  having  in  thirty-seven  days  preached 
forty-seven  times,  and  travelled  four  hundred  miles.  Churches  and 
ministers  continuing  to  multiply — for  the  purposes  of  preserving 
unanimity  of  views  and  co-operation  of  efforts,  and  for  mutual 
edification,  a  quarterly  meeting  was  organized  in  four  years  from  the 
first  church  organization.  The  quarterly  meeting  was  held  four 
times  a  year,  in  places  which  would  best  accommodate  the  churches, 
and  its  sessions  continued  two  or  three  days.  At  these  meetings  the 
churches  all  represented  themselves  both  by  letters  and  delegates,  all 
the  ministers  usually  attending  and  many  of  the  private  brethren.  In 
these  sessions  the  state  of  the  churches  was  ascertained  every  three 
months,  the  business  of  the  denomination  was  harmoniously  trans- 
acted, and  several  sermons  preached  before  full  assemblies.  They 
were  almost  always  the  means  of  religious  awakenings.  In  connexion 
with  the  quarterly  meeting  a  ministers'  conference  was  held,  in 
which  doctrinal  views  were  compared,  Scriptures  explained,  and 
good  instruction  imparted  to  the  younger  portion  of  the  ministry. 
Printed  circulars  were  sent  out  to  the  churches,  stirring  them  up  to 
gospel  hoUness  and  active  piety.  These  associations  were  found  to 
be  a  rich  blessing  to  the  Freewill  Baptist  interest,  and  they  have 
always  been  continued,  until,  instead  of  one,  there  are  now  ninety- 
five  quarterly  meetings. 

Although  the  early  ministers  in  the  Freewill  Baptist  denomination 
had  the  pastoral  care  of  some  church  in  particular,  their  services 
were  not  wholly  given  to  their  particular  charge ;  many  effectual 
doors  were  opened  to  receive  the  gospel,  numerous  Macedonian 
cries  for  help  were  heard,  and  many  of  tl\em  travelled  much.  Elder 
Randall  travelled  extensively,  and  preached  continually.  At  one 
place  in  his  diary  he  says,  "  I  have  travelled  this  year  more  than 
twelve  hundred  miles  in  the  service  of  truth,  and  attended  above 
three  hundred  meetings."  Stinchfield,  Buzzell,  and  others  also, 
itinerated  extensively.  In  the  first  twelve  years  of  the  connexion, 
Freewill  Baptists  had  come  to  be  quite  numerous  in  New  Hampshire 
and  Maine,  had  extended  into  Vermont,  and  soon  after  Rhode  Island 
and  se.veral  other  States.  Several  quarterly  meetings  were  already 
constituted,  distinct,  yet  acting  in  concert  by  messengers  and  cor- 


69 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


respondcncc."  For  the  glory  of  God  and  the  welfare  of  the  increas- 
iiifT  denomination,  a  yearly  meeting  was  agreed  on,  which  should 
embrace  all  the  quarterly  meetings  in  a  general  association,  and 
present  an  opportunity  for  all  parts  of  the  connexion  to  be  directly 
heard  froin  and  represented  once  a  year.  The  first  yearly  meeting 
was  held  in  New  Durham  on  the  9th,  10th,  and  11th  of  June,  1792; 
"  a  season  of  great  blessing  and  long  to  be  remembered."  It  was 
next  held  in  Gorham,  then  in  Parsonsficld,  and  so  in  turn  at  different 
places  as  would  best  accommodate  the  Freewill  Baptist  community. 
As  the  quarterly  meetings  were  composed  of  churches,  and  transact- 
ed their  general  and  relative  business :  so  the  yearly  meeting  was 
composed  of  the  several  quarterly  meetings,  through  their  delegates, 
and  transacted  the  general  business  of  the  denomination.  This 
organiication  was  also  found  to  be  of  great  advantage,  and  has 
been  continued,  there  being  now  twenty  such  associations.  Elder 
Randall  died  in  1808;  his  last  written  advice  to  his  beloved  con- 
nexion contains  much  excellent  instruction.  At  the  time  when  God 
called  from  Zion's  walls  him  who  was  the  founder,  and  who  had  for 
so  many  years  been  the  leading  actor  in  the  connexion :  its  numbers 
and  its  ministry  had  greatly  increased,  and  many  of  them  were  able 
ministers  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  whose  names  would  often  come  up, 
in  a  full  history  of  the  denomination,  but  need  not  in  our  brief 
article.  They  have  now  extended  into  several  other  States  in  the 
Union,  and  into  Canada.  No  other  Freewill  Baptist  minister  has 
ever  been  so  successful  as  an  evangelist,  or  so  extensively  instru- 
mental in  publishing  a  free  gospel  in  the  more  distant  States,  as 
Elder  John  Colby.  He  entered  the  ministry  in  1809;  preached  a 
few  years  with  great  success  in  several  of  the  eastern  States,  in  one 
of  which  years  he  baptized  three  hundred.  But  the  great  West 
seemed  constantly  to  rest  on  his  mind  with  such  impressions  to 
preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  in  that  vast  field,  as  he  could  not  well 
resist.  Accordingly  he  spent  much  of  his  precious  ministry  in  seve- 
ral of  the  western  States,  and  particularly  in  Ohio.  Of  the  eastern 
States,  Rhode  Island  richly  shared  in  his  successful  labours.  He 
died  in  Norfolk,  Virginia,  1817,  after  an  extensively  useful  ministry; 
having  baptized  many  hundreds,  established  and  set  in  order  nume- 
rous churches,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  several  quarterly  meet- 
ings in  States  then  new  ground  to  the  denomination. 

It  ought  to  be  mentioned,  in  this  connexion,  that  the  Freewill 
Baptist  interest  had  not  arisen  and  come  down  to  this  period  without 
some  internal  trials.  There  obtained  among  them,  at  one  time, 
some  diflcrencc  of  sentiment  in  reference  to  the  divinity  of  Christ. 


FRKEWILL  BAPTISTS.  63 

« 

Some  few  of  the  churches  and  several  ministers  had  imbibed  Arian 
or  Unitarian  views,  to  the  great  grief  of  the  general  body.  Several 
ministers,  who  afterward  figured  considerably  in  the  Christian  con- 
nexion, though  Smith  and  some  of  the  rest  have  never  belonged  to 
the  Freewill  Baptists,  drew  several  of  our  ministers  and.  a  few 
churches  into  Unitarian  views,  and,  in  some  instances,  into  the 
annihilation  doctrine,  both  of  whick  were  not  regarded  as  scriptural 
or  the  sentiment  of  the  connexion.  A  small  secession  was  the  result 
on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other,  unanimity  of  sentiment  was 
restored.  The  Freewill  Baptists  have  always  been,  and  are,  Trini- 
tarian. The  above  trial  was  not  long  felt,  and  it  is  presumed  that 
others  do  not  require  to  be  mentioned  in  the  present  article. 

The  Freewill  Baptist  denomination  having  now  extended  over  a 
large  portion  of  the  country,  and  there  being  several  yearly  meetings, 
and  the  whole  body  being  represented  in  no  one  of  them :  a  General 
Conference  was  organized  in  1827,  in  which  the  whole  connexion 
should  be  represented.  The  General  Conference  was  at  first  an 
annual,  then  a  biennial,  and  now  a  triennial  association.  It  is  com- 
posed of  delegates  appointed  by  the  twenty  yearly  meetings,  and  to 
it  are  referred  the  general  interests  of  the  denomination,  at  home  and 
abroad.  Since  1827,  the  period  last  mentioned,  the  Freewill  Baptist 
interest  has  been  constantly  extending,  and  their  numbers  augment- 
ing, not  so  rapidly  as  in  some  of  the  sister  denominations,  but  in  a 
good  ratio.  Of  course  for  a  long  time  they  had  to  struggle  with  the 
numerous  obstacles  universally  common  to  all  new  causes.  From 
the  first  they  have  not,  so  much  as  older  denominations,  enjoyed  the 
advantages  of  an  extensive  and  liberal  education.  The  harvest 
seemed  truly  great;  souls  were  perishing;  and  many  young  men 
whom  God  called  to  preach,  felt  constrained  to  enter  upon  the  great 
work  without  waiting  a  long  time  to  acquire  a  regular  education; — 
they  have  been  eminently  pious,  the  means  of  turning  many  to  God, 
yet  not  so  extensively  useful  as  they  would  have  been  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  better  early  advantages.  Intelligence,  however,  has  for 
some  years  been,  and  is,  increasing,  both  in  the  ministry  and  mem- 
bership. From  their  origin  the  press  has,  more  or  less,  been  brought 
in  to  aid  them.  First,  only  their  minutes  and  circulars,  with  occa- 
sional sermons,  were  published.  Afterward,  for  several  years,  Buz- 
zell's  Magazine,  a  Freewill  Baptist  Register,  and  other  periodicals, 
were  published;  and  occasionally  such  books  were  printed  as  the 
wants  of  the  connexion  demanded.  For  some  twenty  years  last  past 
the  "Morning  Star,"  the  principal  organ  of  the  denomination,  has 
made  its  weekly  visits  among  them  v^'ith  an  extensive  circulation, 


g|  HISTORY  OF  THE 

f 

and  has  accomplished  for  the  cause  a  great  amount  of  good. 
Though  they  regard  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their  only  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  they  have  found  it  to  their  great  advantage  to  publish, 
some  years  ago,  a  Treatise  of  their  Faith,  which  combines,  summa- 
rily, the  doctrines  and  usages  of  the  connexion.  Standard  hymn- 
books,  works  on  the  Freedom  of  the  Will,  General  Atonement, 
Divinity  of  Christ,  Free  Comnnunion,  Baptism,  etc.,  memoirs  of 
Randall,  Colby,  etc.,  have  been  published,  and  a  complete  History  of 
the  Freewill  Baptists  is  now  printing ;  and  there  is  lately  issued  from 
the  press  a  theological  volume,  by  the  principal  of  their  Biblical 
School.  Works  and  authors,  though  not  numerous,  are  increasing 
among  them.  Though  the  Freewill  Baptist  ministry  generally  are 
not  so  learned  as  it  were  desirable,  many  of  them  having  to  pick  up 
much  of  their  biblical  knowledge  as  they  preach,  there  is  now  in  the 
ministry  quite  a  number  of  liberally  educated  men,  and  this  number 
is  yearly  increasing.  They  have  one  Biblical  School  and  several 
flourishing  academies;  and  it  may  be  safely  said,  that  their  ministry 
is  becoming  better  and  better  educated. 

The  Freewill  Baptists  have  arisen,  essentially,  by  religious  revivals ; 
by  conversions  and  accessions  from  such  as  were  "  without,"  rather 
than  by  secessions  from  other  denominations.  Protracted  meetings, 
and  their  quarterly  and  yearly  associations,  have  been  blessed  of  God, 
as  well  as  the  ordinary  means  of  grace.  Last  year  about  two  and  a 
half  thousands  of  Free  Baptists  in  the  State  of  New  York  united  with 
them.  But  they  have  never  adopted  a  policy  particularly  calculated 
to  increase  their  numbers.  They  would  have  numbered  thousands  of 
communicants  more  than  they  now  do,  but  for  their  uncompromising 
anti-slavery  position  ;  having  withdrawn  connexion  some  years  since 
from  four  thousand  in  North  Carolina  on  account  of  their  being  slave- 
holders ;  and  having  refused,  on  the  same  principle,  to  receive  into 
the  connexion  some  twelve  thousand  from  Kentucky  and  vicinity, 
■who  sent  a  delegation,  four  years  since,  to  the  General  Conference 
for  that  purpose.  As  a  denomination,  they  have  no  connexion  what- 
ever with  the  horrid  system  of  slavery;  the  General  Conference, 
Yearly,  and  Quarterly  Meetings,  having  taken  a  strong  and  decided 
anti-slavery  ground.  Thence  the  reason  why  there  are  no  more 
Freewill  Baptists  in  the  slave-holding  states.  The  General  Baptists 
of  England  are  in  their  sentiments  and  usages  with  us,  and  a  corre- 
spondence and  exchange  of  ])ublications,  have  been  carried  on  for 
many  years ;  and  their  Foreign  Missionaries,  and  ours,  in  Orissa,  in 
part,  co-operate  together.  Our  connexion  have  warmly  espoused,  and 
are  zealously  supporting,  the  various  religious  enterprises  of  the  age. 


FREEWILL  BAPTISTS. 


G5 


Finally — The  Freewill  Baptist  denomination  considers  itself  a  humble 
branch  of  the  great  Christian  Church,  a  lesser  tribe  of  the  true  Israel 
of  God ;  but  purposes  to  do  all  it  can  for  the  salvation  of  immortal 
souls,  and  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  among  men. 

II.    DOCTRINE    AND    USAGES. 

The  Scriptures. — The  Holy  Scriptures,  embracing  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  were  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  constitute 
the  Christian's  perfect  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

Of  God. — There  is  only  one  true  and  living  God,  who  is  a  spirit, 
self-existent,  eternal,  immutable,  omnipresent,  omniscient,  omnipo- 
tent, independent,  good,  wise,  just,  and  merciful;  the  creator,  pre. 
server,  and  governor  of  the  universe ;  the  redeemer,  saviour,  sancti- 
fier,  and  judge  of  men;  and  the  only  proper  object  of  divine 
worship :  He  exists  in  three  persons,  offices,  distinctions  or  relations, 
— Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  which  mode  of  existence  is  above 
the  understanding  of  finite  men. 

Of  Christ. — The  Son  of  God  possesses  all  divine  perfections,  which 
is  proven  from  his  titles :  true  God,  great  God,  mighty  God,  God 
over  all,  etc. ;  his  attributes :  eternal,  unchangeable,  omniscient,  etc., 
and  from  his  works.  He  is  the  only  incarnation  of  the  Divine 
Being. 

Of  the  Holy  Spirit. — He  has  the  attributes  of  God  ascribed^to  him 
in  the  Scriptures ;  is  the  sanctifier  of  the  souls  of  men,  and  is  the 
third  person  in. the  Godhead. 

Of  Creation. — God  created  the  world  and  all  it  contains  for  his 
own  glory,  and  the  enjoyment  of  his  creatures ;  and  the  angels,  to 
glorify  and  obey  Him. 

Of  mart's  primitive  state,  and  his  fall. — Our  first  parents  were 
created  in  the  image  of  God,  holy  and  upright  and  free;  but,  by 
yielding  to  temptation,  fell  from  that  state,  and  all  their  posterity 
with  them,  they  then  being  in  Adam's  loins ;  and  the  whole  human 
family  became  exposed  to  temporal  and  eternal  death. 

Of  the  Atonement. — As  sin  cannot  be  pardoned  without  a  sacrifice, 
and  the  blood  of  beasts  could  never  actually  wash  away  sin,  Christ 
gave  himself  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  thus  made 
salvation  possible  for  all  men.  Through  the  redemption  of  Christ 
man  is  placed  on  a  second  state  of  trial ;  this  second  state  so  far 
differing  from  the  first,  that  now  men  are  naturally  inclined  to  trans- 
gress the  commands  of  God,  and  will  not  regain  the  image  of  God 
in  holiness  but  through  the  atonement  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy 


G6 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Spirit.  All  who  die  short  of  the  age  of  accountability  are  rendered 
sure  of  eternal  life.  Through  the  provisions  of  the  atonement  all  are 
abilitated  to  repent  of  their  sins  and  yield  to  God  ;  the  Gospel  call  is 
to  all,  the  Spirit  enlightens  all,  and  men  are  agents  capable  of 
choosing  or  refusing. 

Regeneration  is  an  instantaneous  renovation  of  the  soul  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  the  penitent  sinner,  believing  in  and  giving 
all  up  for  Christ,  receives  new  life,  and  becomes  a  child  of  God. 
This  change  is  preceded  by  true  conviction,  repentance  of,  and  peni- 
tential sorrow  for,  sin ;  it  is  called  in  Scripture,  being  born  again, 
born  of  the  Spirit,  passing  from  death  unto  life.  The  soul  is  then 
justified  with  God. 

Sanctification  is  a  setting  apart  the  soul  and  body  for  holy  service, 
an  entire  consecration  of  all  our  ransomed  powers  to  God;  believers 
are  to  strive  for  this  with  all  diligence. 

Perseverance. — As  the  regenerate  are  placed  in  a  state  of  trial 
during  life,  their  future  obedience  and  final  salvation  are  neither 
determined  nor  certain;  it  is  however  their  duty  and  privilege  to  be 
steadfast  in  the  truth,  to  grow  in  grace,  persevere  in  holiness,  and 
make  their  election  sure. 

Immediately  after  death,  men  enter  a  state  of  happiness  or  misery, 
according  to  their  character.  At  some  future  period,  known  only  to 
God,  there  will  be  a  resurrection  both  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  when  there  will  be  a  general  judgment,  when  all  will  be 
judged  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body ;  the  righteous  be 
admitted  into  eternal  happiness,  and  the  wicked  assigned  to  eternal 
misery. 

These  are  the  Freewill  Baptist  views  of  the  principal  points  of 
Bible  doctrine. 

The  Church,  Ordinances,  Ministry. — A  Christian  church  is  an 
assembly  of  persons  who  believe  in  Christ,  and  worship  the  true 
God  agreeably  to  his  word.  In  a  more  general  sense,  it  signifies  the 
whole  body  of  real  Christians  throughout  the  world.  The  church 
being  the  body  of  Christ,  none  but  the  regenerate,  who  obey  the 
gospel,  are  its  real  members.  Believers  are  received  into  a  particu- 
lar church,  on  their  giving  evidence  of  faith,  covenanting  to  walk 
according  to  the  Christian  rule,  and  being  baptized.  ,  The  ordinances 
of  the  church  are  two.  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  Baptism  is 
an  immersion  of  the  candidate  in  water,  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  ot  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  only  proper  candidate 
being  one  who  gives  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart.  Com?}iunion  is 
a  solemn  partaking  of  bread  and  wine  in  commemoration  of  the 


FREEWILL  BAPTISTS. 


67 


death  and  sufferings  of  Christ.  The  Freewill  Baptists  are  free 
communionists,  extending  an  invitation  to  all  memhers  of  regular 
standing  in  any  of  the  evangelical  denominations.  The  officers  in 
the  church  are  two,  elders  and  deacons.  The  duty  of  elders, 
bishops  or  ministers,  which  office  by  either  of  these  names  includes 
pastors  and  evangelists,  is  to  preach,  administer  the  ordinances,  and 
take  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church.  Ministers  are  to  consecrate 
themselves  wholly  to  their  calling,  and  to  be  sustained  by  the 
churches.  No  grade  is  acknowledged  in  the  Christian  ministry. 
The  province  of  deacons  is  to  attend  to  the  pecuniary  concerns  of 
the  churches,  assist  the  minister  in  church  labours,  supply  the  com- 
munion-table, bear  the  elements  to  the  communicants,  and  take  the 
lead  in  social  meetings  when  necessary. 

Usages  of  the  Denomination. — Government  among  the  Freewill 
Baptists  is  not  episcopal,  but  independent  or  residing  in  the  churches. 
Each  elects  its  own  pastor,  exercises  discipline  over  its  own  members, 
and  is  not  accountable  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting  only  as  a  church ; 
that  is,  Quarterly  Meetings  cannot  discipline  church  members,  but 
churches  only.  Churches  are  organized,  and  ministers  ordained,  by 
a  council  frj^m  a  Quarterly  Meeting ;  and  a  minister,  as  such,  is 
subject  to  the  discipline  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting  to  which  he  belongs, 
and  not  to  the  church  of  which  he  is  pastor.  Believers  are  admitted 
as  members  of  the  church  upon  baptism  or  by  letter,  always  by  unani- 
mous vote,  but  may  be  excluded  by  vote  of  two-thirds.  Churches 
hold  monthly  conferences,  and  report  once  in  three  months  to  the 
Quarterly  Meeting  by  letter  and  delegates.  Though  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  their  book  of  discipline,  they  have  usually  written  covenants. 
Some  churches  commune  once  in  three  months,  others  once  in  two 
months,  others  monthly.  Quarterly  Meetings  are  composed  of  several 
churches,  varying  in  number  according  to  circumstances.  Their  ses- 
sions are  four  times  a  year,  continuing  two  and  a  half  days.  The 
members  of  a  Quarterly  Meeting  are  ministers  and  such  brethren  as 
the  churches  may  select.  In  these  associations,  preachers  are  ap- 
pointed to  supply,  in  part,  destitute  churches,  candidates  for  the  mi- 
nistry examined  and  licensed,  councils  appointed  to  attend  to  ordina- 
tions, &c.  A  Ministers'  Conference  is  held  in  connexion  with  the 
Quarterly  Meeting.  Yearly  Meetings  are  constituted  of  several  Quar- 
terly Meetings,  associated  in  the  same  manner  as  churches  are  in  the 
formation  of  a  Quarterly  Meeting.  The  Yearly  Meetings  do  some- 
thing at  sustaining  evangelists  or  itinerating  ministers ;  transact  the 
relative  business  of  the  Quarterly  Meetings,  and  adopt  other  mea- 
sures for  the  spread  of  the  gospel.     The  General  Conference  is  com- 


G8 


inSTORY  OF  THE 


posed  of  a  delegation,  most  of  which  are  ministers,  from  all  the 
Yearly  Meetings  in  the  connexion.  It  is  now  held  once  in  three 
years,  its  sessions  continuing  some  nine  or  ten  days.  Its  design  is  to 
promote  unity,  scriptural  holiness,  Bible  doctrine,  and  discipline, 
throughout  the  whole  denomination.  The  General  Conference  has 
no  powers  except  such  as  are  committed  to  the  delegates  by  those 
bodies  which  appoint  them.  It  proposes  and  recommends,  but  makes 
not  laws  for  the  connexion.  It  is  its  proper  province  to  deliberate  on 
all  such  points  of  doctrine  and  practice  as  may  be  referred  to  it  by 
the  Yearly  Meetings,  or  proposed  by  its  own  members,  and  give  such 
advice  as  they  think  the  Scriptures  warrant,  and  the  welfare  of  the 
connexion  requires.  Also  to  recommend  such  measures  as  may  pro- 
mote God's  glory  and  the  denomination's  interest ;  such  as,  Home 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Societies,  book  concern,  and  printing  esta- 
blishment, seminaries  of  learning,  and  such  other  benevolent  institu- 
tions as  are  necessary  for  the  prosperity  of  the  church. 

III.    PRESENT    STATISTICS. 

JVumbers. — The  Freewill  Baptist  denomination  exteigds  now  into 
most  of  the  United  States,  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  and  the  pro- 
vinces of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick.  The  present  number  of 
communicants,  by  calculation  from  what  statistics  are  on  hand,  is 
something  rising  54,000.  Net  increase  for  the  last  year,  was  3471. 
Number  of  churches,  accoi'ding  to  last  year's  reports,  is  1057.  Whole 
number  of  ministers  898;  ordained,  714 ;  hcensed,  184.  Quarterly 
Meetings,  95.     Yearly  Meetings,  20. 

Benevolent  Institutions. — The  •'  Freewill  Baptist  Foreign  Mission 
Society,"  was  organized  some  eight  or  ten  years  ago,  and  has  now 
two  stations  in  Orissa,  three  missionaries  and  wives,  assisted  by  two 
native  preachers,  and  a  small  church  and  a  school  at  each  station. 
Other  missionaries  are  received  by  the  society  and  will  sail  soon. 
"  Freewill  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,"  was  organized  near  the 
same  time,  and  has  a  larger  number  of  missionaries  in  the  field,  most 
of  them  in  the  West.  "Freewill  Baptist  Sabbath-school  Union," 
keeps  a  depository  of  Sabbath-school  books  at  Dover,  N.  H. ;  most 
of  our  churches  have  good  Sabbath-schools.  "  Freewill  Baptist 
Education  Society,"  has  for  its  leading  objects  the  sustaining  of  the 
Biblical  School,  and  the  promoting  of  education  in  the  ministry. 
"  New  York  Education  Society,"  aids  the  Clinton  Seminary. 
"  Western  Reserve  F.  B.  Education  Society,"  aids  chiefly  the  Free- 
will Baptist  Western  Reserve  Seminary,  in  Ohio.     There  are  also 


FREEWILL  BAPTISTS.  69 

Other  benevolent  associations,  particularly  in  the  causes  of  temper- 
ance and  anti-slavery. 

Literary  Institutions. — The  Freewill  Baptists  have  the  following 
academies,  most  of  which  are  in  a  very  prosperous  state :  *'  Smith- 
ville  Seminary,"  located  at  North  Scituate,  Rhode  Island  ;  "  Clinton 
Seminary,"  at  Clinton,  New  York ;  "  Parsonsfield  Seminary,"  at 
Parsonsfield,  Maine ;  "  Strafford  Academy,"  at  Strafford,  New 
Hampshire ;  "  Sheldon  High  School,"  at  Varysburgh,  New  York ; 
"  Freewill  Baptist  Western  Reserve  Seminary,"  in  the  State  of  Ohio. 
They  have  a  "  Biblical  School,"  in  Dracut,  Massachusetts,  which, 
though  yet  in  its  infancy,  promises  to  be  of  great  advantage  to  the 
Freewill  Baptist  ministry,  and  consequently  to  the  denomination.  The 
course  of  studies  is  for  three  years,  though  students  are  admitted  for 
any  shorter  length  of  time.     Students  in  attendance  25  to  30. 

The  hook  concern  and  -printing  establishment  are  at  Dover,  New 
Hampshire.  Its  trustees  are  appointed  by  General  Conference. 
They  have  a  power  press  and  several  others,  and  most  of  their  books 
are  printed  here, — and  their  periodicals,  some  of  which  are,  "  Morn- 
ing Star,"  a  weekly;  "Freewill  Baptist  Magazine,"  a  quarterly; 
"  Sabbath  School  Repository,"  and  "  Freewill  Baptist  Missionary," 
monthlies.  References — Life  of  Randall ;  Buzzell's  Magazine ;  Life 
of  Colby ;  Freewill  Baptist  Treatise ;  D.  Marks'  Narrative ;  Freewill 
Baptist  Register ;  Star  and  Magazine. 


HISTORY 


THE  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 

BY  W.  B.  GILLETT, 

PASTOa  Of  THE  SEVENTH  DAT  BAPTIST  CUBRCU,  PISCATAWAT,  K.  J. 

Every  denomination  is  proud  of  tracing  its  origin  back  to  its 
founder.  But  not  so  with  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists.  They  have  no 
authentic  records  by  which  they  can  ascertain  their  origin,  other  than 
the  New  Testament.  Neither  would  they  pretend  that  they  can  trace 
their  existence  back  through  the  dark  ages  to  the  Apostles ;  yet  they 
are  bold  to  say  they  can  do  it  with  as  much,  or  with  more  certainty, 
than  any  denomination  now  in  existence. 

The  sentiments  to  which  they  hold,  and  the  principles  that  dis- 
tinguish them  from  the  religious  world,  they  think,  they  are  able  to 
show,  were  taught  by  the  Apostles,  and  practised  by  the  early  Chris- 
tians. That  the  seventh  day  Sabbath,  was  observed  by  the  Church, 
until  the  decree  of  Constantine,  profane  history  abundantly  shows ; 
and  very  soon  all  the  Roman  dominions  felt  the  effects  of  God's  law 
being  made  void  by  human  traditions. 

Although  the  mystery  of  iniquity  began  to  work  before  the  Apostles 
left  the  stage,  it  had  not  shown  itself  supported  by  the  secular  arm,  until, 
under  the  pretence  of  doing  honour  to  Jesus  Christ,  God's  law  was  set 
at  naught,  and  human  laws,  unjust  and  cruel,  enacted  in  its  stead. 

In  Chambers's  Dictionary  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  he  says,  "In  321, 
the  seventh  day  was  observed  in  Rome,  and  the  enacting  of  Constan- 
tino's laws,  relative  to  the  observation  of  the  first  day,  shows,  that  it 
was  not  regarded  as  holy  time." 

Robinson  in  his  History  of  Baptism  says,  "  That  there  were  forty- 
four  Jewish  Christian  churches  in  Rome;  which  must  have  been  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  second  century."  What  is  required  to  constitute  a 
Jewish  Christian  Church,  in  Mr.  Robinson's  opinion,  is  evident  from 
what  he  says  of  the  Council  of  Bishops,  in  517.  He  calls  them,  "  Afri- 
can Jewish  Christians."     The  charge  alleged  against  them  is,  that  in 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTrSTS. 


71 


one  of  their  canons  they  had  done  something  towards  regulating  the 
keeping  of  the  Sabbath.  It  is  probable  that  those  forty-four  churches 
in  Rome,  were  guilty  of  the  same  offence. 

Mosheim  gives  an  account  of  a  sect  in  the  twelfth  century,  in 
Lombardy,  who  were  called  Passagenians,  or  the  circumcised ;  they 
circumcised  their  followers,  and  celebrated  the  Jewish  Sabbath.  The 
account  of  their  practising  circumcision  is  doubtless  a  slanderous 
story ;  and,  because  they  observed  the  seventh  day,  they  were  called, 
by  way  of  derision,  Jews. 

There  were  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  Transylvania.  Francis 
Davidis,  first  chaplain  to  the  court  of  Sigismund,  the  prince  of  that 
kingdom,  and  afterwards  superintendent  of  all  the  Transylvania 
churches,  was  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist.    (Bened's  Hist.  vol.  ii.  p.  414.) 

As  these  Eastern  churches  have  uniformly  practised  immersion 
for  baptism,  these  extracts  show  that  there  have  been  Christian 
churches  from  the  earliest  ages  of  Christianity,  who  agree  in  senti- 
ment with  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  America. 

But  it  is  uncertain  whether  the  English  Seventh  Day  Baptists 
originated  from  these  Eastern  churches,  or  whether  they  were  led  to 
embrace  their  views  from  the  Scriptures  only ;  their  views  have  ever 
been  the  same  as  those  entertained  by  the  earlier  Christians,  who 
have  observed  the  seventh  day  of  the  week.  At  what  time  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  first  made  their  appearance  in  England,  is  un- 
certain. It  is  apparent  that  the  Anglo-Saxons  in  their  early  settle- 
ment of  Great  Britain,  were  many  of  them  Seventh  Day  Baptists. 
But  the  same  tyranny  that  affected  the  Church  at  Rome,  spread  its 
baneful  influence  over  the  island  of  Great  Britain. 

Dr.  Chambers  says,  "  There  was  a  sect  arose  in  the  sixteenth  century 
but  we  have  no  particular  account  of  their  churches  until  about  1650." 
In  1668  there  were  nine  or  ten  churches,  besides  many  scattered 
disciples  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom.  About  this  time  there  was 
much  debate  upon  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  controversy 
became  sharp ;  there  were  engaged  in  it,  on  both  sides,  men  of  learn- 
ing and  ability,  and  some  of  their  works  are  still  extant. 

While  they  were  permitted  to  enjoy  their  privileges  peaceably,  they 
prospered,  notwithstanding  the  influence  of  the  pulpit  and  the  press, 
In  1668  Mr.  Edward  Stennett,  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  minister,  and 
pastor  of  a  church  in  England,  wi'ites  to  his  friends  in  America,  and 
says,  the  churches  here  have  their  liberty,  but  we  hear  that  strong 
bonds  are  making  for  us.  And  it  was  this  good  man's  lot  to  bear  a 
part  of  the  persecutions  of  that  day.  For  the  Conventicle  Act  forbid 
them  to  meet  on  the  Sabbath  for  worship  at  any  rate.     If  they  met 


7ar 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


on  tlie  Sabbath,  they  had  to  do  it  by  stealth ;  whilst  their  enemies 
were  ever  watchful,  to  find,  if  possible,  some  accusation  against  them. 
Mr.  Stcnnctt  was  arrested  under  pretence  that  he  held  meetings  in 
his  house,  which  meetings  he  had  held  in  his  hall  for  a  long  time,  but 
they  were  managed  with  so  much  discretion,  that  it  was  impossible 
for  those  inimical  to  them  to  be  admitted,  so  as  to  appear  as  witnesses 
against  the  persons  who  met  there.  At  length  a  fieighbouring  clergy- 
man, resolved  to  suborn  witnesses^  but  in  this  he  was  defeated.  And 
he  was  a  clergyman  who  had  professed  great  friendship  for  Mr. 
Stennett.  Mr.  Stennett  knowing  that  no  proof  of  those  charges  by 
those  witnesses,  could  be  made  justly,  he  resolved  to  traverse  it. 
Various  circumstances  occurred  that  were  all  in  his  favour ;  so  that 
when  Mr.  Stennett  came  to  Newburg,  neither  prosecutor  nor  witness 
appearing  against  him,  he  was  discharged.  After  this  he  was  con- 
fined a  long  time  in  prison. 

Many  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  ministers  were  taken  from  their 
families  and  congregations,  and  were  cast  into  prison.  Among  the 
number  was  Rev.  Joseph  Davis,  who  was  a  long  time  prisoner  in 
Oxon  Castle.  Francis  Bamfield  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  ministers 
of  his  time.  He  was  educated  at  Oxford,  and  was  a  number  of  years 
a  minister  of  the  established  church.  In  the  time  of  the  civil  wars 
he  was  against  the  Parliament,  and  opposed  to  the  Protector's  usurpa- 
tion ;  he  suffered  much  on  that  account.  At  what  time  he  became  a 
Baptist  is  not  known,  but  on  the  restoration  of  Charles,  he  was  treated 
with  unrelenting  severity.  In  one  prison  he  was  confined  eight  years. 
After  that  he  was  released,  went  to  London,  and  gathered  a  church 
that  still  exists  as  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  ;  after  that  he  was 
again  imprisoned,  and  there  died  in  1683. 

Robert  Spaulder  and  John  Mauldin,  were  Seventh  Day  Baptists, 
and  much  persecuted;  and  Spaulder  was  even  taken  out  of  his  grave 
by  his  persecutors.  (Bene's  Hist.  vol.  ii.  p.  417.)  But  the  most  bar- 
barous and  cruel  acts  of  persecution  were  practised  upon  John  James, 
the  minister  of  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  in  London;  he  was 
put  to  death  in  a  most  cruel  manner  in  1661.  To  take  away  his  life 
was  not  enough  to  satisfy  his  enemies,  but  after  being  hung  at  Tyburn, 
he  was  drawn  and  quartered,  his  quarters  were  carried  back  to  New- 
gate on  the  sledge  that  carried  him  to  the  gallows ;  they  were  after- 
wards placed  on  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  his  head  was  placed  on  a 
pole,  opposite  his  meeting  housa  He  went  to  the  gallows  as  an 
mnocent  man,  and  died  in  a  joyful  manner.  This  is  a  brief  narrative 
of  the  prosperity,  trials,  and  sufferings  of  the  early  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  in  England.  Some  left  the  country,  others  still  adhered  to 
their  peculiar  views ;  even  to  the  present  day  there  are  a  few  small 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


73 


churches  in  England.  There  are  two  in  London,  one  at  Shoreditch, 
one  at  Mill  Yard,  but  their  numbers  must  be  small ;  and  there  are 
some  scattering  individuals  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  some  iji 
Scotland. 

In  1665  Mr.  Stephen  Mumford,  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  came  from 
England  to  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  and  soon  Mr.  Samuel  Hubbard, 
a  Baptist,  embraced  his  views ;  there  were  others  who  soon  embraced 
the  same  sentiments,  but  they  continued  to  travel  together  in  the  same 
church  until  1671.  Mr.  Hubbard  has  left  a  manuscript  journal,  in 
which  he  gives  an  account  of  their  separation.  Soon  after  this 
(alluding  to  their  embracing  the  Sabbath,)  many  hard  things  were 
said  to  the  Sabbath-keepers  by  their  brethren,  that  they  had  gone 
from  Christ  to  Moses ;  that  the  gentiles  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
ten  commandments.  And  in  1681  they  came  to  an  open  separation, 
when  these  brethren  and  sisters  entered  into  church-fellowship  to- 
gether, and  became  the  first  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  in  America. 
This  little  church  being  thus  constituted,  William  Hiscox  became 
their  first  pastor;  but  a  hostile  spirit  was  soon  raised  against  this 
little  band,  and  laws  were  enacted  severe  and  criminal  in  their  nature. 
John  Rogers,  a  member  of  this  church,  was  sentenced  to  sit  a  certain 
time  upon  a  gallows  with  a  rope  about  his  neck,  to  which  he  sub- 
mitted. 

There  were  many  other  severities  practised  upon  the  Sabbaths 
keepers  in  New  England,  while  the  Baptists  were  persecuted  for  their 
baptism.  The  Seventh  Day  Baptists  met  with  opposition  from  all, 
and  as  far  as  the  civil  laws  would  permit,  they  suflered  the  dire 
effects  arising  from  this  state  of  things. 

From  these  and  other  causes  the  progress  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  has  been  very  much  impeded.  Their  history  details  no 
remarkable  revolution  in  their  favour.  Worldly  honours,  interest, 
influence  and  convenience  are  against  them,  and  have  always  been 
opposed  to  their  perseverance  in  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath.  The 
members  composing  the  church  at  Newport  have  felt,  the  disadvan- 
tages attending  them  in  a  city,  and  for  years  they  have  been  on 
the  decline;  since  many  have  removed  to  different  parts  of  the  State, 
and  some  made  their  way  into  the  far  West,  where  they  have  been  the 
means  of  establishing  churches,  some  of  which  are  large  and  flourish- 
ing. But  this  event  has  not  terminated  in  extinguishing  the  little 
light ;  although  the  mother  church  has  become  very  weak  and  almost 
extinct.  This  church  has  had  a  succession  of  worthy  ministers, 
the  most  of  them  were  born,  ordained,  and  preached,  and  died,  mem- 
bers of  that  church. 

6 


74 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


The  church  at  Ilopkinton,  R.  I.,  was  established  by  brethren  from 
Newport,  in  1708.  For  a  number  of  years  this  church  numbered 
nine  hundred  members,  but  several  churches  have  since  been  con- 
stituted in  the  vicinity,  by  members  from  this  church.  They  still 
number  over  five  hundred  members,  having  two  ordained  ministers, 
and  an  elegant  meeting-house  on  the  banks  of  the  Paucatuck  river. 

From  this  church  there  have  been  sent  out  many  ministers, 
who  liavc  been  lasting  blessings  to  the  cause  of  truth.  There  are 
now  in  Rhode  Island  seven  churches,  six  ordained  ministers,  and  not 
far  from  one  thousand  communicants ;  and  from  these  churches  the 
tide  of  emigration  has  taken  hundreds  into  the  western  country. 

In  the  State  of  Connecticut  there  are  but  two  small  churches, 
which  probably  number  one  hundred  communicants,  and  but  one 
ordained  minister. 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  arose  from  different  cir- 
cumstances. One  Edmund  Dunham,  a  First  Day  Baptist  member, 
became  convinced  that  he  and  his  brethren  were  in  an  error  as  it 
regarded  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord.  He  presented  his  views  to  his 
brethren,  and  about  twenty  of  his  brethren  and  sisters  came  out  with 
him  in  sentiment.  They  separated  from  the  First  Day  church,  and 
entered  into  covenant  together,  to  walk  together  as  a  gospel  church, 
in  1705,  and  sent  Edmund  Dunham  to  Rhode  Island  to  receive  ordi- 
nation, and  he  was  chosen  their  pastor. 

They  are  located  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  Piscataway  town- 
ship, thirty  miles  frnm  New  York  city,  and  six  miles  from  New 
Brunswick.  As  a  church,  they  have  been  called  in  years  past  to 
pass  through  many  severe  trials,  but  God  sustained  them ;  yet  for  a 
few  years  past  their  history  has  been  more  favourable.  They  have 
now  a  neat  and  elegant  house  of  worship,  and  a  parsonage  farm  on 
which  their  pastor  lives.  At  present  they  number  170  communi- 
cants. 

The  church  at  Plainfield  was  formed  of  members  from  this  church 
in  1838.  They  have  a  beautiful  hoyse  of  worship  in  the  village  of 
Plainfield  ;  numbering  about  70  communi^cants, — at  present  without  a 
pastor. 

A  few  families  removed  from  Piscataway  to  Cumberland  county, 
forty  miles  below  Philadelphia,  at  an  early  day,  and  a  few  families  of 
Welsh  extraction  settled  there  from  the  State  of  Delaware.  They 
were  constituted  into  a  church  in  1737.  Jonavhan  Davis  was  their 
first  pastor.  They  are  situated  in  a  pleasant  country,  at  the  village 
of  Shiloh,  where  they  have  an  ancient  brick  meeting-house,  adjoining 
to  which  is  their  graveyard,  where  a  number  of  generations  have 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  75 

been  deposited  to  wait  until  the  resurrection  morn.  Among  this 
multitude  is  a  number  of  worthy  ministers,  who  have  finished  their 
work  and  have  gone  to  rest,  and  the  place  where  they  lie  is  marked 
to  the  stranger  by  the  large  marble  monument,  on  which  we  read 
a  brief  history  of  their  lives.  The  church  now  numbers  226  com- 
municants. 

The  church  in  Salem  County,  New  Jersey,  was  formed  by  mem- 
bers from  the  church  at  Shiloh,  in  1811.  Jacob  Ayars,  since  de- 
ceased, was  their  pastor.  They  are  well  situated,  but  a  few  miles 
from  Shiloh.  They  have  a  comfortable  house  of  worship,  and  num- 
ber near  100  communicants. 

In  the  State  of  New  Jersey  there  are  four  churches,  four  ordained 
ministers,  and  about  560  communicants. 

There  are  a  number  of  families  in  the  city  of  New  York  of 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  ;  they  have  not  been  constituted  into  a  church, 
but  they  hold  meetings  Sabbath  days  at  their  own  houses.  The 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  the  State  of  New  York  first  moved  from 
Rhode  Island,  and  settled  in  diflferent  parts,  so  that  at  the  present  they 
are  more  numerous  than  in  any  other  State.  There  is  in  this  State 
as  follows : 

In  Rensselaer  County  two  churches — Berlin,  223  communicants ; 
Petersburgh,  142  communicants. 

Madison  County — Brookfield,  three  churches ;  first,  309  communi- 
cants; second,  143  communicants;  third,  136  communicants;  De 
Ruyter,  145  communicants. 

Chenango  County — Preston,  72  communicants ;  Otselic,  36  com- 
municants. 

Otsego  County — Lincklean,  122  communicants. 

Jefferson  County — Adams,  218  communicants;  Houndsfield,  44 
communicants. 

Lewis  County — Watson,  45  communicants. 

Oneida  County — Verona,  two  churches;  first,  113  communicants; 
second,  20  communicants. 

Cortland  County — Truxton,  78  communicants;  Scott,  181  com- 
municants. 

Erie  County — Clarence,  157  communicants. 

Cattaraugus  County — Persia,  86  communicants. 

Allegany  County — Alfred,  two  churches;  first,  448  communicants; 
second,  165  communicants;  Amity,  32  communicants;  Scio,  35 
communicants;  Independence,  100  communicants;  Friendship,  133 
communicants;  Bolivar,  58  communicants;  Genesee,  three  churches; 


76 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


first,  159  communicants;  second,  47  communicants;  third,  54  com- 
municants. 

In  the  State  of  New  York  are  twenty-seven  churches,  three  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  ninety-one  communicants,  nineteen  ordained 
ministers,  and  a  number  of  licentiates. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  this  country  there  were  five  churches 
established  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  but  there  were  not  more 
than  thirty  members  in  them  all,  but  they  have  been  long  since 
extinct.  In  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  is  a  small  church,  not  ex- 
ceeding 20  communicants.  In  Potter  County,  Pennsylvania,  there  is 
a  church  numbering  41  communicants,  but  no  minister.  And  in 
Crawford  County,  Pennsylvania,  there  is  a  church  numbering  75 
communicants.     They  have  a  meeting-house  and  pastor. 

In  Pennsylvania  there  are  three  churches,  136  communicants,  and 
but  one  ordained  minister. 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  the  State  of  Virginia  emigrated  first 
from  New  Jersey,  and  constituted  a  church  in  Harrison  County,  at 
New  .Salem,  1745;  they  now  number  58  communicants.  Lost 
Creek,  Gl  communicants;  South  Forks  Hughes  River,  Wood 
County,  20  communicants;  North  Forks  Hughes  River,  15  com- 
municants. In  Virginia  there  are  four  churches,  two  ordained 
ministers,  and  154  communicants. 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  Ohio  emigrated  from  Virginia  and 
New  Jersey,  and  settled  in  Clark  County,  Pike,  and  constituted  a 
church  in  1824;  they  number  30  communicants;  Port  Jefferson,  46 
communicants ;  Sciota,  20  communicants ;  Jackson,  38  communi- 
cants ;  Stokes,  —  communicants.  There  are  in  Ohio  five  churches, 
three  ordained  ministers,  probably  200  communicants,  as  there  is  a 
number  of  settlements  where  churches  will  soon  be  formed. 

There  are  numerous  settlements  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  Illi- 
nois, although  there  is  but  one  small  church ;  there  is  also  a  small 
church  in  Iowa  Territory.  There  is  a  number  of  settlements  in 
Michigan,  but  no  church.  In  Wisconsin  Territory  there  is  a  church 
numbering  near  100  communicants,  and  two  ministers.  Besides 
these,  there  are  scattered  families  in  every  State,  and  in  almost  all 
our  cities. 

There  are  in  the  United  States  about  fifty  churches,  forty  ordained 
ministers,  and  about  six  thousand  communicants.  They  are  divided 
into  four  associations.  The  Eastern  Association  includes  the  churches 
in  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  and  New  Jersey.  The  Central  Asso- 
ciation includes  the  churches  in  the  State  of  New  York,  east  of  the 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


77 


small  lakes.  The  Western  Association  includes  the  churches  in  the 
western  part  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania.  The  Southwestern, 
the  churches  in  Virginia,  Ohio,  and  all  west  thereof.  They  have  an 
annual  conference  that  meets  yearly.  This  conference  is  composed 
of  delegates  from  the  associations  and  churches,  as  some  churches  do 
not  unite  with  the  associations.  As  they  are  strictly  congregational 
in  their  discipline,  and  every  church  is  an  independent  body  to  trans- 
act its  own  business :  all  the  business  done  at  these  meetings  is  to 
examine  different  subjects,  and  impart  instruction  to  the  churches  by 
way  of  advice,  there  being  no  right  to  interfere  with  the  indepen- 
dence of  the  churches.  Every  church  holds  its  meetings  of  business, 
where  all  business  is  done  by  a  vote  from  the  body,  all  being  equal  in 
power,  and  no  one  having  any  more  authority  than  another. 

The  officers  of  the  churches  are  pastors  and  deacons.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  pastor  is  to  instruct  the  people  of  his  charge,  and  officiate 
faithfully  in  his  station  as  a  counsellor ;  and  he  should  consider  it  his 
great  business  to  preach  the  Word,  to  reprove  the  disobedient,  to  com- 
fort the  afflicted,  and  to  feed  the  flock  of  Christ  with  the  bread  of  life, 
and  to  administer  to  them  the  ordinances  of  God's  house,  (baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper ;)  and  it  is  considered  the  duty  of  the  pastor 
to  give  himself  wholly  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  as  far  as  circum- 
stances will  admit,  "to  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ" 

The  deacons  are  chosen  for  life ;  it  is  their  duty  to  assist  the  pas- 
tor in  his  labours,  to  see  that  his  wants  are  supplied,  and  that  all  the 
internal  affairs  of  the  church  are  kept  in  proper  order,  as  it  relates  to 
discipline  and  the  temporal  necessities  of  the  same,  and  that  the  poor 
be  not  neglected.  And,  in  a  word,  they  are  considered  the  leaders  of 
the  church,  and  ought  always  to  be  men  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Every  church  has  a  clerk,  whose  duty  it  is  to  keej)  a  faithful  record, 
in  a  book,  of  all  the  proceedings  of  the  church,  with  a  record  of  the 
names  of  the  members,  the  time  of  their  baptism,  &c. 

They  have  a  weekly  paper,  published  at  De  Ruyter,  Madison 
County,  New  York,  which  is  patronized  by  the  denomination.  It 
has  at  the  present  about  twelve  hundred  subscribers,  at  two  dollars 
per  year,  in  advance.     Rev.  James  Baily  is  editor  and  proprietor. 

They  have  a  Literary  Institution,  founded  in  1837,  at  De  Ruyter, 
held  by  stockholders.  The  cost  was  twenty-one  thousand  dollars. 
It  has  been  labouring  under  some  difficulties,  and  therefore  has  not 
come  up  to  the  first  expectations ;  but  a  number  of  young  men  are 
now  pursuing  their  studies  there,  who  promise  much  usefulness  to 
the  world.  They  have  two  professors  and  some  primary  teachers, 
and  the  prospects  of  the  institution  are  more  encouraging. 


n 


inSTORY  OF  THE 


Thev  have  an  Academy  at  Alfred,  Allegany  County,  New  York, 
which  is  in  a  very  flourishing  condition,  and  has  upwards  of  one  hun- 
dred students.  William  Winyon,  from  Union  College,  is  principal, 
and  Miss  Caroline  Mason  preceptress.  This  is  a  chartered  institu- 
tion, under  the  patronage  of  the  State. 

For  some  years  they  have  had  a  Missionary  Society,  which  holds 
its  meetings  annually,  at  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  General 
Conference.  Its  object  is  to  help  feeble  churches,  and  to  send  the 
gosj)cl  to  the  scattered  families  in  different  parts,  where  they  are  not 
privileged  with  the  means  of  grace  in  a  church  capacity,  and  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  others  as  opportunity  may  present. 

They  likewise  have  a  Hebrew  Missionary  Society,  whose  object 
is  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  Jews  in  the  United  States. 
They  have  had  a  missionary  employed  for  that  purpose  in  the  cities 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  some  tracts  were  published, 
addressed  to  that  people ;  but  no  visible  effects  have  been  produced. 
At  present  the  society  is  doing  nothing. 

They  have  a  Tract  Society  that  is  at  present  in  operation,  and 
has  been  doing  something  in  publishing  tracts  on  different  subjects, 
especially  upon  our  particular  views. 

As  a  denomination  they  wish  to  be  engaged,  as  far  as  they  possess 
the  means,  in  the  various  benevolent  enterprises  of  the  day,  and  in 
these  they  have  been  found  active. 

CONFESSION    OF    FAITH. 

The  following  was  adopted  as  the  general  views  of  the  denomina- 
tion, by  a  vote  of  the  General  Conference,  at  its  meeting  in  1833. 

I.  We  believe  that  there  is  one  God ;  "  For  there  is  one  God," 
1  Tim.  ii.  5;  and  that  there  is  no  other  God,  1  Cor.  viii.  4,  6. 
We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  Acts  viii.  37 ;  and 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son. 
"  If  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you,"  Rom.  viii.  9.  "  God 
hath  sent  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,"  Gal.  iv.  6.  "  Christ 
in  you  the  hope  of  glory,"  Col.  i.  27.  "God  dwellcth  in  us,"  1  John 
iv.  6.  From  these  texts,  and  many  more  of  like  import,  we  believe 
that  there  is  a  union  existing  between  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  that  they  are  equally  divine,  and  equally  en- 
titled to  our  adoration, 

II.  We  believe  that  man  was  made  upright  and  good,  and  had 
ability  to  have  remained  so,  but  that  through  temptation  he  was 
induced  to  violate  the  law  of  God,  and  thus  fell  from  his  uprightness, 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  79 

and  came  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  became  a  subject  of  death ; 
and  that  all  of  his  posterity  have  inherited  from  him  depravity  and 
death.  ■"  God  made  man  upright,"  Eccl.  vii.  29.  "  God  created 
man  in  his  own  image,"  Gen.  i.  27.  "  Because  thou  hast  hearkened 
unto  the  voice  of  thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree  of  which  I 
commanded  thee  saying,  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it,  cursed  is  the 
ground  for  thy  sake ;  in  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all  the  days  of 
thy  life ;  for  dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return."  Gen.  iii. 
17-19.  "  Wherefore  as  by  one  man  sin  hath  entered  into  the  world, 
and  death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men  for  that  all  have 
sinned."  Rom.  v.  12.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for 
it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God."  Rom.  viii.  7.  "  And  ye  will  not 
come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life."  1  John  v.  40.  "  The  unrigh- 
teous shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  1  Cor.  vi.  9.  "  They 
did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge."  Rom.  i.  28.  "  There 
is  none  that  dceth  good,  no,  not  one."  Ps.  xiv.  3.  "  And  were  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath."  Ephes.  ii.  3. 

III.  We  believe  that  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  eternal  life.  John  iii.  16.  That  he  took  on  him  our  nature,  and 
was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  that  he  offered  himself  a  sacrifice  for 
sin;  that  he  suffered  death  upon  the  cross;  was  buried,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  three  days  and  three  nights,  rose  from  the  dead ;  and 
that  he  ascended  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  is  the  mediator 
between  God  and  man;  from  whence  he  will  come  to  judge,  and 
reward  all  men  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  their  bodies.  "He 
took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham,"  Heb.  ii.  16  ;  and  "  being  found  in 
fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself  and  became  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  Phil.  ii.  8.  "  But  now,  in  the  end 
of  the  world,  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin,  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself."  Heb.  ix.  26.  "  The  Son  of  Man  shall  be  three  days  and  three 
nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth."  Matt.  xii.  40.  "  He  is  risen  as  he 
■said."  Matt,  xxviii.  6.  "  So  then  after  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto  them., 
he  was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  sat."  Mark  xvi.  19.  "  For  we 
shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ."  Rom.  xvi.  19. 
"  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness,  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained ;  whereof  he 
hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from 
the  dead."  Acts  xvii.  31. 

IV.  We  believe  that  by  the  humiliation  and  sufferings  of  Christ  he 
made  an  atonement,  and  became  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world ;  but  that  the  nature  or  character  of  this  atonement  is 


80 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


such  as  not  to  admit  of  justification  without  faith,  or  salvation  with- 
out holiness.  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all." 
Isaiah  liii.  C.  "  And  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for 
our  sins  only,  but  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  1  John  ii.  2. 
"  But  we  see  Jesus,  who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  for 
the  sufVering  of  death  crowned  with  glory  and  honour,  that  he  by 
the  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  every  man."  Heb.  ii.  9. 
"  Who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth."  1  Tim.  ii.  4.  "  Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we 
have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Rom.  v.  I. 
"  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God."  Heb.  xi.  6.  "  Follow 
peace  with  all  men  and  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord."  Heb.  xii.  14. 

V.  We  believe  that  regeneration  is  essential  to  salvation,  that  it 
consists  in  a  renovation  of  the  heart,  hatred  to  sin,  and  love  to  God ; 
and  that  it  produces  reformation  of  life  in  whatever  is  known  to  be 
sinful;  and  a  willing  conformity  to  the  authority  and  precepts  of 
Christ.  John  iii.  3;  2  Cor.  v.  17 ;  Ephes.  ii.  10 ;  James  ii.  17  ;  1  John 
V.  2. 

VI.  As  to  good  works,  we  believe  that  they  are  not  the  ground  of 
the  believer's  hope,  but  that  they  are  fruits  essential  to  a  justified 
state,  and  necessary  as  evidence  of  a  new  birth.  John  xiv.  23. 

VII.  We  believe  that  there  will  be  a  general  resurrection  of  the 
bodies,  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust.  John  xxviii.  29. 

VIII.  We  believe  there  will  be  a  day  of  judgment  for  both  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  shall  judge  and 
reward  every  man  according  to  his  works.  Acts  xvii.  31 ;  Rev. 
xxii.  12. 

IX.  We  believe  that  the  righteous  will  be  admitted  into  life  eter- 
nal, and  that  the  wicked  shall  receive  eternal  damnation.  Matt. 
XXV.  46. 

X.  We  believe  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
are  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  that  they  contain  the  whole  of 
God's  revealed  will,  and  are  the  only  infallible  rule  to  faith  and  duty. 
Isaiah  viii.  20. 

XI.  W^e  believe  that  the  moral  law,  written  upon  tables  of  stone, 
and  recorded  in  Exodus  xx.,  to  be  morally  and  religiously  binding 
upon  the  church.  Matt.  v.  17. 

XII.  We  believe  it  is  the  duty  of  all  men,  and  especially  the  church 
of  God,  to  observe  religiously  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  as  com- 
manded in  the  fourth  precept  of  the  decalogue,  Exodus  xx.  10.  Mark 
ii.  27,  28  ;  Luke  xxiii.  5,  7. 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS]  gj 

XIII.  We  believe  that  a  gospel  church  is  composed  of  such  per- 
sons, and  such  only,  as  have  given  satisfactory  evidence  of  regenera- 
tion, and  have  submitted  to  gospel  baptism.  Acts  ii.  41. 

XIV.  We  believe  that  Christian  baptism  is  the  immersion  in  water, 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  of  a  believer  in 
Christ,  upon  a  profession  of  the  gospel  faith;  and  that  no  other  water, 
baptism  is  valid.  Col.  ii.  12;  Rom.  vi.  4;  Ephes.  iv.  5. 

XV.  Concerning  imposition  of  hands,  we  believe  it  was  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Apostles  and  the  primitive  church,  to  lay  hands  upon  the 
newly  baptized  believers ;  and  it  should  be  perpetuated  in  the  church. 
We  therefore  practise  it.  Acts  viii.  17 ;  xix.  6;  Heb.  vi.  2. 

XVI.  We  believe  it  is  the  duty  of  all  members  of  the  church,  to 
commemorate  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  in  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  as  often  as  the  church  shall  deem  it  expedient  and  the  cir- 
cumstances admit.  Matt.  xxvi.  20,  27;  1  Cor.  xi.  26. 

XVII.  As  we  deem  it  unscriptural  to  admit  to  the  membership  of 
the  church  any  person  who  does  not  yield  obedience  to  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel,  or  who  would  be  a 
subject  of  church  censure,  were  he  a  member  of  the  church :  so  we 
deem  it  equally  unscriptural  and  improper,  to  receive  such  at  the 
Lord's  table,  or  to  partake  with  them  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  1  Cor. 
V.  11 ;  2  Thess.  iii.  6. 

THEIR    VIEWS    OF    BAPTISM. 

As  a  denomination  they  practise  what  is  termed  close  communion. 
Their  reasons  for  this  are  the  following : 

They  consider  that  the  Pedobaptist  brethren  have  perverted  the 
ordinance  of  baptism,  by  abandoning  the  original  institution,  which 
was  dipping  or  immersion,  and  using  that  of  sprinkling  or  pouring. 

They  do  not  charge  them  with  a  wilful  violation  of  the  divine  rule, 
but  with  the  matter  of  fact ;  while  they  extend  to  them  charity,  and 
believe  them  to  be  sincere. 

On  one  term  only  does  this  great  question  rest ;  and  that  is,  What 
is  the  original  import  of  the  Greek  word  "  Baptize  V  Baptists  have 
and  still  contend,  that  the  word  originally  implied  immersion.  Pe- 
dobaptists  have  contended  that  it  implied  merely  a  religious  rite, 
and  meaning  many  other  things,  sucb  as  spy-inkling,  powing,  wash- 
ing, SfC. 

To  these  speculations  they  have  only  to  apply  their  own  antidote. 
The  word  baptize  is  Greek,  and  in  the  English  language  means  just 
nothing  at  all,  unless  they  are  allowed  to  translate  it.  And  whom  shall 


g2  HISTORY  OF  THE 

they  call  upon  to  do  it?  They  will  not  take  the  irans\alion'o{  Baptists, 
for  that  may  beget  partiality ;  but  they  choose  to  take  the  evidence 
of  men  who  spoke  out  before  the  art  of  prevarication  v»^as  so  exten- 
sively known  among  Protestants.  For  when  they  present  Pedobap- 
tist  authors,  who  show  the  greatest  marks  of  candour,  they  cannot  be 
objected  to.  In  view  of  these  remarks,  in  connexion  with  the  follow- 
ing quotations,  they  are  willing  at  all  times  to  submit  them  to  a  think- 
ing community,  as  being  the  doctrine  that  is  taught  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  And  to  strengthen  their  faith,  they  have  the  testimony  of 
the  whole  Christian  world  in  their  favour. 

Luther. — "  The  term  baptize  is  a  Greek  word ;  it  may  be  ren- 
dered immersion,  as  when  we  plunge  something  in  water,  that  it  may 
be  entirely  covered  with  water.  And  though  that  custom  is  now 
abolished  among  the  generality,  (for  even  children  are  not  entirely 
immersed,  but  only  have  a  little  water  poured  on  them,)  nevertheless 
they  ought  to  be  completely  immersed,  and  immediately  drawn  out, 
for  tlie  etymology  of  the  u-ord  evidently  requires  it." 

Calvin. — "The  word  baptize,  signifies  to  immerse.  The  right  of 
immersion  was  observed  by  the  ancient  church.  From  these  quota- 
tions, and  from  John  iii.  23,  it  may  be  inferred  that  baptism  was  ad- 
ministered by  John,  and  Christ,  by  plunging  the  whole  body  under 
water.  Here  we  perceive  how  baptism  was  administered  among  the 
ancients,  for  they  immersed  the  whole  body  underwater;  now  it  is  a 
prevailing  practice,  for  a  minister  only  to  sprinkle  the  body  or  the 
head." 

Grotius. — "  That  baptism  used  to  be  administered  by  immersion, 
and  not  pouring  or  sprinkling,  appears  both  from  the  proper  signifi- 
cation of  the  word,  and  the  places  chosen  for  the  administration  of 
the  rite,  John  iii.  23 ;  Acts  viii.  28  ;  and  also  from  the  many  allusions 
of  the  apostles,  which  cannot  be  referred  to  sprinkling."  Rom.  vi.  34; 
Col.  ii.  12. 

John  Wesley. — "  Mary  Welsh,  aged  eleven  days,  was  baptized 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  first  church,  and  the  rule  of  the  Church 
of  England,  by  immersion.  The  child  was  ill  then,  but  recovered 
from  that  hour." 

Buried  with  hitn,  "  alluding  to  the  ancient  mode  or  manner  of  bap- 
tizing by  immersion." 

To  these  testimonies,  and  scores  that  might  be  produced,  of  like 
import,  they  think  that  people  of  candour  ought  to  give  heed ;  and  if 
they  have  given  the  true  interpretation  of  the  word,  it  is  of  itself  evi- 
dent, that  those  that  sprinkle  or  pour  do  not  baptize.  These  are  their 
views,  and  according  to  the  principles  laid  down  they  cannot  extend 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


83 


to  others  the  communion,  until  they  have  complied  with  the  gospel 
rule. 

And  they  consider  it  to  be  perverted,  in  applying  it  to  infants  and 
impenitent  individuals  without  profession  of  faith.  JNo  institution  has 
"Thus  saith  the  Lord," for  applying  it  to  infants, or  the  impenitent.  A 
few  testimonies  from  Pedobaptist  authors  may  be  introduced  on  this 
point. 

Bishop  Burnet. — "  There  is  no  express  precept  or  rule  given  in 
the  New  Testament  for  baptizing  infants." 

Luther. — "  It  cannot  be  proved  by  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that 
infant  baptism  was  instituted  by  Christ  or  his  disciples,  or  the  early 
Christians  after  the  Apostles." 

CuRCELL.5:us. — "  The  baptism  of  infants  in  the  two  first  centuries 
after  Christ,  was  entirely  unknown,  but  in  the  third  and  fourth,  was 
allowed  by  some  few.  In  the  fifth  and  following  ages  it  was  gene- 
rally received.  The  custom  of  baptizing  infants  did  not  begin  before 
the  third  age  after  Christ  was  born.  In  the  former  ages  no  trace  of 
it  appears,  and  it  was  introduced  without  the  command  of  Christ." 

Thus  they  discover,  that  between  the  Baptists  and  the  Pedobaptists 
there  is  no  agreement  in  their  views,  and  no  agreement  with  the  in- 
spired word  and  Pedobaptism — at  least  so  the  Baptists  think,  and  so 
they  have  a  right  to  think,  until  they  are  better  taught ;  and  therefore 
as  Baptists,  they  cannot  in  conscience  extend  to  them  the  communion. 
And  the  Scriptures  would  condemn  them  for  it,  if  they  were  to  com- 
mune with  those  who  practise  such  disorder,  by  departing  from  the 
tradition  of  the  Apostles,  and  disobeying  their  epistles.  Eph.  xxxvi.  14. 
And  the  controversy  existing  between  the  Baptists  and  Pedobaptists, 
ought  to  be  settled  and  put  for  ever  to  rest.  This  the  Baptists  cannot 
do,  they  cannot  go  to  them,  but  the  others  can  come  to  the  Baptist 
standard,  without  any  violation  of  conscience  or  faith.  And  may  the 
time  hasten  its  onward  flight,  when  in  the  church  there  will  be  but 
"one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism" 

While  this  arm  of  Popery  is  attached  to  the  Protestant  church,  they 
cannot  with  any  expectation  of  success,  contend  with  Catholicism, 
even  in  our  own  country.  With  much  propriety  they  may  say,  P/iy- 
sician,  heal  thyself;  this  the  church  must  learn,  that  the  "Bible  alone 
is  the  religion  of  Protestants." 

VIEWS    OP   THE    SABBATH. 

1.  On  this  point  of  doctrine  and  practice,  they  differ  from  all  other 
denominations.     And  this  is  the  only  essential  point  of  difference  be- 


Q4  HISTORY  OF  THE 

tvvcen  them  and  the  large  and  respectable  denomination,  the  Asso- 
ciate Baptists.  By  their  belief  and  practice,  as  it  respects  the  Sabbath, 
ihey  arc  accounted  singular;  but  they  would  wish  at  all  times  to  have 
the  privilege  of  rendering  their  reasons  for  doing  thus,  especially  as  by 
this  they  are  known  as  close  communicants.  It  may  not  be  neces- 
sary here,  to  attempt  to  meet  all  the  objections  that  are  presented 
against  their  views,  by  men  who  have  become  wise  above  what  is 
written.  But  it  is  intended  merely  to  present  their  views  and  reasons 
for  thus  believing. 

They  believe  that  the  Sabbath  was  instituted  by  God,  and  given  to 
our  first  parents  while  in  the  garden  of  Eden  ;  for  in  this  institution 
was  their  happiness  intimately  concerned.     As  an  evidence  they  refer 
to  the  ancients,  and  their  customs.     They  had  their  days  of  observ- 
ance.    Noah  observed  the  period  of  seven  days  in  sending  out  the 
dove  from  the  ark,  in  preference  to  any  other  number.     The  term 
week  is  used  in  the  contract  between  Jacob  and  Laban.     Balaam  had 
seven  altars,  and  offered  seven   oxen   and  seven  rams  upon  them  ; 
likewise  Job  and  his  friends  observed  the  term  of  seven  days.     All 
which  (and  others)  go  to  prove  that  the  ancients  enjoyed  the  bless- 
ings of  a  Sabbath,  and  were  not  left  destitute  of  this  exalted  favour, 
as  some  suppose,  until  the  days  of  Moses.     From  Exodus  xvi.  we 
have  a  satisfacto»y  evidence  that  the  Israelites  were  not  strangers  to 
the  Sabbath,  long  before  they  came  to  Mount  Sinai,  where  the  Law 
was  given.     For  some  of  the  people  are  voluntarily  making  prepara- 
tions and  provisions  for  the  Sabbath,  while  others  are  reprimanded 
for  neglecting  it.     And  the  very  language  shows  that  the  Sabbath 
was  not  a  new  institution  to  them.    "  How  long  refuse  ye  to  keep  my 
commandments  and  by-laws  ?'  The  very  language  of  the  fourth  com- 
mandment itself  implies  that  they  had  a  previous  knowledge  of  it: 
"  Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy."   This  injunction  is  not 
attached  to  any  of  the  rest  of  the  commandments,  which  evidently 
shows  that  they  had  not  only  been  acquainted  with  it  before,  but  that 
it  was  not  of  the  least  importance,  as  some  vainly  suppose.     And  its 
being  mentioned  in  connexion  with  the  creation  of  the  world,  shows 
to  their  satisfaction,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  were  not  without 
a  Sabbath  two  thousand  and  five  hundred  years.     For  the  blessing 
and  the  sanctifying  of  the  Sabbath  is  mentioned  in  connexion  with 
the  first  seventh  day  in  the  order  of  time.     And  the  reasons  rendered 
are,  that  on  it  God  rested  fi-om  all  his  works.     And  the  blessing  and 
sanctifying  the  day  were  subsequent  acts,  which  are  given  as  a  cause 
for  its  being  set  apart  from  other  days  as  a  Sabbath  of  holy  rest  unto 
the  Lord. 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


65 


And  it  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  cause  existed  two  thou- 
sand and  five  hundred  years  before  the  effect.  Jesus  Christ  says, 
Mark  ii.  27,  "  That  the  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for 
the  sabbath."  Is  it  a  good  thing?  were  there  any  men  of  piety  be- 
fore Moses  ?  And  in  the  34th  Psalm  we  learn  that  "  He  will  withhold 
no  good  thing  from  those  who  walk  uprightly."  The  early  history 
being  so  silent  about  the  sabbath,  is  no  evidence  of  its  non-existence, 
for  all  the  history  of  that  age  is  given  in  forty  short  chapters.  "  We 
find,  from  time  immemorial,  the  knowledge  of  weeks  of  seven  days 
among  all  nations.  Israelites,  Egyptians,  Indians,  Arabians,  and,  in 
a  word,  all  the  nations  of  the  East,  have  in  all  ages  made  use  of 
weeks  of  seven  days."  "  And  we  find,  too,  that  the  very  day  that 
God  had  sanctified  as  a  sabbath,  was  regarded  still  as  holy  time, 
although  they  had  forsaken  the  true  worship  of  God."  Among  those 
authors  we  find  the  following:  Homer,  Hesiod,  Callimachus,  Tibul- 
lus,  Philo,  Eusebius,  Clemens  Alexandrius,  Josephus.  It  has  been, 
and  is  supposed  by  some  that  the  sabbath  was  made  for  the  Jews 
only,  hence  it  is  called  by  them  a  Jewish  sabbath ;  to  this  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptists  object ;  although  it  is  said,  in  Exodus,  xxxi.  14,  to  be 
a  sign  between  that  people  and  God,  hut  not  between  them  and  the 
Gentiles;  but  it  has  been  and  will  be  a  sign  between  them  and  God 
to  the  end  of  time.  And  the  words  of  our  Saviour  ought  to  put  this 
question  for  ever  to  rest.  Mark  ii.  27,  "The  sabbath  was  made  for 
man."  It  ousrht  to  be  enough  for  us  to  know  that  God  has  instituted 
the  sabbath,  and  required  that  it  should  be  remembered  and  kept  holy, 
especially  when  it  is  found  among  God's  holy  precepts,  written  with 
his  own  finger  upon  tables  of  stone,  and  we  should  not  try  to  do 
away  its  force  by  our  own  traditions. 

No  reason  ever  has  been  given  by  any  person  why  the  law  of  the 
sabbath  was  inserted  among  those  precepts  which  are  universally 
allowed  to  be  moral,  unless  it  partakes  of  the  same  nature.  As  God 
is  the  God  of  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  of  the  Jews,  so  it  is  the  duty  of 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  love  him  and  to  keep  his  commandments, 
for  they  are  a  transfer  of  God's  perfection ;  and  the  revelation  of  his 
will,  as  given  upon  Sinai,  was  and  is  the  only  moral  rule  that  was 
ever  given.  So  it  is  the  duty  of  all  men  to  come  under  it,  as  far  as 
they  receive  a  knowledge  thereof,  Isaiah  Ivi.  6,  7.  They  come  there- 
fore to  the  unavoidable  conclusion  that  the  sabbath  was  enjoined  upon 
all  mankind,  as  presented  to  us  in  the  fourth  commandment. 

2.  They  are  unwilling  to  admit  that  the  sabbath  was  changed  by 
divine  appointment,  or  that  it  ever  will  be.  If  it  was  not  a  good 
sabbath  why  should  it  ever  have  been  appointed  ?  and  if  good,  why 


QQ  HISTORY  OF  THE 

should  it  be  altered  ?  But  if  we  can  find  a  divine  warrant  for  a  change, 
we  arc  ready  to  confess  our  wrongs  and  forsake  them.  St.  Paul,  in 
Heb.  iv.  9,  says  that  it  is  a  type  of  the  rest  that  remains  for  the  people 
of  God ;  this  refers  to  the  rest  that  remains  for  the  saints  in  heaven, 
and  types  are  always  continued  until  the  antitype  comes  to  which 
they  allude. 

The  sabbath  law  still  remains  in  full  force,  and  will  until  the  end  of 
time,  unless  God  repeals  it ;  and  if  so,  the  Scriptures  will  be  as  plain 
as  when  it  was  enjoined.  It  is  a  moral  institution,  (the  reasons  we  have 
already  asigned,)  and  of  perpetual  obligation,  Psalm  cxi.  7,8,  "All  his 
commandments  arc  sure,  they  stand  fast  for  ever."  Their  perpetuity 
was  typified  by  their  being  written  upon  tables  of  stone.  If  the  sab- 
bath was  made  for  the  benefit  of  man,  no  reason  can  be  assigned  for 
its  discontinuance  under  the  Christian  dispensation.  Erase  a  sabbath 
from  the  church  and  she  would  soon  go  to  ruin ;  and  it  is  ruin  to 
people  to  believe  and  preach  a  doctrine,  that  would  prove  destruction 
if  practised. 

Let  such  ministers  beware  lest  they  be  numbered  with  the  slothful 
shepherds.  The  perpetuity  of  this  law  is  asserted  in  Christ's  sermon 
on  the  mount,  (Matt,  v.)  and  when  he  sjjoke  these  words,  he  knew  that 
the  ceremonial  law  would  soon  be  destroyed  by  him,  and  nailed  to 
the  cross;  therefore  he  must  have  alluded  to  the  moral  law.  And  in 
accordance  with  this  he  directs  his  disciples  to  pray  "  that  their  flight 
be  not  in  the  winter,  neither  on  the  sabbath  day."  And  this  event 
was  not  to  take  place  until  about  forty  years  after  his  crucifixion. 
Paul  says,  in  Rom.  iii.  31,  "  Do  we  make  void  the  law  through  faith? 
God  forbid,  yea,  we  establish  the  law."  Neither  do  we  suppose  that 
he  meant  to  release  us  from  this  obligation,  when  he  says,  (ibid.  xiv. 
5,  G,)  "  One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above  another,"  &c.,  or,  in  Colos- 
sians,  (ii.  16,  17,)  "Let  no  man,  therefore,  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in 
drink,  or  in  respect  to  a  holy  day,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or  sabbath, 
which  are  a  shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  the  body  is  of  Christ." 
The  apostle  is  not  speaking  of  the  weekly  sabbath,  but  of  the  Jewish 
ceremonial  sabbath,  which  belongs  to  the  ceremonial  dispensation. 

But  the  question  may  still  be  asked,  What  day  of  the  week  should 
we  now  keep  holy?  They  at  once  say,  the  seventh,  not  a  seventh, 
but  the  seventh  day  that  God  sanctified  at  Sinai,  and  rested  on  when 
he  closed  his  work  of  creation,  which  was  observed  by  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  and  the  early  Christians,  until  the  dark  ages  of  the  church. 
We  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  there  has  been  any  derangement  in 
the  order  of  time,  so  as  to  afllict  the  observing  the  sabbath.  That  per- 
fect agreement  among  all  civilized  nations,  places  it  beyond  all  doubt; 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS, 


87 


and  the  church  has  always  been  known  to  keep  either  the  first  day  or 
the  seventh,  ever  since  her  estabUshment,  and  she  has  never  existed 
without  a  sabbath.  And  the  Jews,  scattered  among  all  nations,  have 
never  lost  their  sabbath.  So  that  when  they  shall  be  gathered  back 
to  Judah's  land,  they  will  have  the  same  identical  sabbath,  that  God 
instituted  in  paradise,  whether  they  go  from  this,  or  from  other  lands. 
But  the  advocates  for  a  change  of  the  sabbath  are  numerous  and 
learned.  Nevertheless,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists  cannot  embrace 
their  sentiments,  for  every  man's  sword  is  turned  against  his  fellow; 
among  them  there  is  no  agreement.  They  refer  to  prophecy,  and  tHe 
strongest  is  in  Psalm  cxviii.  24,  "  This  is  the  day  the  Lord  hath  made, 
I  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it."  If  this  alludes  to  any  day,  it  must 
be  the  day  that  God  has  blessed,  and  not  a  new  appointment.  But 
we  are  satisfied  with  believing  that  this  alludes  to  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation. 

And  Daniel  and  Isaiah,  as  well  as  Abraham  and  others,  looked  for- 
ward to  that  day  with  much  interest  and  delight.  And  they  are  bold 
to  say  that  the  prophets  are  entirely  silent  as  to  a  change  of  the  sab- 
bath. Another  plea  is,  the  work  of  redemption  is  greater  than  the 
work  of  creation,  wherefore  the  sabbath  should  be  changed.  But  they 
think  they  are  not  at  liberty  to  limit  God,  and  say  which  of  his  works 
is  the  greatest ;  they  suppose  that  he  can  as  easily  make  a  world  as 
an  insect,  and  redeem  man  as  easy  as  create  him. 

But  the  advocates  for  the  change  of  the  sabbath  must  fail  according 
to  their  own  logic ;  for  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  church  generally, 
though  not  universally,  that  Christ  was  crucified  on  Friday;  if,  then, 
any  particular  day  can  be  called  the  day  of  redemption,  it  must  be 
that  on  which  he  expired  on  the  cross,  and  spilt  his  blood ;  "  for  with- 
out the  shedding  of  blood  there  can  be  no  remission."  He  died  for 
our  redemption,  and  the  gracious  work  was  doubtless  done  when  he 
bowed  his  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost  and  said.  It  is  finished.  But 
they  do  not  admit  that  any  personal  act  of  his,  "Who  was  made 
under  the  law,"  and  bound  to  obey  its  precepts,  could  alter  or  change 
any  of  its  requirements. 

Another  and  general  plea  is,  that  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week.  Tradition  says  so,  but  the  Bible  does  not.  If 
it  had  been  the  mind  of  Christ  that  the  day  of  his  resurrection  should 
have  been  religiously  regarded :  we  would  have  some  positive  informa- 
tion as  to  the  day  on  which  he  did  rise ;  but  not  one  passage  is  there  to 
be  found  which  says  that  he  arose  on  the  first  day,  or  which  enjoins  its 
observance;  but  there  is  strong  presumptive  evidence  that  he  did  not 
rise  on  that  day.  This  is  found  in  his  own  predictions.  Matt.  xii.  40 : 
he  declares  that  he  would  be  "  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart 


gg  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  the  earth."  Compare  with  Luke  xxiii.  5,  4.  If  his  prediction  be 
true,  he  must  have  arisen  at  the  close  of  the  day  previous  to  his  ap- 
pearing to  tiie  women,  in  the  morning.  And  in  Matt,  xxviii.  1,  we  find 
that  the  great  earthquake  happened  in  the  end  of  the  sabbath.  Mary- 
was  present,  and  an  angel  rolled  back  the  stone  and  sat  upon  it,  and 
told  her  that  he  was  not  here  but  was  risen,  referring  her  to  his  own 
predictions  while  with  them. 

Another  reason  rendered  is,  that  Christ  often  met  with  his  disciples 
upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Supposing  it  was  so,  he  met  with 
tHfcm  on  other  days ;  but  that  is  no  reason  that  they  should  be  con- 
sidered sabbath  days.  But  probably  they  had  better  look  again ; 
people  may  have  taken  it  for  granted  without  evidence.  The  first 
day  after  his  resurrection,  he  appeared  three  times  to  different  persons, 
and  at  different  places.  First  to  the  women  at  the  tomb,  next  to  the 
disciples  on  their  way  to  Emmaus ;  he  journeyed  with  them,  and  when 
they  had  arrived  at  the  place  of  their  destination,  he  was  known  of 
them  by  breaking  bread  and  blessing  it.  The  same  hour  they  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem,  and  found  the  eleven  gathered  together,  and 
while  they  were  telling  what  things  had  happened,  Jesus  stood  in  the 
midst  of  them  and  said,  Peace  be  unto  you.  Now  in  all  this  day's 
transaction,  not  a  word  is  said  about  sabbaihing,  but  every  evidence 
to  the  reverse;  they  were  journeying,  and  Jesus  journeyed  with  them, 
and  from  Jerusalem  to  Emmaus  and  back,  is  about  fifteen  miles. 
And  it  seems  passing  strange  that  he  should  not  have  told  them  that 
the  day  was  holy  to  the  Lord.  And  the  disciples  were  assembled  at 
their  own  lodging  place,  (Acts  i.  13,)  and  had  not  met  to  celebrate  the 
resurrection ;  for  they  did  not  believe  that  he  had  arisen,  until  con- 
firmed by  the  disciples  from  Emmaus.  And  there  is  not  the  least 
intimation  that  the  disciples  were  there  until  evening,  or  that  they 
were  there  for  worship.  And  the  absence  of  Thomas  is  a  strong 
presumption  that  the  meeting  was  not  agreed  upon  previously.  The 
next  and  only  meeting  pretended  to  have  been  held  by  Christ  and  his 
disciples  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  is  mentioned  in  John,  xx.  26 
"  And  after  eight  days,  &c." — But  had  this  interview  been  on  the  fol- 
lowing first  day,  it  could  not  afford  any  claim  for  religious  regard,  for  it 
is  not  noticed  as  a  meeting  designed  for  worship.  Mark  xvi.  14,  says, 
"  He  appeared  to  the  eleven  while  at  meat,"  eating  a  common  meal  at 
their  home  doubtless.  And  it  is  a  matter  of  certainty  that  this  inter- 
view was  not  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  if  the  other  one  was;  for 
eight  days  had  intervened  between  them,  where  a  week  has  but  seven 
days.  They  say  then  without  any  fear  of  successful  contradiction, 
that  Christ  has  left  us  no  example  of  his  regard  for  the  first  day  of 
the  week  as  a  sabbath. 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  39 

As  to  the  regard  that  the  Apostles  and  early  Christians  paid  to  this 
day,  all  the  Scriptures  say  about  it,  is  contained  in  Acts  xx.  7 ;  1  Cor. 
xvi.  7  ;  the  first  relates  to  a  meeting  held  in  Troas,  and  Paul  preached 
and  broke  bread  to  them.  Now  all  this  text  proves  is,  that  Paul  held 
one  meeting  with  these  brethren  on  the  first  day  of  the  week ;  but 
there  is  not  the  least  intimation  that  it  was  their  common  custom  to 
meet  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  or  that  they  should  or  did  regard 
it  as  a  sabbath.  But  this  meeting  was  incidental,  and  held  on  account 
of  the  Apostles  being  about  to  leave  the  place.  It  was  an  evening 
meeting ;  and  by  Paul's  speaking  until  midnight,  and  continuing  until 
break  of  day,  it  was  on  the  night  part  of  the  day ;  and  if  this  meet- 
ing was  held  on  any  part  of  the  first  day  of  the  week,  it  was  between 
sun  setting  and  first  day  morning,  when  Paul  went  on  his  way ;  and 
this  is  according  to  the  Scripture  mode  of  beginning  the  day,  as  it 
was  literally  the  first  day  of  the  week  after  sunset. 

The  miracle  wrought  upon  Enticus,  in  restoring  him  to  life,  is  pro- 
bably the  only  reason  of  this  meeting  being  mentioned,  while  all  the 
other  meetings  that  Paul  held  while  in  Troas,  were  omitted ;  had  this 
been  on  some  other  day  of  the  week,  there  would  not  have  been  a 
single  religious  meeting  held  by  the  disciples  on  any  part  of  a  first 
day,  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.  We  next  notice  1  Cor.  xvi.  2, 
"  On  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one  lay  by  liim  in  store,  &c." 
This  text  makes  no  mention  of  a  meeting  together,  but  to  lay  by  them 
in  store ;  this  contribution  was  designed  for  the  poor  saints  at  Jeru- 
salem ;  and  they  were  requested  to  have  it  in  readiness  when  Paul 
should  come  to  receive  it.  Orders  had  been  given  to  the  church  at 
Galatia  concerning  the  same  matter;  but  they  say  nothing  concerning 
a  first  day  meeting.  But  none  of  these  or  other  passages  give  any 
reason  to  believe  that  the  first  day  was  ever  designed  by  God  to  be 
a  sabbath.  Much  has  been  said  oi  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (on 
the  first  day,)  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  This  they  consider  to  be  only 
a  presumption,  there  being  not  the  slightest  evidence  that  the  day  of 
Pentecost  was  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  more  than  on  any  other 
day.  But  by  the  church  generally,  especially  by  ministers,  the  first 
day  of  the  week  is  called  Lord's  Day,  from  Rev.  i.  10;  still  there  is 
no  evidence  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  was  alluded  to  in  this  ex- 
pression. If  it  can  be  applied  to  any  day,  it  would  be  much  more 
appropriate  to  suppose  that  it  referred  to  the  sabbath  day ;  for  Jesus 
Christ  says  that  he  is  "  Lord  even  of  the  sabbath  day."  But  it  should 
not  be  supposed  that  John  meant  either  of  those  days ;  but  that  he 
meant  the  same  day  styled  in  other  parts  of  the  Scriptures  "  The  day 
of  the  Lord."     And  to  this  day  John  was  carried  in  the  spirit  and 

7 


00 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


saw  all  things  as  they  will  take  place,  1  Cor.  i.  8 ;  Phil.  i.  6.  And 
that  this  refers  to  his  second  coming,  and  not  to  any  particular  day 
of  the  week,  must  be  placed  beyond  all  doubt.  These  are  some  of 
their  reasons  for  yet  believing  that  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  is  yet 
the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  their  God,  and  that  by  the  church  it  should 
be  observed  as  such. 

But  they  suppose  that  Christ  and  his  disciples  paid  special  regard 
to  the  sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment.  It  is  always  called  by 
them  "  the  sabbath"  in  distinction  from  any  other  day;  if  they  had  in- 
tended a  change  this  would  have  been  .calculated  to  mislead  and 
deceive.  It  was  their  custom  to  assemble  for  worship  on  the  sabbath, 
and  not  on  the  first  day  of  the  week ;  for  the  next  sabbath  after  his 
crucifixion  they  rested  according  to  the  commandment ;  and  on  the 
first  day  they  were  journeying,  and  went  into  the  country.  Acts  xiii. 
Paul,  while  at  Antioch  on  the  sabbath  day  went  to  a  place  of  worship; 
and  we  have  the  sketch  of  a  sermon  he  preached  on  the  occasion. 
And  by  the  request  of  his  gentile  hearers  he  preached  to  them  on 
the  next  sabbath,  when  nearly  the  whole  city  came  together. 

At  Philippi  Paul  and  his  companions  resorted  down  to  the  river 
side  on  the  sabbath  day,  and  I^ydia  and  her  household  were  baptized. 
Acts,  xviii.  Paul  reasoned  in  the  synagogue  every  sabbath,  and  per- 
suaded the  Jews  and  the  Greeks;  and  this  practice  he  continued  a 
year  and  six  months.  At  Ephesus,  likewise,  Paul  went  into  the  syna- 
gogue and  reasoned  with  the  Jews.  And  at  Thessalonica  there  was 
a  synagogue  of  the  Jews;  and  Paul,  as  his  manner  was,  went  in  with 
them,  and  three  sabbath  days  reasoned  with  them  out  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

These  quotations  are  sufficient  to  show  what  was  the  practice  of 
the  Apostles. 

This  is  confirmed  by  Paul's  going  into  the  temple  and  performing 
certain  rights  of  purification,  for  the  purpose  of  refuting  slanderous 
reports  about  his  practising  contrary  to  the  law;  and  in  Acts  xx.  17, 
he  states  that  he  had  committed  nothing  against  the  customs  of  the 
fathers.  And  was  it  not  contrary  to  their  custom,  to  keep  the  first 
day  of  the  week  to  the  exclusion  of  the  seventh?  If  so,  then  it  is 
evident  that  Paul  kept  the  seventh  and  not  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
for  the  sabbath.  The  Jews,  who  were  always  ready  to  accuse  them 
of  wrong,  never  upbraided  them  with  a  violation  of  the  Sahhath, 
which  would  have  been  the  case,  had  there  been  an  occasion.  The 
opposition  made  to  these  sentiments,  are  supported  by  the  feelings  and 
circumstances  of  their  opponents,  and  not  by  the  word  of  God.  But 
it  may  be  necessary  to  refer  to  the  practice  of  the  early  Christians. 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  y  j 

Athanasius,  a.  D.  340,  "  We  assemble  on  Saturday,  not  that  we 
are  infected  with  Judaism,  but  only  to  worship  Christ  the  Lord  of  the 
sabbath." 

Socrates,  A.  D.  412,  "  Touching  the  Communion,  there  are  sundry 
observations ;  for  almost  all  the  churches  throughout  the  world  do 
celebrate  and  receive  the  holy  mysteries  every  sabbath.  Yet  the 
Egyptians  adjoining  Alexandria,  together  with  the  inhabitants  of 
Thebes,  of  a  tradition,  do  celebrate  the  Communion  on  Sunday,  when 
the  festival  meeting  throughout  every  week  was  come.  I  mean  the 
Saturday,  and  the  Sunday,  upon  which  the  Christians  are  wont  to 
meet  solemnly  in  the  church,"  &c. 

EusEBius,  A.  D.  325,  as  quoted  by  Dr.  Chambers,  says  that  in  his 
time  the  sabbath  was  observed  no  less  than  Sunday. 

Calvin.  The  old  Fathers  put  in  the  place  of  the  sabbath  the  day 
we  call  Sunday. 

SozoMEN  .has  delivered  down  a  tradition,  that  at  Constantinople, 
and  almost  among  all  the  churches,  Christians  did  assemble  on  the 
sabbath,  and  also  on  the  first  day  of  the  week ;  but  at  Rome  and 
Alexandria  not  so. — Magdebur.  4th  Cent.  fol.  224. 

Phelps. — "  Indeed  so  prevalent  was  this  party  (Sabbath-keepers) 
at  one  time,  and  so  superstitious  withal  in  their  observance  of  the 
seventh  day,  that  to  counteract  it  the  council  of  Laodicea,  about 
A.  D.  350,  passed  a  decree  saying.  It  is  not  proper  for  Christians  to 
Judaize,  and  to  cease  from  labour  on  the  Sabbath,  but  they  ought  to 
work  on  this  day,  and  put  especial  honour  upon  the  Lord's  day,  by 
refraining  from  labour,  as  Christians.  If  any  one  be  found  Judaizing, 
Jet  him  be  anathematized." — Perpetuity  Sab.  p.  151. 

Kingsbury. — Those  who  lived  immediately  after  Christ  did  not 
misunderstand  allusions  to  these  different  institutions.  They  all 
understood  Sabbath,  when  used  alone,  to  refer  to  the  seventh  day,  or 
Jewish  rest,  and  never  the  first  day.  Nor  was  it  till  after  the  disputes 
between  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  converts  had  mainly  subsided,  and 
civil  rulers  {Romans)  had  required  the  observance  of  Lord's  day,  and 
forbidden  the  keeping  of  the  seventh,  that  the  term  Sabbath  was 
applied  to  the  first  day  of  the  week.  It  was  not  until  A.  D.  603,  that 
a  papal  decree  was  made  frohibiting  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath. 
—  The  Sab.  p.  206. 

With  the  light  that  the  Bible  reflects  upon  this  subject,  and  from 
the  practice  of  the  early  Christians,  they  are  constrained  to  believe 
and  practise  as  they  do,  notwithstanding  the  great  body  of  the  Chris- 
tian world  is  arrayed  against  them ;  but  they  are  assured  that  they 
have  truth  in  their  favour,  and  that  it  is  mighty,  and  will  ere  long 
prevail. 


BAPTISTS   OR  BEETHREN,   GERMAN. 

BY  THE  REV.  PHILIP  BOYLE, 

UNIONTOWN,  MARYLAND. 

The  German  Baptists,  or  Brethren,  are  a.'denomination  of  Chris- 
tians who  emigrated  to  this  country  from  Germany  between  the 
years  1718  and  1730;  they  are  commonly  called  Dunkers;  but  they 
have  assumed  for  themselves  the  name  of  "  Brethren,"  on  account 
of  what  Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  Matt,  xxiii.  8,  "  One  is  your 
Master,  even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren'' 

The  following  account  of  these  people  has  been  extracted  from  a 
work  called  "  Materials  tow^ard  a  History  of  the  American  Baptists," 
published  in  1770  by  Morgan  Edwards,  then  Fellow  of  Rhode  Island 
College,  and  overseer  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Philadelphia : 

"  Of  the  Germans  in  Pennsylvania  who  are  commonly  called 
Tunkers,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Menonists;  for  both  are 
styled  S)ie  "^iduferr  or  Baptists.  They  are  called  Tunkers  in  derision, 
which  is  as  much  as  '  sops,'  from  tunken,  to  put  a  morsel  in  sauce ; 
but  as  the  term  signifies  dippers,  they  may  rest  content  with  their 
nickname.  They  are  also  called  Tumblers,  from  the  manner  in 
which  they  perform  baptism,  which  is  by  putting  the  person  head 
forward  under  water  (while  kneeling),  so  as  to  resemble  the  motion 
of  the  body  in  the  act  of  tumbling.  The  first  appearance  of  these  peo- 
ple in  America  was  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1719,  when  about  twenty 
families  landed  in  Philadelphia,  and  dispersed  themselves,  some  to 
Germantown,  some  to  Skippack,  some  to  Oley,  some  to  Conestoga, 
and  elsewhere.  This  dispersion  incapacitated  them  to  meet  in  pub- 
lic worship,  therefore  they  soon  began  to  grow  lukewarm  in  religion. 
But  in  the  year  1722,  Baker,  Gomery,  and  Gantzs,  with  the  Trauzs, 
visited  their  scattered  brethren,  which  was  attended  with  a  great 
revival,  insomuch  that  societies  were  formed  wherever  a  number  of 
families  were  within  reach  one  of  another.  But  this  lasted  not  above 
three  years;  they  settled  on  their  lees  again;  till  about  thirty  fami- 
lies more  of  their  persecuted  brethren  arrived  in  the  fall  of  the  year 
1729,  which  both  quickened  them  again  and  increased  their  number 


GERMAN  BAPTISTS  OR  BRETHREN.  93 

every  where.  Those  two  companies  had  been  members  of  one  and 
the  same  church,  which  originated  in  Schwartzenau,  in  the  year 
1708,  in  Germany.  The  first  constituents  were  Alexander  Mack 
and  wife,  John  Kipin  and  wife,  George  Grevy,  Andreas  Bhony, 
Lucas  Fetter,  and  Joanna  Nethigum.  Being  neighbours,  they  agreed 
together  to  read  the  Bible,  and  edify  one  another  in  the  way  they 
had  been  brought  up,  for  as  yet  they  did  not  know  there  were  any 
Baptists  in  the  world.  However,  believer's  baptism  and  a  congrega- 
tional church  soon  gained  on  them,  insomuch  that  they  were  deter- 
mined to  obey  the  gospel  in  those  matters.  These  desired  Alexander 
Mack  to  baptize  them,  but  he  deeming  himself  in  reality  unbaptized, 
refused ;  upon  which  they  cast  lots  to  find  who  should  be  administra- 
tor; on  whom  the  lot  fell  hath  been  carefully  concealed.  However, 
baptized  they  were  in  the  river  Eder,  by  Schwartzenau,  and  then 
formed  themselves  into  a  church,  choosing  Alexander  Mack  as 
their  minister.  They  increased  fast,  and  began  to  spread  their 
branches  to  Marienborn  and  Epstein,  having  John  Naass  and  Chris- 
tian Levy  as  their  ministers  in  those  places ;  but  persecution  quickly 
drove  them  thence :  some  to  Holland,  some  to  Crefelt.  Soon  after 
the  mother  church  voluntarily  removed  from  Schwartzenau  to 
Serustervin,  in  Friesland,  and  from  thence  migrated  toward  Ame- 
rica in  1719;  and  in  1729  those  of  Crefelt  and  Holland  followed 
their  brethren.  Thus,  we  see,  all  the  '  Tanker  diurches'  in  America 
sprang  from  the  church  of  Schwartzenau  in  Germany;  that  that 
church  began  in  1708,  with  only  eight  souls,  and  that  in  a  place 
where  no  Baptist  had  been  in  the  memory  of  man,  nor  any  now  are; 
in  sixty-two  years  '  that  little  one  is  become  a  thousand,  that  small  one 
a  great  nation.'  It  is  very  difficult  to  give  a  true  account  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  these  Tunkers,  as  they  have  not  published  any  system  or 
creed,  except  what  two  individuals  have  put  forth,  which  has  not 
been  publicly  avowed.  However,  I  may  assert  the  following  things 
concerning  them,  from  my  own  knowledge,  viz.,  general  redemption 
they  certainly  hold,  and  with  all  general  salvation.  They  use  great 
plainness  of  dress  and  language,  like  the  Quakers,  and  like  them  will 
neither  take  an  oath  nor  fight.  They  will  not  go  to  law,  nor  take 
interest  for  the  money  they  lend.*  They  commonly  wear  their 
beards,  and  keep  the  first  day  (except  one  congregation)-!     They 

*  The  taking  of  interest  is  now  tolerated  among  them,  but  most  of  them  do  not  demand 
or  take  full  lawful  interest,  and  some  of  them  do  not  take  any  interest  for  the  money 
they  lend  to  their  poorer  brethren, 

t  It  is  quite  probable  the  author  here  alludes  to  the  (Sieben  Taeger)  Seventh  Day 
Baptists,  who  formed  a  settlement  at  Ephrata,  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  the 


04 


HISTORY  OF  THt: 


celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper,  with  its  ancient  attendants  of  love- 
feasts,  vvasiiing  feet,  kiss  of  charity,  and  right  hand  of  fellowship. 
Thev  anoint  the  sick  with  oil  for  recovery ;  and  use  the  trine  immer- 
sion, with  laying  on  of  hands  and  prayer,  even  while  the  person 
baptized  is  in  the  water,  which  may  easily  be  done,  as  the  person 
kneels  down  to  be  baptized,  and  continues  in  that  posture  till  both 
prayer  and  imposition  of  hands  be  performed.  Their  church  govern- 
ment is  the  same  with  the  English  Baptists,  except  that  every  brother 
is  allowed  to  stand  up  in  the  congregation,  and  speak  by  \vay  of 
exhortation  and  expounding ;  and  when  by  these  means  they  find  a 
man  eminent  for  knowledge,  and  possessing  aptness  to  teach,  they 
choose  him  to  be  their  minister,  and  ordain  him  with  laying  on  of 
hands,  attended  with  fasting  and  prayer,  and  giving  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship.  They  also  have  deacons,  and  aged  women  for  deacon- 
esses, who  are  allowed  to  use  their  gifts  statedly.  They  do  not  pay 
their  ministers,  unless  it  be  by  way  of  presents;  neither  do  their 
ministers  assert  their  right  to  pay,  esteeming  it '  more  blessed  to  give 
than  receive.'  Their  acquaintance  with  the  Bible  is  admirable  ;  in  a 
word,  they  are  meek  and  pious  Christians,  and  have  justly  acquired 
the  character  oi^ Harmless  Tunkers.' "  The  Rev.  E.  Winchester,  one 
of  the  Baptist  missionaries  from  England,  in  a  work  published  by 
him  in  the  year  1787,  gave,  among  other  things,  the  following 
account  of  these  people :  "  They  are  industrious,  sober,  temperate, 
kind,  charitable  people ;  envying  not  the  great,  nor  despising  the 
mean.  They  read  much,  they  sing  and  pray  much ;  they  are  con- 
stant attendants  upon  the  worship  of  God ;  their  dwelling-houses  are 
all  houses  of  prayer :  they  walk  in  the  commandments  and  ordinances 
of  the  Lord  blameless,  both  in  public  and  private.  They  '  bring  up 
their  children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.'  The  law 
of  kindness  is  in  their  mouths ;  no  sourness  or  moroseness  disgraces 
tlieir  religion  :  and  whatsoever  they  believe  their  Saviour  commands 
they  practise,  without  inquiring  or  regarding  what  others  do." 

Though  they  in  general  maintain  the  same  principles  at  this  present 
time,  yet  they  themselves  confess  there  is  not  that  same  degree  of 
vital  piety  existing  among  them  that  there  was  at  the  close  of  the 
eighteenth  century ;  owing,  as  they  think,  to  the  circumstance  of 
many  of  them  having  become  very  wealthy,  and  of  iheir  intermar- 
riage with  others. 

The  German  Baptists,  or  Brethren,  have  now  dispersed  themselves 

year  1724.  These  are  tlie  same  people  meant  and  described  under  the  name  Dunkards, 
in  Buck's  Theological  Dictionary ;  there  is  no  account  given  of  the  German  Baptists  or 
Brethren  in  that  work. 


GERMAN  BAPTISTS  OR  BRETHREN. 


95 


almost  through  every  State  in  the  Union,  more  or  less ;  but  they  are 
most  numerous  in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  Ohio,  and 
Indiana.  It  would  be  a  difficult  task  to  give  a  regular  statistical 
account  of  these  people,  as  they  make  it  no  part  of  their  duty  to  keep 
an  exact  account  of  the  number  of  communicants.  Some  of  their 
larger  congregations  number  from  two  to  three  hundred  members  ; 
each  congregation  has  from  two  to  three  preachers,  and  some  more. 
In  travelling  and  preaching  there  are  in  general  two  together; 
and  very  frequently  one  speaks  in  the  German,  and  the  other  in  the 
English  language,  to  the  same  congregation.  None  of  their  ministers 
receive  any  pecuniary  compensation  for  any  services  they  perform 
pertaining  to  the  ministry;  they  preach,  officiate  at  marriages  and 
funerals  among  all  who  call  upon  them,  without  respect  to  persons : 
though  their  ministers  will  not  perform  the  rites  of  matrimony,  unless 
they  can  be  fully  satisfied  that  there  are  no  lawful  objections  in  the 
case  of  either  of  the  parties  to  be  married. 

Their  teachers  and  deacons  are  all  chosen  by  vote,  and  their 
bishops  are  chosen  from  among  their  teachers,  after  they  have  been 
fully  tried  and  found  failhful;  they  are  ordained  by  the  laying  on  of 
hands  and  by  prayer,  which  is  a  very  solemn  and  affecting  ceremony. 
It  is  the  duty  of  the  bishops  to  travel  from  one  congregation  to  ano- 
ther, not  only  to  preach,  but  to  set  in  order  the  things  that  may  be 
wanting;  to  be  present  at  their  love-feasts  and  communions,  and, 
when  teachers  and  deacons  are  elected  or  chosen,  or  when  a  bishop  is 
to  be  ordained,  or  when  any  member  who  holds  an  office  in  the  church 
is  to  be  excommunicated.  As  some  of  the  congregations  have  no 
bishops,  it  is  also  the  duty  of  the  bishop  in  the  adjoining  congregation 
to  assist  in  keeping  an  oversight  of  such  congregations.  An  elder 
among  them  is,  in  general,  the  first  or  eldest  chosen  teacher  in  the 
congregation  where  there  is  no  bishop ;  it  is  the  duty  of  the  elder  to 
keep  a  constant  oversight  of  that  church  by  whom  he  is  appointed 
as  a  teacher.  It  is  his  duty  to  appoint  meetings,  to  baptize,  to  assist 
in  excommunication,  to  solemnize  the  rites  of  matrimony,  to  travel 
occasionally  to  assist  the  bishops,  and  in  certain  cases  to  perform  all 
the  duties  of  a  bishop.  It  is  the  duty  of  their  teachers  to  exhort  and 
preach  at  any  of  their  regular  stated  meetings ;  and,  by  the  request  of 
a  bishop  or  elder,  to  perform  the  ceremony  of  baptism  and  rites  of 
matrimony. 

It  is  the  duty  of  their  deacons,  (or,  as  they  are  sometimes  called, 
visiting  brethren,)  to  keep  a  constant  oversight  of  the  poor  widows 
and  their  children,  to  render  them  such  assistance  as  may  be  necessary 
from  time  to  time ;  it  is  also  their  duty  to  assist  in  making  a  general 


96 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


visit  among  all  the  families  or  members  in  their  respective  congrega- 
tions, at  least  once  a  year,  in  order  to  exhort  and  comfort  one  ano- 
ther, as  well  as  to  reconcile  all  offences  that  may  occur  from  time  to 
time.  It  is  also  their  duty  to  read  the  Scriptures,  to  pray,  and  even 
exhort,  if  it  may  appear  necessary,  at  their  regular  meetings  of 
worship. 

The  general  order  of  these  people  has  been  to  hold  their  meetings 
for  public  worship  at  dwelling-houses;  but  in  some  of  their  congre- 
gations they  have  now  erected  meeting-houses,  or  places  expressly 
for  worship.  Some  of  them  are  built  very  large,  without  a  gallery 
or  a  pulpit. 

They,  as  yet,  have  but  one  Annual  Meeting,  which  is  held  every 
year  about  Whitsuntide,  and  is  attended  by  the  bishops  and  teachers, 
and  other  members,  who  may  be  sent  as  representatives  from  the 
various  congregations.  At  these  meetings  there  is,  in  general,  a  com- 
mittee of  five  of  the  eldest  bishops  chosen  from  among  those  who  are 
present,  who  retire  to  some  convenient  place,  to  hear  and  receive 
such  cases  as  may  then  be  brought  before  them,  by  the  teachers  and 
representatives  from  the  various  congregations,  which  are  (or  at  least 
the  most  important  of  them)  afterwards  discussed  and  decided  upon, 
and  then  those  several  queries  with  the  considerations  as  then  con- 
cluded, are  recorded  and  printed  in  the  German  and  English  lan- 
guages, and  sent  to  the  teachers  in  all  the  different  congregations  in 
the  United  States,  who,  when  they  receive  them,  or  as  soon  as  con- 
venient, read  them  to  the  rest  of  their  brethren.  By  this  course  of 
proceeding,  they  preserve  a  unity  of  sentiment  and  opinion  throughout 
all  their  congregations. 

Some  of  their  ministers  manifest  a  great  deal  of  zeal  in  their 
Master's  cause ;  and  although  some  of  them  are  poorly  circumstanced 
in  the  world,  yet  they,  at  their  own  expense,  leave  their  families  for 
several  weeks  in  succession,  and  some  even  longer,  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  others.  They  have  had  a  general  revival  amongst  them 
within  the  few  last  years  past ;  many  have  been  convicted  and  con- 
verted under  their  preaching,  and  the  cause  of  religion  seems  to  be 
progressing  among  them  ;  and  what  might  seem  strange  to  some,  is, 
that  they  baptize  by  immersion,  and  that  at  any  season  of  the  year. 

In  connexion  with  what  has  been  said  in  the  commencement  of 
our  account,  concerning  their  doctrines,  &lc.,  we  will  only  add,  by 
way  of  conclusion,  that  they  believe  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons, but  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness, is  accepted  with  him ;  and  that  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should 


GERMAN  BAPTISTS  OR  BRETHREN. 


97 


not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  Ufe  :  and  that  God  sent  his  Son  into 
the  v^^orld,  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost,  believing  that  he 
is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  through  a  cru- 
cified Redeemer,  who  tasted  death  for  every  man,  and  was  mani- 
fested to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.  And  although  it  has  herein 
been  testified,  that  they  hold  general  redemption  as  a  doctrine,  still  it 
is  not  preached  among  them  in  general,  as  an  article  of  faith.  It  has 
probably  been  held  forth  by  those  who  felt  themselves,  as  it  were,  lost  in 
the  love  of  God ;  and,  perhaps,  on  this  account,  they  have  been 
charged  with  holding  the  sentiments  of  the  Universalists,  which  they 
all  deny.  They  conceive  it  their  duty  to  declare  the  whole  counsel 
of  God,  and  therefore  they  feel  themselves  bound  to  proclaim  his 
threatenings  and  his  judgments  against  the  wicked  and  ungodly  ;  yet 
in  accordance  with  their  general  principles,  whicfi  are  Love  and  Good 
Will,  they  are  more  frequently  led  to  speak  of  the  love  and  goodness 
of  God  towards  the  children  of  men. 


BAPTISTS,    SEVENTH  DAY,  GEMAK 

BY  WILLIAM  M.  FAHNESTOCK,  M.  D.. 

DORDENTOWN,   N.   J. 

About  the  year  1694,  a  controversy  arose  in  the  Protestant 
churches  of  Germany  and  Holland,  in  which  vigorous  attempts  were 
made  to  reform  some  of  the  errors  of  the  church,  and  with  the  design 
of  promoting  a  more  practical,  vital  religion.  This  party,  at  the  head 
of  which  was  the  pious  Spener,  ecclesiastical  superintendent  of  the 
court  of  Saxony,  was  opposed,  violently,  and  after  having  bestowed 
upon  them,  in  ridicule,  the  epithet  of  Pietists,  they  were  suppressed  in 
their  public  ministrations  and  lectures,  by  the  Consistory  of  Wittem- 
berg.  Notwithstanding  they  were  prohibited  from  promulgating, 
publicly,  their  views  and  principles,  it  led  to  inquiry  among  the 
people.  This  state  of  things  continuing,  many  learned  men  of  dif- 
ferent universities  left  Europe  and  emigrated  to  America,  whilst 
others  remained  and  persevered  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  they 
had  commenced  with  so  much  diligence.  In  the  year  1708,  Alexan- 
der Mack,  of  Schriesheim,  and  seven  others  in  Schwartzenau,  Ger- 
many, met  together,  regularly,  to  examine  carefully  and  impartially, 
the  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament,  and  to  ascertain  what  are  the 
obligations  it  imposes  on  professing  Christians;  determining  to  lay 
aside  all  preconceived  opinions  and  traditional  observances.  The 
result  of  their  inquiries  terminated  in  the  formation  of  the  society  now- 
called  the  Dunkers,  or  First  Day  German  Baptists.  Meeting  with 
much  persecution  as  they  grew  into  some  importance,  as  all  did  who 
had  independence  enough  to  differ  from  the  popular  church,  some 
were  driven  into  Holland,  some  to  Crefelt  in  the  Duchy  of  Cleves, 
and  the  mother  church  voluntarily  removed  to  Seruslervin,  in  Fries- 
land;  and  from  thence  emigrated  to  America  in  1719,  and  dispersed 
to  different  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  to  Germantown,  Skippack,  Oley, 
Conestoga,  and  elsewhere.  They  formed  a  church  at  Germantown 
in  1723,  under  the  charge  of  Peter  Becker.  The  church  grew  rapidlv 
in  this  country,  receiving  members  from  the  banks  of  the  Wissahiccon 
and  from  Lancaster  county,  and  soon  after  a  church  was  established 


GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  99 

at  Muehlbach,  (Mill  creek,)  in  that  county.  Of  this  community  was 
one  Conrad  Beissel,  a  native  of  Germany.  He  had  been  a  Presby- 
terian, and  fled  from  the  persecutions  of  that  period.  Wholly  intent 
upon  seeking  out  the  true  obligations  of  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
proper  observance  of  the  rites  and  ceremonies  it  imposes,  stripped  of 
human  authority,  he  conceived  that  there  was  an  error  among  the 
Dunkers,  in  the  observance  of  the  day  for  the  sabbath — that  the 
seventh  day  was  the  command  of  the  Lord  God,  and  that  day  being 
established  and  sanctified,  by  the  Great  Jehovah,  for  ever,  and  no 
change,  nor  authority  for  change  ever  having  been  announced  to  man, 
by  any  power  sufficient  to  set  aside  the  solemn  decree  of  the  Almighty 
— a  decree  which  he  declared  that  he  had  sanctified  for  ever, — he  felt 
it  to  be  his  duly  to  contend  for  the  observance  of  that  day.  About 
the  year  1725,  he  published  a  tract  entering  into  a  discussion  of  this 
point,  which  created  some  excitement  and  disturbance  in  the  Society 
at  Mill  Creek ;  upon  which  he  retired  from  the  settlement,  and  went 
secretly  to  a  cell  on  the  banks  of  the  Cocalico,  (in  the  same  county,) 
which  had  previously  been  occupied  by  one  Elimelich,  a  hermit.  His 
place  of  retirement  was  unknown  for  a  long  time  to  the  people  he  had 
left,  and  when  discovered,  many  of  the  Society  at  Mill  Creek,  who  had 
become  convinced  of  the  truth  of  his  proposition  for  the  observance 
of  the  sabbath,  settled  around  him  in  solitary  cottages.  They  adopted 
the  original  sabbath — the  seventh  day — for  public  worship,  in  the 
year  1728 ;  which  has  ever  since  been  observed  by  their  descendants, 
even  unto  the  present  day. 

In  the  year  1732,  the  solitary  life  was  changed  into  a  conventicle 
one,  and  a  Monastic  Society  was  established  as  soon  as  the  first  build- 
ings erected  for  the  purpose  were  finished — May,  1733, — constituting, 
with  the  buildings  subsequently  erected  by  the  community,  the  irre- 
gular, enclosed  village  of  Ephrata.  The  habit  of  the  Capuchins,  or 
White  Friars,  was  adopted  by  both  the  brethren  and  sisters ;  which 
consisted  of  a  shirt,  trowsers,  and  vest,  with  a  long  white  gown  and 
cowl,  of  woollen  web  in  winter,  and  linen  in  summer.  That  of  the 
sisters  differed  only  in  the  substitution  of  petticoats  for  trowsers,  and 
some  little  peculiarity  in  the  shape  of  the  cowl.  Monastic  names 
were  given  to  all  who  entered  the  cloister.  Onesimus  (Israel  Ecker- 
lin)  was  constituted  Prior,  who  was  succeeded  by  Jabez,  (Peter 
Miller,)  and  the  title  of  Father — spiritual  father — was  bestovi^ed  by 
the  Society,  upon  Beissel,  whose  monastic  name  was  Friedsam ;  to 
which  the  brethren  afterwards  added  Gottrecht — implying,  together, 
Peaceable  God-right.  In  the  year  1740,  there  were  thirty-six  single 
brethren  in  the  cloister,  and  thirty-five  sisters ;  and  at  one  time,  the 


2QQ  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Society,  including  the  members  living  in  the  neighbourhood,  numbered 
nearly  three  hundred. 

The  community  was  a  republic,  in  which  all  stood  upon  perfect 
equality  and  freedom.  No  monastic  vows  were  taken,  neither  had 
they  any  written  covenant,  as  is  common  in  the  Baptist  churches. 
The  New  Testament  was  their  confession  of  faith,  their  code  of  laws, 
and  their  church  discipline.  The  property  which  belonged  to  the 
Society,  by  donation,  and  the  labour  of  the  single  brethren  and  sisters, 
was  common  stock ;  but  none  were  obliged  to  throw  in  their  own 
property,  or  give  up  any  of  their  possessions.  The  Society  was  sup- 
ported by  the  income  of  the  farm,  grist  mill,  paper  mill,  oil  mill,  full- 
ing mill,  and  the  labour  of  the  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  cloister. 

The  principles  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Society  of  Ephrata,  but 
little  understood,  generally,  and  much  misrepresented  abroad,  may  be 
summed  up  in  a  few  words,  viz. : 

1.  They  receive  the  Bible  as  the  only  rule  of  faith,  covenant,  and 
code  of  laws  for  church  government.  They  do  not  admit  the  least 
license  with  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  Scriptures,  and  especially  the 
New  Testament — do  not  allow  one  jot  or  tittle  to  be  added  or  re- 
jected in  the  administration  of  the  ordinances,  but  practise  them  pre- 
cisely as  they  are  instituted  and  made  an  example  by  Jesus  Christ  in 
his  word. 

2.  They  believe  in  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
trinity  of  the  Godhead  ;  having  unfurled  this  distinctive  banner  on  the 
first  page  of  a  hymn  book  which  they  had  printed  for  the  Society  as 
early  as  1739,  viz. :  "  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the 
Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  these  three  are  one. 
And  there  are  three  that  bear  witness  in  earth,  the  Spirit,  and  the 
water,  and  the  blood ;  and  these  three  agree  in  one." 

3.  They  believe  that  salvation  is  of  grace,  and  not  of  works  ;  and 
they  rely  solely  on  the  merits  and  atonement  of  Christ.  They  believe, 
also,  that  that  atonement  is  sufficient  for  every  creature — that  Christ 
died  for  all  who  will  call  upon  his  name,  and  offer  fruits  meet  for 
repentance ;  and  that  all  who  come  unto  Christ  are  drawn  of  the 
Father. 

4.  They  contend  for  the  observance  of  the  original  Sabbath,  be- 
lieving that  it  requires  an  authority  equal  to  the  Great  Institutor  to 
change  any  of  his  decrees.  They  maintain  that,  as  he  blessed  and 
sanctified  that  day  for  ever,  which  has  never  been  abrogated  in  his 
word,  nor  any  Scripture  to  be  found  to  warrant  that  construction, 
it  is  still  as  binding  as  it  wns  when  it  was  reiterated  amid  the 
thunders  of  Mount  Sinai.     To  alter  so  positive  and  hallowed  a  com- 


GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  JQI 

mandment  of  the  Almighty,  they  consider  would  require  an  explicit 
edict  from  the  Great  Jehovah.  It  was  not  foretold  by  any  of  the 
prophets,  that  with  the  new  dispensation  there  would  be  any  change 
in  the  sabbath,  or  any  of  the  commandments.  Christ,  who  declared 
himself  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  observed  the  seventh  day,  and  made 
it  the  day  of  his  especial  ministrations;  nor  did  he  authorize  any 
change.  The  Apostles  have  not  assumed  to  do  away  the  original 
sabbath,  or  give  any  command  to  substitute  the  first  for  the  seventh 
day.  The  circumstance  of  the  disciples  meeting  together  to  break 
bread  on  the  first  day,  which  is  sometimes  used  as  a  pretext  for  ob- 
serving that  day,  is  simply  what  the  seventh  day  people  do  at  this 
day.  The  sacrament  was  not  administered  by  Christ  nor  by  the 
Apostles  on  the  sabbath,  but  on  the  first  day,  counting  as  the  people 
of  Ephrata  still  do,  the  evening  and  the  morning  to  make  the  day. 

5.  They  hold  to  the  apostolic  baptism — believers'  baptism — and 
administer  trine  immersion,  with  the  laying  on  of  hands  and  prayer, 
while  the  recipient  yet  remains  kneeling  in  the  water. 

6.  They  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  at  night,  in  imitation  of  our 
Saviour ; — washing  at  the  same  time  each  other's  feet,  agreeably  to 
his  command  and  example,  as  is  expressly  stated  in  the  13th  chapter 
of  the  Evangelist  John,  14th  and  15th  verses.  This  is  attended  to  on 
the  evening  after  the  close  of  the  sabbath — the  sabbath  terminating 
at  sunset  of  the  seventh  day ;  thus  making  the  supper  an  imitation  of 
that  instituted  by  Christ,  and  resembling  also  the  meeting  of  the  Apos- 
tles on  the  first  day  to  break  bread,  which  has  produced  much  con- 
fusion in  some  minds  in  regard  to  the  proper  day  to  be  observed. 

Celibacy  they  consider  a  virtue,  but  never  require  it,  nor  do  they 
take  any  vows  in  reference  to  it.  They  never  prohibited  marriage 
and  lawful  intercourse,  between  the  sexes,  as  is  stated  by  some  wri- 
ters, but  when  two  concluded  to  be  joined  in  wedlock,  they  were 
aided  by  the  Society.  It  (celibacy)  was  urged  as  being  more  condu- 
cive to  a  holy  life,  for  Paul  saith :  "  They  that  are  after  the  flesh,  do 
mind  the  things  of  the  flesh :  but  they  that  are  after  the  spirit,  the 
things  of  the  spirit."  And  again  :  "  He  that  is  unmarried,  careth  for 
the  things  that  belong  to  the  Lord,  how  he  may  please  the  Lord ; 
but  he  that  is  married  careth  for  the  things  of  the  world,  how  he  may 
please  his  wife.  There  is  thisdiflerence  between  a  wife  and  a  virgin. 
The  unmarried  women  careth  for  the  things  of  the  Lord,  that  she 
may  be  holy,  both  in  body  and  in  spirit :  but  she  that  is  married  careth 
for  the  things  of  the  world,  how  she  may  please  her  husband ; — I  say 
therefore  to  the  unmarried  and  widows,  It  is  good  for  them  if  they 
abide  even  as  I."     And  thev  also  consider  that  those  who  sacrifice 


102 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  live  pure  virgins,  for  Christ's  sake,  will  be 
better  fitted  to,  and  will  enjoy  the  first  places  in  glory.  St.  John,  in  the 
Revelation,  says :  "  I  looked  up,  and  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on   Mount 
Zion,  and  with  him  an  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  having 
his  Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads.     And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great 
thunder:  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps : 
and  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before 
the  four  beasts,  and  the  elders :  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song  but 
the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  which  were  redeemed  from 
the  earth.     These  are  they  that  are  not  defiled  with  women  ;  for  they 
are  virgins.     These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever 
he  goeth.     These  were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being  the  first 
fruits  unto  God  and  unto  the  Lamb."     This  was  a  fond,  cherished 
subject,  and  was  constantly  inculcated.     It  may  be  considered  the 
ground  of  the  institution  at  Ephrata,  whose  prosperity  and  advance- 
ment was  dependent  on  it  being  properly  appreciated.     It  was  sedu- 
lously kept  before  them,  by  their  ministers,  in  its  brightest  colours ; 
and  all  the  Scripture,  which  was  not  a  little,  was  brought  to  bear  upon 
it,  to  inspire  them  with  perseverance  and  faithfulness.     It  promised 
capabilities  which  others  could  not  possess  in  the  divine  life,  and  also 
held  out  the  brighter  rewards  of  heaven.     It  was  a  prolific  subject 
for  many  of  their  hymns,  which  seemed  to  hallow  and  sanctify  vir- 
ginity.    I  have  seen  one,  an  occasional  hymn,  for  they  multiplied  new 
hymns  for  every  particular  meeting  or  celebration — one  of  which  is 
very  beautiful  indeed,  and  which  was  a  prophecy  respecting  Ephrata 
— a  prophecy  which  has  been  verified.     It  invokes  steadfastness  of 
purpose  among  the  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  Cloister,  and  laments 
the  downfall,  in  prospect  of  any  declension,  in  most  affecting  strains. 
The  following  is  a  stanza  from  the  hymn  above  alluded  to : 

Auch  Ephrata,  wird  hier  so  langc  stehcn, 
Als  Jungfrauen  darinn  am  Rcihen  gchcn ; 

Wann  aber  dicscr  Add  wird  auf  hocren, 

So  wird  die  Rache  diesen  Ort  verstoeren. 

They  do  not  appi'ove  of  paying  their  ministers  a  salary.  They 
think  the  gospel  was  sent  without  money  and  without  price,  and  that 
every  one  called  to  preach  the  word,  should  do  it  from  the  love  of  the 
cause,  and  in  this  matter  to  follow  the  advice  and  example  of  Paul. 
However,  they  never  had  any  scruples  in  affording  their  ministers 
such  supplies  of  life  as  they  possess  themselves,  and  they  gave  them 
the  same  support  the  other  brethren  enjoyed.  Individual  members  may 


GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  J03 

give,  as  presents,  what  to  them  seemeth  fit,  in  money,  goods,  &c. ; 
and  whenever  the  minister  travels  for  reh"gious  purposes,  if  needy,  he 
is  supphed  with  money  out  of  the  treasury  to  bear  his  expenses. 

These  are  the  great  and  leading  tenets  and  principles  of  the  Ger- 
man Seventh  Day  Baptists  of  Pennsylvania.  There  are  many  other 
minor  points  of  not  sufficient  importance  to  enumerate  in  detail,  which 
may  better  be  adverted  to  in  replying  to  some  errors  which  writers 
have  saddled  upon  them,  and  which  cannot,  properly,  be  considered 
as  tenets  and  principles,  but  only  as  peculiarities.  I  cannot,  here,  go 
into  an  exposition  of  the  peculiar  views  of  this  people,  nor  enter  into 
the  minutia  of  the  manner  of  performing  all  the  ceremonies  and  ordi- 
nances. I  would  merely  remark  in  regard  to  their  regular  worship, 
that  they  commence  with  a  hymn,  then  prayers,  (kneeling,)  and  after 
a  second  hymn,  the  minister  requests  one  of  the  brethren  (any  one)  to 
read  a  chapter  out  of  the  Scriptures,  which  they  are  at  liberty  to 
choose  from  any  part  of  the  Bible, — he  then  expounds  the  chapter ; 
tracing  its  bearings  and  historical  connexion  with  the  prophets  and 
the  New  Testament;  after  which  the  Exhorters  enforce  the  duties  it 
inculcates,  and  should  any  member,  brother  or  single  sister  be  able  to 
improve  the  subject  still  farther,  or  have  any  remarks  relative  to  the 
topic  to  make,  is  at  perfect  freedom  to  express  them.  Prayer  and 
singing,  with  the  reading  of  a  psalm,  instead  of  a  benediction,  con- 
clude the  service.  At  another  time,  and  in  another  place,  I  may 
enter  into  a  full  exposition  of  the  principles  and  ordinances  of  this 
Society,  and  exhibit  at  length  their  doctrines,  and  the  grounds  on 
which  they  are  predicated. 

This  Society  has  been  much  misrepresented  by  writers  who  know- 
but  little  of  them,  and  mostly  draw  on  their  imaginations  and  the  libels 
of  the  persecutors  of  the  Society,  for  the  principles  of  this  people.  In 
a  short  notice  of  Ephrata  in  Gordon's  Gazetteer  of  Pennsylvania, 
drawn  from  an  account  published  by  one  not  very  friendly  to  the 
Society,  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania, 
several  errors  were  inadvertently  and  unconsciously  promulgated  by 
the  respected  author.  The  good  and  devout  Founder  is  represented 
as  a  crafty,  designing  usurper  of  ecclesiastical  authority,  and  as 
assuming  titles,  honours,  and  power.  This  is  not  the  place  to  enter 
into  a  full  refutation  of  these  charges,  which  are  without  foundation, 
and  could  only  have  originated  in  gross  ignorance,  or  shameful 
wickedness.  Beissel,  who  had  been  educated  in  the  Calvinistic  faith, 
left  Europe  that  he  might  enjoy  freedom  of  opinion  in  America ;  he 
withdrew  from  the  Society  of  Dunkers  at  Mill  Creek,  because  his 
views  on  the  sabbath  produced  some  dissension  ;  and  after  he  was 


]04  HISTORY  OF  THE 

drawn  from  his  seclusion  by  love  for  those  who  came  and  settled 
around  him,  and  entreated  his  ministry,  he  devoted  his  whole  life  and 
property  to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  Society;  giving  the  manage- 
ment of  the  secular  affairs  entirely  into  the  hands  of  others,  while  he 
gave  his  attention  wholly  to  instructing  them  in  the  Word  of  Life, 
and  establishing  the  gospel  in  its  truth  and  simplicity.  The  title  of 
"  Father,"  and  "  Gottrecht,"  were  conferred  upon  him  by  his  brethren, 
and  was  not  a  presumptuous  assumption  of  Beissel.  Their  principles 
are  equally  misrepresented  in  that  as  well  as  most  other  English 
accounts  of  the  Society.  In  Buck's  Theological  Dictionary  we  are 
told,  that  "  the  principal  tenets  appear  to  be  these :  that  future  happi- 
ness is  only  attained  by  penance  and  outward  mortification  in  this 
life;  and  that  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  meritorious  sufferings  became  the 
Redeemer  of  mankind  in  general,  so  each  individual  of  the  human 
race,  by  a  life  of  abstinence  and  restraint,  may  work  out  his  own 
salvation.  Nay  they  go  so  far  as  to  admit  of  works  of  supererogation, 
and  declare  that  a  man  may  do  much  more  than  he  is  in  justice  or 
equity  obliged  to  do,  and  that  his  superabundant  works  may  therefore 
be  applied  to  the  salvation  of  others;"  and  a  great  many  other  things 
equally  ridiculous  and  unfounded.  The  account  in  that  book  is  a 
tissue  of  misrepresentation,  unworthy  a  place  in  a  work  of  that 
character. 

It  is  not  one  of  their  customs  to  wear  long  beards,  as  is  frequently 
said  of  them ;  this  is  more  the  case  with  the  Dunkers  and  Menonists. 
They  are  often  represented  as  living  on  vegetables,  the  rules  of  the 
Society  forbidding  meats,  for  the  purpose  of  mortifying  the  natural 
appetite,  and  also  as  lying  on  wooden  benches,  with  billets  of  wood 
for  pillows,  as  an  act  of  penance.  The  true  reason  and  explanation 
of  this  matter  is,  that  both  were  done  from  considerations  of  economy. 
Their  circumstances  were  very  restricted,  and  their  undertaking 
great.  They  studied  the  strictest  simplicity  and  economy  in  all  their 
arrangements :  wooden  flagons,  wooden  goblets,  turned  wooden  trays, 
were  used  in  administering  the  communion ;  and  the  same  goblets  are 
still  in  use,  though  they  have  been  presented  with  more  costly  ones. 
Even  the  plates,  off"  which  they  ate,  were  octangular  pieces  of  thin 
poplar  boards,  their  forks  and  candlesticks  were  of  wood,  and  also 
every  other  article  that  could  be  made  of  that  material,  was  used  by 
the  whole  community.  After  they  were  relieved  from  the  pressure 
of  their  expensive  enterprise  in  providing  such  extensive  accommoda- 
tions, they  enjoyed  the  cot  for  repose,  and  many  others  of  the  good 
things  of  life ;  though  temperance  in  eating  and  drinking  was  scru- 
pulously regarded.     And  it  may  be  well  to  remark,  there  were  not 


GERMAN  SE\"ENTII  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


105 


any  ardent  spirits  used  in  building  the  whole  village,  the  tiniber  of 
which  was  hewn,  and  all  the  boards  sawed  by  hand  during  the  winter 
months.  The  Society  was  a  social  community,  and  not  a  cold,  re- 
pulsive, bigoted  compact ;  though  it  has  been  sometimes  represented  as 
reserved  and  distant,  and  even  not  giving  an  answer  v/hen  addressed  on 
the  road.  Morgan  Edwards,  in  his  "  Materials  towards  a  History  of  the 
American  Baptists,"  (published  in  1770,)  bears  a  diflerent  testimony; 
he  says  :  "  From  the  uncouth  dress,  the  recluse  and  ascetic  life  of  these 
people,  sour  aspects  and  rough  manners  might  be  expected ;  but  on 
the  contrary,  a  smiling  innocence  and  meekness  grace  their  counte- 
nances, and  a  softness  of  tone  and  accent  adorn  their  conversation, 
and  make  their  deportment  gentle  and  obliging.  Their  singing  is 
charming;  partly  owing  to  the  pleasantness  of  their  voices,  the  variety 
of  parts  they  carry  on  together,  and  the  devout  manner  cf  perform- 
ance." And  of  Beissel,  he  2;ives  the  followino:  character,  which  he 
says  he  had  from  one  who  knew  him  well.  "  He  was  very  strict  in 
his  morals,  and  practised  self-denial  to  an  uncommon  degree.  En- 
thusiastic and  whimsical  he  certainly  was;  but  an  apparent  devout- 
ness  and  sincerity  ran  through  all  his  oddities.  He  was  not  an  adept 
in  any  of  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences  except  rhusic,  in  which  he  ex- 
celled. He  composed  and  set  to  music  (in  two,  four,  five,  and  seven 
parts)  a  volume  of  hymns,  another  of  anthems.  He  published  a  dis- 
sertation on  the  fall  of  man,  in  the  mysterious  strain;  also  a  volume 
of  letters.  He  left  behind  him  several  books  in  manuscript,  curiously 
written  and  embellished."  One  writer  has  made  a  remark,  as  invi- 
dious as  it  is  unfounded,  on  the  sisterhood,  in  stating  that,  "  the  sisters, 
it  would  seem,  took  little  delight  in  their  state  of  single  blessedness, 
and  two  only  (aged  and  ill-favoured  ones  we  may  suppose)  continued 
steadfast  in  renunciation  of  marriages."  They  never  had  to  renounce 
matrimony  on  entering  the  convent;  and  but  four  or  five  of  the  whole 
number  that  have  been  in  the  cloister,  in  the  period  of  one  hundred 
and  ten  years,  left  and  were  married.  One  of  these  married  a  gen- 
tleman in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  afterwards  much  regretted  her 
change,  as  did  all  others  who  left  the  "  stille  einsamkeit."  The  rest 
continued  steadfast  in  that  state  of  single  blessedness,  and  now,  save 
those  remaining  in  the  convent,  lie  beside  each  other  in  the  beautiful 
cemetery  in  the  fore-ground  of  the  village. 

These  little  things  would  not  be  considered  worthy  of  any  notice, 
but  from  fresh  currency  which  has,  been  given  to  them  by  a  late 
popular  work,  which  is  extensively  circulated  throughout  the  state. 
We  conclude  our  notice  of  the  gratuitous  aspersions,  by  a  few  words 
in  reply  to  the  charge  of  their  denying  the  doctrine  of  original  sin, 

8 


106 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  the  eternity  of  punishment.  They  do  not  hold  that  Adam^s  fall 
condemns  indiscriminately  all  born  souls,  for  many  are  born  and  die 
without  sinning;  but  they  admit  and  teach,  that  in  the  fall  of  Adam 
all  disposition  to  good  and  holiness  was  lost,  and  that  the  whole  race 
inherit  a  natural  innate  depravity,  which  will  lead  them  to  sin,  and 
prove  their  sure  condemnation,  unless  they  repent,  and  are  born  again 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Beissel  wrote  a  book  on  this  subject,  which  is  as 
curious  as  it  is  ingenious.  He  enters  into  long  disquisitions  on  the 
nature  of  Adam  and  his  capabilities,  before  the  fall ;  explaining  many 
things  of  the  fall,  and  with  it  elucidating  several  parts  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  have,  and  would  easily  escape  the  attention  of  men  of 
less  profundity  of  genius.  His  views  are  somewhat  mysterious,  yet 
deep  and  ingenious,  but  in  the  present  day  would  be  deemed  little 
more  than  refined  speculations,  sublimated  into  visions.  But  none  go 
to  deny  the  depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and  the  sad  consequences 
which  the  fall  of  Adam  has  entailed  on  every  succeeding  generation, 
unless  each  creature  be  regenerated  and  born  again  through  the  sanc- 
tifying influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  do  not  beheve  in  the  uni- 
versal salvation  in  the  usual  acceptation  of  the  term — they  teach  the 
sure  reward  of  submission  and  obedience  to  the  requisitions  of  the 
Lord,  through  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and  believe  fully  in 
the  punishment  of  transgression,  for  "  the  wages  of  sin  is  death," 
death  to  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  an  exclusion  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord ;  "  Cast  into  utter  darkness,  where  there  is  weeping  and 
wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  where  the  fire  is  never  quenched, 
where  the  worm  never  dieth."  The  idea  of  a  universal  restoration 
did  exist  among  some  in  the  early  days,  and  is  to  be  attributed  to  at- 
tempts to  explain  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  first  epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, and  the  twentieth  chapter  of  the  Revelations,  and  reconcile 
some  other  parts  of  the  Scriptures.  It,  however,  is  never  taught  as  a 
doctrine,  but  is  always  approached  with  the  greatest  caution  and  de- 
licacy, by  their  pastor  in  private  conversations  with  the  members, 
who  desire  to  be  instructed  upon  this  subject ;  and  who  invariably 
admonishes  them  to  be  diligent  in  making  their  calling  and  election 
sure ;  to  be  prepared  for  the  first  resurrection  and  not  to  depend  on 
a  second. 

Though  they  considered  contention  with  arms  and  at  law  unchris- 
tian and  unbecoming  professors,  yet  they  were  decided  Whigs  in  the 
Revolution,  and  have,  unfortunately,  had  to  defend  themselves  too 
frequently  in  courts  of  justice.  To  set  an  example  of  forbearance 
and  Christian  meekness  they  suffered  for  a  long  time  to  be  wronged 
and  plundered,  until  forbearance  was  no  lonorer  a  virtue.     In  the 


GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


107 


French  war  (the  war  of  1756),  the  doors  of  the  cloister,  including 
the  chapels,  meeting-room,  and  every  other  building,  were  opened  as 
a  refuge  for  the  inhabitants  of  Tulpehocken  and  Paxton  settlements, 
then  the  frontiers,  from  the  incursions  of  the  hostile  Indians,  all  of 
whom  were  received  and  kept  by  the  Society  during  the  period  of 
alarm  and  danger: — upon  hearing  of  which,  a  company  of  infantry 
was  despatched  by  the  royal  government  from  Philadelphia  to  pro- 
tect Ephrata ;  and  on  representation  of  the  character  of  the  Society, 
by  the  commissioners  who  were  sent  to  visit  the  place,  the  govern- 
ment made  them  a  present  of  a  pair  of  very  large  glass  communion 
goblets,  which  was  the  only  recompense  they  would  receive.  At  an 
earlier  period  they  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Penn  family,  and 
one  of  the  young  ladies,  in  England,  commenced  a  correspondence 
with  the  Society.*  Governor  Penn  visited  them  frequently,  and  de- 
sirous of  giving  them  a  solid  evidence  of  his  regard,  had  a  tract  of 
five  thousand  acres  of  land  surrounding  Ephrata  surveyed  and  con- 
veyed to  them,  as  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Manor ;  but  they  refused 
to  accept  it,  believing  that  large  possessions  were  calculated  to 
engender  strife,  and-  as  more  becoming  to  Christian  pilgrims  and 
sojourners  not  to  be  absorbed  in  the  gains  of  this  world  and  the 
accumulation  of  property.  After  the  battle  of  Brandy  wine  the  whole 
establishment  was  opened  to  receive  the  wounded  Americans,  great 
numbers  of  whom  were  brought  there  in  wagons,  a  distance  of  more 
than  forty  miles ;  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  whom  died,  and  are 
buried  on  Mount  Zion.  Their  doors  were  ever  open  to  the  weary 
traveller,  and  all  visiters  were  cordially  received  and  entertained, 
while  they  tarried,  as  is  done  in  the  hospices  of  Europe.  They  gave 
all  the  necessary  supplies  to  the  needy,  even  their  own  beds,  and  to 
stripping  their  own  backs  to  afibrd  some  shelter  from  the  "peltings 
of  the  pitiless  storm,"  to  those  who  were  exposed  to  the  weather 
in  inclement  seasons. 

Many  of  the  brethren  being  men  of  education,  they  established,  at 
a  very  early  period,  a  school,  which  soon  gained  for  itself  an  honour- 
able reputation,  many  young  men  from  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore 
being  sent  here  to  be  educated.  A  sabbath  school  was  also  instituted 
for  religious  instruction,  which  flourished  many  years,  and  was 
attended  with  some  remarkable  consequences.  It  produced  an 
anxious  inquiry  among  the  juvenile  population  who  attended  the 
school,  which  increased  and  grew  into  what  is  now  termed  a  revival 
of  religion.     The  scholars  of  the  sabbath  school  met  together  every 

*  One  letter  from  Lady  Juliana  Penn  may  be  found  in  tlie  Memoirs  of  Daniel  Rittea- 
housc,  LL.D.,F.R.S. 


108  HISTORY  OF  THE 

day  before  and  after  common  school  hours,  to  pray  and  exhort  one 
another,  nnder  the  superintendence  of  one  of  tlie  brethren.  The 
excitement  run  into  excess,  and  betrayed  a  zeal  not  according  to 
knowledge;  which  induced  Friedsam  to  discourage  an  enterprise, 
which  had  been  commenced,  and  was  partly  under  way,  namely, 
erect  a  house  for  their  especial  use,  to  be  called  Succoth.  Ludwig 
Hcecker,  or  Brother  Obed  as  he  was  designated,  who  was  the 
teacher  of  the  common  school,  projected  the  plan  of  holding  a  school 
in  the  afternoons  of  the  sabbath,  and  who,  in  connexion  with  some  of 
the  other  brethren,  commenced  it,  to  give  instruction  to  the  indigent 
children  who  were  kept  from  regular  school  by  employments  which 
their  necessities  obliged  them  to  be  engaged  at  during  the  week,  as 
well  as  to  give  religious  instruction  to  those  of  better  circumstances. 
It  is  not  known  in  what  year  exactly  that  the  sabbath  school  was 
commenced.  HoKcker  came  to  Ephrata  in  the  year  1739,  and  it  is 
presumed  that  he  began,  soon  after  he  took  up  his  residence  amongst  the 
brethren.  The  materials  for  the  building  were  furnished,  as  is  recorded 
in  the  minutes  of  the  Society,  in  the  year  1741).  After  the  battle  of 
Brandywine,  the  sabbath  school  room,  with  others,  was  given  up  for 
a  hospital,  which  was  occupied  as  such  some  time ;  and  the  school 
was  never  afterwards  resumed.  Hoecker  at  that  period  was  sixty 
years  of  age. 

To  Robert  Raikes  is  certainly  due  the  honour  of  having  projected 
and  successfully  introduced  the  present  general  system  of  Sunday 
school  instruction,  but  there  is  much  credit  justly  due  to  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptists  of  Ephrata,  for  having  established  and  maintained  in 
operation,  for  a  period  of  upwards  of  thirty  years,  a  sabbath  school, 
forty  years  before  the  first  school  was  opened  by  the  Gloucester  phi- 
lanthropist. 

By  this  time  (1777)  the  Society  began  to  decline,  but  not  from  causes 
alleged  by  some  writers — want  of  vigour  of  mind  in  the  successor  of 
Beissel,  who  died  17G8  ;  for  his  successor,  Peter  Miller,  was  a  man  of 
much  greater  powers  of  mind,  and  had  the  management  of  the  esta- 
blishment during  Beissel's  time;  and  to  his  energy  and  perseve- 
rance is  mainly  attributable  the  great  prosperity  of  the  institution  in  its 
early  days.  The  institution  was  one  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
in  accordance  with  European  feelings,  most  of  the  members  being 
natives  of  Germany.  The  state  of  public  opinion  at  Beissel's  death 
was  widely  different  from  what  it  was  during  the  first  fifty  years 
after  Ephrata  was  established,  in  relation  to  politics  and  government, 
and  with  this  march  of  intellect,  dilierent  sentiments  were  entertained 
m  regard  to  religious  institutions.  It  w'as  commenced  as  a  social  com- 


GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 


109 


munity  in  the  midst  of  a  wilderness — the  hand  of  improvement  made 
the  desert  bloom  as  the  rose, — and  at  that  time  (1768)  was  not  sur- 
rounded by  a  dense,  promiscuous  population.  These  circumstances 
connected  with  incessant  persecution,  the  turmoil  and  contention  into 
which  they  were  thrown  and  constantly  kept  by  some  of  their  en- 
vious neighbours,  were  the  principal  causes  of  the  decline  of  the 
Sociey. 

There  is  still  a  small  band  who  retain  the  principles,  and  meet  to- 
gether regularly  to  worship,  on  the  evening  and  the  morning  of  the 
Sabbath ;  but  they  are  a  flock  without  a  shepherd — they  have  the 
forms  but  not  the  spirit,  nor  the  zeal  of  their  predecessors.     The 
ancient  community  has  been  called  "  zealots."     Zeal  is,  certainly, 
better  than  indiflerence,  and  enthusiasm  better  than  deadness.     Zeal 
is  the  life  of  Christianity,  and  it  is  an  honour  to  the  denomination  to 
be  designated  by  a  title,  even  if  it  be  in  ridicule,  which  imports  their 
activity  and  faithftilness.     The  people  of  Ephrata  now  lack  that  desi- 
rable quality  for  which  those  of  old   are  stigmatized ;  for  that  zeal 
would  be  an  honour  to  them  should  they  merit  it.     Ephrata  would  be 
a  paradise  as  it  was  in  former  days,  were  the  people  now  here  such 
zealots,  as  those  they  have  descended  from.  They  now  partake  more  of 
the  cold   Christianity  of  the  world.     It  must  not,  however,  be  sup- 
posed that  they  were  ranters,  or  made  a  noise  and  display  in  their 
zeal.     It  was  a  quiet,  all-absorbing  zeal,  in  which  the  world  and  all 
its  vanities  were  sacrificed  to  pure  and  constant  devotion :  they  were 
living  and  moving  in  this  world,  performing  diligently  all  the  duties 
that  devolved  upon  them  here ;  but  their  spirits,  and  all  their  conver- 
sation, were  centered  in  heaven.     Of  them,  who  were  derided  with 
the  epithet  of  "  zealots,"  Mr.  Winchester,  speaking  of  the  people  of 
Ephrata,  in  his  dialogues,  says:  "I  remember  the  Rev.  Morgan  Ed- 
wards, formerly  minister  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Philadelphia,  once 
said  to  me :  *  God  will  always  have  a  visible  people  on  earth,  and 
these  (the  society  at  Ephrata)  are  his  people  at  present,  above  any 
other  in  the  world.'  "    Mr.  Winchester  says  further,  "  They  walk  in 
all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless,  both  in 
public  and  in  private.     They  bring  up  their  children,  (now  speaking 
of  the  married  members,)  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord; 
no  noise,  rudeness,  shameless  mirth,  loud  laughter,  is  heard  within 
their  doors.     The  law  of  kindness  is  in  their  mouths  ;  no  sourness  or 
moroseness  disgraces  their  religion,  and  whatsoever  they  believe  their 
Saviour  commands  they  practise,  without  inquiring,  or  regarding 
what  others  do.     They  read  much  ;  they  sing  and  pray  much  ;  they 
are  constant  attendants  upon  the  worship  of  God ;    their  dwelling 
houses  are  all  houses  of  prayer."     But  alas  !  alas  !  it  is  not  so  now. 


no  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Ephrata  has  fallen— deirenerated  beyond  all  conception.  It  is  now 
spiritually  dead.  Ichabod  is  written  upon  the  walls  of  this  branch  of 
our  Zion. 

As  early  as  1758,  there  was  a  branch  of  this  Society  established  at 
the  Bcrmudian  Creek,  in  York  county,  about  fifteen  miles  from  the 
town  of  York  ;  some  of  the  members  of  which  still  remain,  though 
they  have  been  without  preaching  many  years.  Another  was  esta- 
blished in  17G3,  in  Bedford  county,  which  still  flourishes,  and  many 
menibcrs  of  the  present  Society  are  scattered  through  the  counties  of 
the  interior  of  the  State ;  so  that  the  truth  which  was  left  has  not  be- 
come extinct,  but  is  still  extending,  which  is  particularly  the  case  at 
Snowhill ;  and  hope  is  still  entertained,  that  the  little  one  may  become 
a  thousand,  and  the  small  one  a  great  nation. 

For  a  further  detail  of  the  history  of  this  Society,  a  description  of 
the  Monastic  Institution  at  Ephrata,  and  an  account  of  their  exten- 
sive literary  labours  and  numerous  publications,  ?is  well  as  their 
music,  which  is  peculiar  to  themselves,  see  the  writer's  "  Historical 
Sketch,"  in  Hazard's  Register  of  Pennsylvania,  vol.  xv.  page  161  ; 
from  v/hich  the  foregoing  article  is  extracted,  and  which  will  appear 
entire  in  the  History  of  Lancaster  County,  now  in  preparation  by  the 
editor  of  this  work,  Mr.  J.  D.  Ru])p. 

Out*  of  the  foregoing  church  another  branch  was  established  in 
Franklin  county,  at  a  place  now  called  Snowhill,  and  similar  to  the 
mother  church  at  Ephrata,  under  the  superintendence  and  eldership 
of  Peter  Lehman  and  Andrew  Snowberger,  where  the  greatest  body 
of  the  Society  now  reside.  Several  small  branches  have  since  been 
established  in  western  Pennsylvania. 

In  regard  to  their  religious  tenets,  they  believe  in  one  God,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  And  also  believe,  "  That  all  Scripture  is  given 
by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness  ;  that  the  man  of  God  may 
be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  And  conse- 
quently they  acknowledge  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their  only  rule  of 
faith  and  practice. 

They  keep  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  for  the  Sabbath,  in  honour 
of  God's  command,  and  contend  that  no  other  day  has  ever  been  in- 
stituted as  the  sabbath,  and  that  the  one  instituted  in  Paradise  has  never 
been  abolished,  by  God  himself,  or  by  Jesus  (^hrist,  who  acknowledgeth 
himself  Lord  of  the  Sabbath;  and  consequently  is  yet  binding  upon 
all  mankind,  as  firmly  and  absolutely  as  upon  the  ancient   Israelites. 

•  This  portion  is  furnished  by  the  Rev.  Andrew  Fahncstock,  of  Snowhill,  Pa. 


GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS.  j  j  j 

We  can  no  where  in  Scripture  find  an  act  repealing  it ;  and  therefore 
any  other  day  instituted  as  the  Sabbath,  must  of  course  be  a  human 
and  not  a  divine  invention ;  for  the  proof  of  which  Vv^e  might  quote 
many  passages  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  also  from  respectable 
historians ;  but  we  wish  to  be  as  brief  as  possible  with  this  article, 
and  accordingly  shall  dispense  with  it.  Baptism  is  administered 
among  them  by  trine  immersion  :  while  the  person  is  kneeling  in  the 
water,  he  is  plunged  three  times  forward  under  w^ater,  "  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  with  the 
laying  on  of  hands  and  with  prayer  while  the  person  is  yet  in  the  water. 
Baptism  is  administered  upon  none  but  adults,  though  children  of  be- 
lieving parents  are  received  into  the  church,  by  the  laying  on  of  hands, 
and  calling  upon  the  Lord  to  bless  them,  according  to  the  example  of 
Christ,  Mark  x.  16,  at  which  time  it  is  supposed  to  have  been  insti- 
tuted. They  also  practise  the  washing  of  feet  before  the  Lord's 
supper,  which  they  celebrate  in  the  evening.  Open  communion  is 
an  established  rule  of  the  church.  They  disclaim  the  right  of  with- 
holding the  holy  sacrament  from  any  one  who  expresses  a  desire  to 
partake  of  the  same,  or  to  judge  who  is  worthy  or  unworthy;  but  they 
rather  adhere  to  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.  28 :  "  But  let  a  man 
examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that 
cup."  Chap.  iv.  5 :  "  Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until 
the  Lord  come,  who  both  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of 
darkness,  and  will  make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts:  and  then 
shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God,"  They  also  consider  it  essential 
to  adhere  literally  to  the  time,  manner,  and  practice,  of  all  the  ordi- 
nances and  injunctions  of  Christ,  as  they  are  recorded  in  the  gospel, 
as  near  as  they  are  capable  of  comprehending  them ;  as  they  believe, 
that  to  deviate  from  the  letter  is  to  deviate  from  the  spirit  of  it. 


CATHOLIC,  EOMAN 


BY  PROFESSOR  W.  JOS.  WALTERS, 

PHILADELPHIA. 


The  Roman  Catholic  Church,  as  it  exists  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic, 
may  date  its  origin  I'rom  the  discovery  of  the  western  world.  From 
the  memorable  day,  October  the  eleventh,  1492,  on  which  Columbus 
landed  upon  the  island  of  Guanahani,  or  San  Salvador,  and  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross  poured  forth  his  fervent  thanks  to  God  for  the  suc- 
cess of  his  glorious  enterprise :  this  church  has,  amid  many  reverses, 
continued  gradually  to  advance.  If  in  some  quarters  she  has  met 
with  reverses,  her  losses  have  been  compensated  by  what  she  has 
gained  in  other  directions;  so  that  the  number  of  her  adherents,  ac- 
cording to  recent  and  respectable  authorities,  may,  at  the  present 
lime,  be  estimated  at  about  twenty-five  and  a  half  millions,  spread 
over  the  whole  American  continent.  This  ancient  church,  therefore, 
outnumbers  by  nearly  ten  millions,  even  in  the  new  world,  all  the 
various  Protestant  denominations  put  together.  Of  this  large  body, 
however,  only  about  1,300,000  at  the  highest  calculation,  are  found 
in  the  United  States. 

A  Catholic  navigator,  whose  name  will  be  forgotten  only  in  the 
Vv'rcck  of  the  world,  having  thus  discovered  this  vast  continent,  and 
another  son  of  the  church  having  given  it  its  name:  it  was  likewise 
by  the  illustrious  Catholics  John  and  Sebastian  Cabot,  and  Verragani, 
in  the  service  of  the  Catholic  kings  Henry  VII.  of  England,  and 
Francis  I.  of  France,  that  the  shores  of  the  United  States  were  first 
discovered  and  explored.  This  took  place  between  the  years  1497 
and  1524.  Farther  north,  the  noble-hearted  James  Cartier  discovered, 
in  the  course  of  three  successive  voyages,  the  gulf  and  river  of  St. 
Lawrence,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  present  flourishing  cities, 
Quebec  and  Montreal. 

It  is,  however,  to  that  portion  of  the  new  world  which  the  American 
londly  hails  as  his  native  land — the  United  States,  and  to  the  origin 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


113 


and  progress  of  the  Catholic  rehgion  within  its  borders,  that  wc  now 
confine  our  attention. 

And  here  with  unfeigned  pleasure,  with  honest  and  heartfelt  satis- 
faction, does  the  American  Catholic  challenge  the  attention  of  his 
countrymen  to  the  first  settlement  of  the  Maryland  colony ;  for  the 
early  history  of  that  colony,  is  the  early  history  of  Catholicity  in  these 
United  States. 

The  following  is  an  outline  of  this  memorable  epoch  in  our  annals. 
Lord  Baltimore  having  obtained  from  Charles  I.  the  Charter  of  Mary- 
land, hastened  to  carry  into  effect,  the  plan  of  colonizing  the  new 
province,  of  which  he  appointed  his  brother,  Leonard  Calvert,  to  be 
Governor.  This  first  body  of  emigrants,  consisting  of  about  two 
hundred  gentlemen  of  considerable  rank  and  fortune,  chiefly  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  persuasion,  with  a  number  of  inferior  adherents, 
sailed  from  England  under  the  command  of  Calvert,  in  November 
1632,  and  after  a  prosperous  voyage,  landed  in  Maryland,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Potomac,  in  the  beginning  of  the  following  year. 
The  Governor  as  soon  as  he  landed,  erected  a  cross  on  the  shore, 
and  took  possession  of  the  country  for  our  Saviou);  and  for  our 
Sovereign  Lord  the  King  of  England.  Aware  that  the  first  settlers 
of  A^irginia  had  given  umbrage  to  the  Indians  by  occupying  their 
territory,  without  demanding  their  permission,  he  determined  to  imi- 
tate the  wiser  and  juster  policy  that  had  been  pursued  by  the  colonists 
of  New  Englanfjjj,  and  to  unite  the  new  with  the  ancient  race  of  in- 
habitants by  the  reciprocal  ties  of  equity  and  good-will.  The  Indian 
chief  to  whom  he  submitted  his  proposition  of  occupying  a  portion  of 
the  country,  received  it  at  first  with  sullen  indiflerence,  the  result 
most  probably  of  aversion  to  the  measure,  and  of  conscious  inability 
to  resist  it.  His. only  answer  was,  that  he  would  neither  bid  the 
English  go,  nor  would  he  bid  them  stay ;  but  that  he  left  them  to  their 
own  discretion.  The  liberality  and  courtesy  of  the  Governor's  de- 
meanour succeeded  at  length  in  conciliating  his  regard,  and  so  effect- 
ivel_v,  that  he  not  only  promised  a  friendly  league  between  the  colonists 
and  his  own  people,  bu^ersuaded  the  neighbouring  tribes  to  accede 
to  the  treaty.  Nay  more,  he  said  with  w-armth,  "  I  love  the  English 
so  well,  that  even  if  they  should  go  about  to  kill  me,  while  I  had 
breath  to  speak,  I  would  command  the  people  not  to  revenge  my 
death :  for  I  know  they  would  not  do  such  a  thing,  except  it  were  my 
own  fault."  Having  purchased  the  rights  from  the  aborigines  at  a 
price  which  gave  them  perfect  satisfaction,  the  colonists  obtained 
possession  of  a  considerable  district,  including  an  Indian  town,  which 


114 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


they  proceeded  immediately  to  occupy,  and  to  which  they  gave  the 
name  of  St.  Mary's. 

The  tidings  of  this  safe  and  comfortable  establishment  in  the  pro- 
vince, concurring  with  the  uneasiness  experienced  by  the  Roman 
Catholics  in  England,  induced  considerable  numbers  of  the  professors 
of  this  faith  to  follow  the  original  emigrants  to  Maryland,  and  no 
efforts  of  wisdom  or  generosity  were  spared  by  Lord  Baltimore  to 
facilitate  the  population,  and  promote  the  happiness  of  the  colony. 
The  transportation  of  people  and  of  necessary  stores  and  provisions 
during  the  first  two  years,  cost  him  upwards  of  forty  thousand  pounds. 
To  every  emigrant  he  assigned  fifty  acres  of  land  in  absolute  fee: 
and  with  a  liberality  unparalleled  in  that  age,  and  altogether  surprising 
in  a  Catholic,  he  united  a  general  esiablishmcnt  of  Christianity  as  the 
common  law  of  the  land,  with  an  absolute  exclusion  of  the  political 
predominance  or  superiority  of  any  one  particular  sect  or  denomina- 
tion of  Christians. 

This  wise  administration  soon  converted  a  dreary  wilderness  into 
a  prosperous  colony.  The  opposition  of  the  Virginia  planters  to  the 
new  colony,  but  still  nnore  the  intrigues  of  the  vindictive  Clayborne, 
cast  for  a  while  a  gloom  over  the  early  history  of  Maryland.  Not- 
withstanding the  misfortunes  which  attended  and  followed  the  rebel- 
lion of  1645,  the  same. Assembly  that  enacted  measures  for  the  future 
protection  and  safety  of  the  colony,  made  a  magnanimous  attempt  to 
preserve  its  peace  by  suppressing  one  of  the  fertile^ources  of  human 
contention  and  animosity.  It  had  been  declared  by  the  Proprietary, 
at  a  very  early  period,  that  religious  toleration  should  constitute  one 
of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  social  union  over  which  he  pre- 
sided, and  the  Assembly  of  the  province,  composed  chiefly  of  Roman 
Catholics,  now  proceeded,  by  a  memorable  "  Act  concerning  Reli- 
gion," to  interweave  this  noble  principle  into  its  legislative  constitu- 
tion. This  statute  commenced  with  a  preamble  declaring  that  the 
enforcement  of  the  conscience  had  been  of  dangerous  consequence 
in  those  countries  where  it  had  been  practised,  and  therefore  enacted 
that  no  persons  professing  to  believe  in  JesusT'hrist  should  be  molest- 
ed in  respect  to  their  religion,  or  in  the  free  exercise  thereof,  or  be 
compelled  to  the  belief  or  exercise  of  any  other  religion,  against  their 
consent;  so  that  they  be  not  unfaithful  to  the  Proprietary, or  conspire 
against  the  civil  gov^ernment;  that  persons,  molesting  any  other  in 
respect  to  his  religious  tenets,  should  pay  treble  damages  to  the  party 
aggrieved,  and  twenty  shillings  to  the  Proprietary  ;  that  those,  who 
should  reproach  their  neighbours  with  opprobrious  names  of  religious 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  ]  ]  5 

distinction,  should  forfeit  ten  shillings  to  the  persons  so  insulted  ;  that 
any  one,  speaking  reproachfully  against  the  Blessed  Virgin  or  the 
Apostles,  should  forfeit  five  pounds;  but  that  blasphemy  against  God 
should  be  punished  with  death.  By  the  enactment  of  this  statute,  the 
Catholic  planters  of  Maryland  won  for  their  adopted  country  the  dis- 
tinguished praise  of  being  the  first  of  the  American  States  in  which 
toleration  was  established  by  law,  and  graced  their  peculiar  faith 
with  the  signal  and  unwonted  merit  of  protecting  that  religious  free- 
dom which  all  other  Christian  associations  were  conspiring  to  over- 
throw. It  is  a  striking  and  instructive  spectacle  to  behold,  at  this 
period,  the  Puritans  persecuting  their  Protestant  brethren  in  New 
England,  the  Episcopalians  retorting  the  same  severity  on  the  Puri- 
tans in  Virginia,  and  the  Catholics,  against  whom  all  others  were 
combined,  forming  in  Maryland  a  sanctuary  where  all  might  wor- 
ship and  none  might  oppress,  and  where  even  Protestants  sought 
refuge  from  Protestant  intolerance. 

If  the  dangers  to  which  the  Maryland  Catholics  must  have  felt 
themselves  exposed,  from  the  disfavour  with  which  they  were 
regarded  by  all  other  communities  of  their  countrymen,  and  from 
the  ascendancy  which  their  most  zealous  adversaries,  the  Presby- 
terians, were  acquiring  in  the  councils  of  the  parent  state,  may  be 
supposed  to  account,  in  some  degree,  for  their  enforcement  of  a 
principle  of  which  they  manifestly  needed  the  protection,  the  surmise 
will  detract  very  little  from  the  merits  of  the  authors  of  this  excellent 
law.  The  moderation  of  mankind  has  ever  needed  adventitious  sup- 
port ;  and  it  is  no  deprecation  of  Christian  sentiment,  that  it  is  capa- 
ble of  deriving  an  accession  to  its  purity  from  the  experience  of  per- 
secution. It  is  by  divine  grace  alone  that  the  fire  of  persecution  thus 
sometimes  tends  to  refine  virtue,  and  consumes  the  dross  that  may 
have  adhered  to  it ;  and  the  progress  of  this  history  is  destined  to 
show,  that,  without  such  overruling  agency,  the  commission  of  injus- 
tice naturally  tends  to  its  own  reproduction,  and  that  the  experience 
of  it  engenders  a  much  stronger  disposition  to  retaliate  its  severities, 
than  to  sympathize  with  its  victims.  It  had  been  happy  for  the  credit 
of  the  Protestants,  whose  hostility,  perhaps,  enforced  the  moderation 
of  the  Catholics  of  Maryland,  if  they  had  imitated  the  virtue  which 
their  own  apprehended  violence  may  have  tended  to  elicit.  But  un- 
fortunately, a  great  proportion  even  of  those  who  were  constrained 
to  seek  refuge  among  the  Catholics  from  the  persecutions  of  their 
own  Protestant  brethren,  carried  with  them  into  exile  the  same 
intolerance  of  which  they  themselves  had  been  the  victims:  and  the 
Presbyterians  and  other  dissenters,  who  now  began  to  flock  in  con- 


1  1 0  HISTORY  OF  THE 

siderablc  niimljcrs  from  Virginia  to  Maryland,  gradually  formed  a 
Protestant  confederacy  against  the  interests  of  the  original  settlers ; 
and  with  ingratitude,  still  more  odious  than  their  injustice,  projected 
the  abrogation  not  only  of  the  Catholic  worship,  but  of  every  part  of 
that  system  of  toleration  under  whose  shelter  they  were  enabled  to 
conspire  its  downfall.  But  though  the  Catholics  were  thus  ill 
requited  by  their  Protestant  guests,  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  suppose 
that  tiie  calamities  that  subsequently  desolated  the  province,  were 
produced  by  the  toleration  which  her  Assembly  now  established,  or 
that  the  Catholics  were  really  losers  by  this  act  of  justice  and  libe- 
rality. From  the  disposition  of  the  prevailing  party  in  England,  and 
the  state  of  the  other  colonial  settlements,  the  catastrophe  that  over- 
took the  liberties  of  the  Maryland  Catholics  could  not  possibly  have 
been  evaded :  and  if  the  virtue  they  now  displayed  was  unable  to 
avert  their  fate,  it  exempted  them  at  least  from  the  reproach  of 
deserving  it:  it  redoubled  the  guilt  and  scandal  incurred  by  their 
adversaries,  and  achieved  for  them  a  reputation  more  lasting  and 
honourable  than  political  triumph  or  temporal  elevation.  What 
Christian  (however  sensible  of  the  errors  of  Catholic  doctrine)  would 
not  rather  be  the  descendant  of  tiie  Catholics  who  established  tolera- 
tion in  Maryland,  than  of  the  Protestants  who  overthrew  it? 

From  the  establishment  of  religious  freedom,  the  Assembly  of 
Maryland  proceeded  to  the  improvement  of  political  liberty ;  and,  in 
the  following  year,  the  constitution  of  this  province  received  that 
structure  w^hich,  with  some  interruptions,  it  continued  to  retain  for 
more  than  a  century  after.  In  conformity  with  a  wish  expressed  by 
the  burgesses  (in  1G42)  "that  they  might  be  separated,  and  sit  by 
themselves,  and  have  a  negative,"  a  law  was  now  passed  (1G50),  en- 
acting that  members  called  to  the  Assembly  by  special  writ,  should 
form  the  upper  house;  and  that  those  who  were  chosen  by  the  hun- 
dreds should  form  the,  lower  house ;  and  that  all  bills  which  should 
be  assented  to  by  the  two  branches  of  the  legislature,  and  ratified  by 
the  governor,  should  be  deemed  the  laws  of  the  province.  Blending 
a  due  regard  to  the  rights  of  the  people,  with  a  just  gratitude  to  the 
Proprietary,  the  Assembly  at  the  same  time  enacted  a  law  prohibiting 
the  imposition  of  taxes  without  the  consent  of  the  freemen,  and  de- 
claring in  its  preamble,  "  that  as  the  Proprietary's  strength  doth  con- 
sist in  the  affections  of  the  people,  on  them  he  doth  rely  for  his  sup- 
plies, not  doubting  of  their  duty  and  assistance  on  all  just  occasions.*' 
(Laws,  1050,  Cap.  1,  23,  25.)  Perhaps  (concludes  the  impartial 
Grahamc)  it  is  only  under  such  patriarchal  administration,  as  Mary- 
land yet  retained  an  admixture  of  in  her  constitution,  and  under  such 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  II7 

patriarchs  as  Lord  Baltimore,  that  we  can  ever  hope  to  find  the  reaU- 
zation  of  the  political  philosopher's  dream  of  a  system  that  incor- 
porates into  politics  the  sentiments  that  embellish  social  intercourse, 
and  the  affections  that  sweeten  domestic  life.  In  the  prosecution  of 
its  patriotic  labours,  the  Assembly  proceeded  to  enact  laws  for  the 
relief  of  the  poor,  and  the  encouragement  of  agriculture  and  com- 
merce. (Laws,  1649,  Cap.  12  ;  1650,  Cap.  1,  33.)  And  a  shoi't  gleam 
of  tranquil  prosperity  succeeded  the  calamities  which  the  province 
was  fated  again  to  experience  from  the  evil  genius  of  Clayborne,  and 
the  interposition  of  the  parent  state. 

We  refer  the  reader  who  may  wish  to  study  the  darker  shades  of 
this  beautiful  picture,  to  the  pages  of  Grahame.  We  have  no  desire 
to  awaken  the  recollection  of  the  many  wrongs  sustained  by  the 
Maryland  colonists.  For  peace'  sake  their  unmerited  suflerings  may 
be  passed  over  in  silence  ;  but  justice  and  truth  alike  demand  that  the 
above  statements,  from  the  pen  of  a  Protestant  historian,  should  be 
more  generally  known  to  the  mass  of  our  countrymen.  Nor  should 
we  forget  that,  foremost  among  the  colonists  who  thus  hallowed  the 
shores  of  the  Potomac  by  their  virtues,  were  members  of  the  Society 
of  Jesus;  the  Fathers  Andrew  White  and  John  Althano,  both  men  of 
sterling  worth  and  extensive  learning ;  here,  as  in  every  other  quarter 
of  the  new  world,  their  zeal,  their  learning  and  address,,  contributed 
greatly  to  the  success  of  the  early  settlers. 

It  was  on  the  23d  of  March,  1634,  the  festival  of  the  Annunciation 
of  the  ever  blessed  Virgin,  and  on  St.  Clement's  Island,  in  the  Poto- 
mac, that  the  divine  sacrifice  of  the  mass  was  for  the  first  time  offered 
up  to  God,  in  this  portion  of  America.  Governor  Calvert,  accompa- 
nied by  Father  Althano,  then  sailed  up  the  river,  landing  first  on  the 
Virginia  side,  at  an  Indian  town  called  Potomac,  and  now  known  as 
New  Marlborough,  or  Marlborough  Point.  The  Jesuit  Father  ex- 
plained to  the  assembled  Indians  the  chief  mysteries  of  the  Christian 
religion,  as  w^ell  as  the  peaceful  and  benevolent  motives  that  actuated 
their  unexpected  visiters.  It  is  remarkable  that  his  interpreter  on  this 
occasion  was  a  Protestant.  Leaving  the  chief  and  his  people  favour- 
ably impressed,  and  even  gratified  at  the  arrival  of  the  strangers,  the 
governor  sailed  about  twenty-five  miles  up  the  river,  to  Piscataway,  in 
Maryland,  the  residence  of  the  great  king  or  chief  of  the  neighbouring 
tribes.  At  the  first  sight  of  the  party,  the  savages  prepared  to  give 
them  a  hostile  reception,  but  being  informed  of  their  peaceful  inten- 
tions, the  chief  boldly  stepped  on  board  the  governor's  boat,  and  gave 
him  permission  to  settle  in  any  part  of  his  dominions.  (Oldmixon's 
Brit.  Emp.  in  America.)     It  did  not,  however,  seem  safe  for  the  Eng- 


118 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


lish  to  plant  the  first  settlement  so  high  up  the  river.  Calvert  de- 
scended the  stream,  examining  in  his  barge  the  creeks  and  entrances 
near  the  (Chesapeake,  entered  the  river  now  called  St.  Mary's,  to 
wiiich  he  gave  the  name  of  St.  George's,  about  two  leagues  from  its 
junction  with  the  Potomac,  having  purchased  the  right  to  the  soil 
from  the  natives,  together  with  their  good-will.  The  settlement  was 
commenced  by  the  Catholics  on  the  27th  of  March,  and  religious 
liberty  obtained  a  home,  its  only  home  in  the  wide  world,  at  the 
humble  village  which  bore  the  name  of  St.  Mary's.  The  able  and 
eloquent  historian  of  Maryland,  McMahon,  thus  adverts  to  the  senti- 
ments which  must  naturally  have  stirred  the  hearts  of  the  settlers  at 
this  moment :  "  To  the  feeble  emigrants  it  was  an  occasion  for  joy, 
rational  and  profound.  Preferring  all  privations  to  the  privation  of 
liberty  of  conscience,  they  had  forsaken  the  endearments  of  their 
native  land,  to  cast  themselves,  in  reliance  on  divine  protection,  upon 
all  the  perils  of  an  unknown  country  inhabited  by  a  savage  people. 
But  the  God  in  whom  they  trusted  was  with  them,  and  he  in  whose 
hands  arc  all  hearts,  seemed  to  have  moulded  the  savage  nature  into 
kindness  and  courtesy.  Where  shall  we  find,  in  the  history  of  any 
people,  an  occasion  more  worthy  of  our  commemoration  than  that  of 
the  landing  of  the  colony  of  Maryland  ?  It  is  identified  with  the  origin 
of  a  free  and  happy  state.  It  exhibits  to  us  the  foundations  of  our 
government,  laid  broad  and  deep  in  the  principles  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty.  It  points  us  with  pride  to  the  founders  of  this  state,  as  men 
who  for  the  secure  enjoyment  of  their  liberties,  exchanged  the  plea- 
sures of  affluence,  the  society  of  friends,  and  all  the  endearments  of 
civilized  life,  for  the  privations  and  dangers  of  the  wilderness.  In  an 
age,  when  perfidy  and  barbarity  but  too  often  marked  the  advances 
of  civilization  upon  the  savage,  it  exhibits  them  to  us  displaying  in 
their  intercourse  with  the  natives,  all  the  kindness  of  human  nature, 
and  the  charities  of  their  religion.  Whilst  we  would  avoid  all  invidious 
contrasts,  and  forget  the  stern  spirit  of  the  Puritan,  which  so  fre- 
quently mistook  religious  intolerance  for  holy  zeal;  we  can  turn  with 
exultation  to  the  '  Pilgrims  of  Maryland'  as  the  founders  of  religious 
liberty  in  the  new  world.  They  erected  the  first  altars  to  it  on  this 
continent,  and  the  fires  first  kindled  on  it  ascended  to  heaven  amid 
the  blessings  of  the  savage." — McMahon's  Maryland,  pp.  196-8. 

While  the  sires  of  the  Catholic  Church  were  thus  at  once  building 
their  altars  and  their  homes  on  the  verdant  banks  of  the  broad  Poto- 
mac, the  same  church  had  sent  forth  not  less  devoted  men,  to  bear 
the  light  of  civilization  and  religion  to  other  portions  of  our  beloved 
country.     Between  the  years  1634  and  1687,  Catholic  missionaries 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  Hg 

had  already  traversed  that  vast  region  lying  between  the  heights  of 
Montreal,  Quebec,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  the  greater  por- 
tion of  which  is  now  known  as  the  United  States.  Within  thirteen 
years  the  wilderness  of  the  Hurons  was  visited  by  sixty  missionaries, 
chiefly  Jesuits :  one  of  their  number,  Claude  Allouez,  discovered  the 
southern  shores  of  Lake  Superior  ;  another,  "  the  gentle  Marquette," 
of  whom  Bancroft  says  "  the  people  of  the  West  will  yet  build  his 
monument,"  walked  from  Green  Bay,  following  the  course  of  the 
Wisconsin,  embarks  with  his  beloved  companion  and  fellow-mission- 
ary, Joliet,  upon  the  Mississippi,  and  discovers  the  mouth  of  that  king 
of  rivers,  the  wild,  the  impetuous  Missouri ;  a  third  member  of  this  de- 
voted band,  the  fearless  Menan,  settles  in  the  very  heart  of  the  dreaded 
Mohawk  country,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  that  still  bears  that  name. 
The  Onondagas  welcome  other  missionaries  of  the  same  illustrious 
society.  The  Oneidas  and  Senecas  likewise  lend  an  attentive  ear  to  the 
sweet  tidings  of  the  gospel  of  peace.  When  we  consider  that  these  mis- 
sionaries were  established  in  the  midst  of  continual  dangers  and  life- 
wasting  hardships,  that  many  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  sealed  with 
their  blood  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  they  preached,  the  sincerity  of 
their  love  for  those  indomitable  sons  of  the  American  forest :  we  are 
not  surprised  at  the  eloquent  encomiums  that  have  been  passed  upon 
their  dauntless  courage  and  their  more  than  human  charity  and  zeaL 
"  All  persons,"  says  one  of  our  native  writers,  "  who  are  in  the  least 
familiar  v/ith  the  early  history  of  the  West,  know  with  what  pure  and 
untiring  zeal  the  Catholic  missionary  pursued  the  work  of  conversion 
among  the  savages.  Before  a  Virginian  had  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge, 
and  while  the  Connecticut  was  still  the  extreme  frontier  of  New  Eng- 
land, more  than  one  man  whose  youth  had  been  passed  amongst  the 
warm  valleys  of  Languedoc,  had  explored  the  wilds  of  Wisconsin, 
and  caused  the  hymn  of  Catholic  praise  to  rise  from  the  prairies  of 
Illinois.  The  Catholic  priest  went  even  before  the  soldier  and  the 
trader;  from  lake  to  lake,  from  river  to  river,  the  Jesuits  pressed  on 
unresting,  and  with  a  power  that  no  other  Christians  have  exhibited, 
won  to  their  faith  the  warlike  Miamis  and  the  luxurious  Illinois. 
For  more  than  a  hundred  years  did  this  work  go  forward.  Of  its 
temporary  results  we  know  little.  The  earliest  of  the  published  let- 
ters from  the  missionaries  were  written  thirty  years  after  La  Salle's 
voyage  down  the  •  Great  River.'  But  were  the  family  records  of 
France  laid  before  us,  I  cannot  doubt  that  we  should  there  find  evi- 
dences of  savage  hate  diminished,  and  savage  cruelty  prevented, 
through  the  labours  of  the  brotherhood  of  Jesus  ;  and  yet  it  was  upon 
these  men  that  England  charged  the  war  of  Pontiac  !-    Though  every 


120 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


motive  for  a  desperate  exertion  existed  on  the  part  of  the  Indians,  the 
(ircad  of  annihilation,  the  love  of  their  old  homos  and  hunting-grounds, 
the  reverence  for  their  fathers'  graves — all  that  nerved  Philip,  and 
fired  Tecumsch — yet,  to  the  Protestant  English,  the  readiest  explana- 
tion was  that  Catholics,  that  Jesuits,  had  poisoned  the  savage  mind." 
(Knickerbocker,  June,  1838.)  The  regret  expressed  above,  that  we 
have  not  more  copious  and  satisfactory  information  with  regard  to 
this  earlier  portion  of  American  ecclesiastical  history,  may  well  be 
shared  not  only  by  the  Catholic,  but  by  all  who  take  an  interest  in 
every  thing  relating  to  their  native  land.  Meagre,  however,  as  are 
the  memorials  of  these  primitive  times,  we  have  sufficient  data  to 
prove  that  there  is  not  a  State  of  our  Union  wherein  Catholicity  has 
obtained  a  footing,  whose  history  does  not  exhibit  many  interesting 
traits  of  heroic  self-denial,  of  dangers  overcome,  of  opposition  meekly 
borne,  of  adversaries  won  to  our  faith  by  the  Catholic  missionaries. 

The  name  of  the  devoted  and  indefatigable  Father  Farmer,  in 
Pennsylvania,  is  still  venerated  by  all  who  knew  him.  Men  of  every 
religious  persuasion  followed  his  remains  to  the  tomb ;  the  last  and 
unsought  tribute  of  their  respect  for  his  many  virtues.  Amid  the 
forests  and  snow-clad  hills  of  Maine,  a  Rasle  emulated  the  courage 
and  toils  of  his  brethren  in  the  West.  The  late  Cardinal  Cheverus 
has  left  a  reputation  in  Boston  which  will  not  be  forgotten  while  the 
people  of  New  England  retain  their  wonted  regard  for  genuine, 
manly  worth;  for  talents,  learning,  and  disinterested  yet  untiring 
zeal,  all  employed  in  that  holiest  of  human  enterprises,  the  promotion 
of  God's  glory  and  the  happiness  of  man.  Not  less  revered  by  the 
liberal-minded  of  every  religious  persuasion,  is  the  memory  of  that 
"  model  of  prelates.  Christians,  and  scholars,"  the  Right  Reverend 
John  Carroll,  the  first  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Baltimore.  "  No 
being,"  (says  a  writer  in  the  American  Quarterly)  "  no  being  that  it 
has  been  our  lot  to  admire,  ever  inspired  us  with  so  much  reverence 
as  Archbishop  Carroll.  We  cannot  easily  forget  the  impression 
which  he  made  a  few  years  before  his  death,  upon  a  distinguished 
literary  foreigner,  who  conversed  with  him  for  a  half-hour,  imme- 
diately after  the  celebration  of  the  mass,  in  his  parlour,  and  had  seen 
the  most  imposing  hierarchs  in  Great  Britain.  The  visiter  seemed, 
on  leaving  the  apartment,  to  be  strongly  moved,  and  repeatedly  ex- 
claimed, '  That,  indeed,  is  a  true  archbishop!'"  (March  Number, 
1827,  p.  23.) 

"The  archbishop's  patriotism" says  the  same  writer, "  was  as  decided 
as  his  piety.  ...  He  loved  republicanism  ;  and  so  far  preferred  his 
own  country,  that  if  ever  he  could  be  excited  to  impatience,  or  irri- 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


121 


tated,  nothing  would  have  that  effect  more  certainly,  than  the  expres- 
sion of  the  slightest  preference,  by  any  American  friend,  for  foreign 
institutions  or  measures.  He  had  joined  with  heart  and  judgment  in 
the  Revolution :  and  to  his  last  hour  he  retained,  without  abatement 
of  confidence  or  fervour,  the  cardinal  principles  and  American  sym- 
pathies and  hopes,  upon  which  he  then  rested.  We  may  mention  in 
fine,  as  evidence  of  the  public  confidence  in  his  exalted  character, 
that,  in  the  year  1776,  at  the  solicitation  of  the  then  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  he  accompanied  Dr.  Franklin,  Samuel  Chase,  and  that 
other  and  illustrious  Catholic,  Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton,  on  a 
political  mission  to  Canada,  with  a  view  of  inducing  the  people  of 
that  pr()vince  to  preserve  a  neutral  attitude  in  the  war  between  the 
mother  country  and  the  United  States. 

Turning  our  eyes  to  another  quarter  of  our  Union,  need  we  remind 
the  intelligent  reader  of  the  solid  and  extensive  learning,  the  stirring 
eloquence,  the  apostolic  labours  of  an  England  ? — beloved,  honoured 
by  men  of  every  religious  denomination,  and  even  now  lamented  in 
the  South  as  one  of  her  best  and  noblest  sons  1  But  this  is  not  the 
occasion  to  record  the  virtues  or  the  toils  of  these  and  other  kindred 
spirits  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  America.  We  confidently  leave  the 
task  to  worthier  pens  than  ours. 

From  the  foregoing  observations  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the 
early  history  of  Catholicity  in  these  United  States.  For  more  accu- 
rate and  detailed  information  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  the  various 
articles  in  the  Catholic  periodicals  and  journals  ;  among  others,  to 
several  interesting  historical  papers  in  the  "  Metropolitan  Catholic 
Almanac  and  Laity's  Directory,"  commencing  with  A.  D.  1833,  and 
continued  to  the  present  year.  The  "  United  States  Catholic  Maga- 
zine," and  the  "  Catholic  Cabinet,"  will  also  furnish  several  highly 
entertaining  and  satisfactory  papers  on  the  early  history,  progress, 
and  present  state  of  the  Catholic  Church  among  us. 

THE   NAME   CATHOLIC. 

"  Catholic"  is  from  a  Greek  word,  signifying  tvhole,  general,  uni- 
versa/ ;  and  is  applied  to  the  Church  to  designate  the  union  in  one 
body  of  all  particular  churches  confessing  one  Lord,  one  Faith,  one 
Baptism,  and  one  God.  and  Father.  (Eph.  iv.  5.)  "  The  Catholic 
Church,"  says  St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  "  is  so  called,  because  she  is 
spread  over  the  whole  habitable  globe,  from  one  end  to  the  other;" 
(Catech.  xviii.)  and  this  in  conformity  with  the  declaration  of  our 
Lord,  that  "  penance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his 

9 


1-^2 


f 
HISTORY  OF  THE 


name  among  all  the  nations,  beginning  from  Jerusalem,"  (Luke  xxiv, 
47) ;  and  with  his  command  to  his  Apostles,  "  Go  ye  into  the  whole 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  (Mark  xvi.  15); 
whence  the  saints  are  represented  in  lieaven  proclaiming,  "  Thou  hast 
redeemed  us  to  God  in  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue, 
and  people,  and  nation."  (Rev.  v.  9.) 

Wlierever  a  new  doctrine  has  been  preached  in  opposition  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  existing  Catholic  Church,  the  patrons  and  followers 
of  the  new  doctrine  have  derived  their  distinctive  appellation  from 
some  circumstance  peculiar  to  themselves ;  whilst  the  adherents  of 
the  old  doctrine  remaining  in  communion  v*^ith  the  Catholic  Church 
in  other  places,  have  retained  their  former  name  of  Catholics.  Hence 
St.  Cyril  (Anno  350,)  tells  his  hearers,  "  When  they  go  to  a  strange 
place,  not  to  ask  for  the  church  simply — for  the  heretics  have  their 
places  of  worship — but  to  inquire  where  the  Catholic  Church  is." 
(Catech.  xviii.)  And  St.  Augustine  (Anno  400,)  remarks,  that  "  though 
all  heretics  wish  to  be  called  Catholics,  yet  they  never  dare  to  point 
out  their  own  meeting-house  to  a  stranger,  who  inquires  for  the 
Catholic  place  of  worship."     (Cont,  Epist.  Fundam,  c.  iv.) 

Thus  it  had  been  in  all  ages,  from  the  foundation  of  Christianity ; 
and  thus  it  was  in  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when  certain 
religious  innovators  made  a  formal  protest  against  some  of  the  doc- 
trines taught  by  the  Catholic  Church  of  that  period.  From  this  protest 
they  obtained  the  name  of  Protestants  or  Protesters ;  while  the  ad- 
herents of  the  ancient  faith  continued  to  be  called  Catholics.  The 
separatists,  however,  soon  experienced  the  inconvenience  of  which 
St.  Augustine  has  spoken  above.  How  could  they  protest  against 
the  doctrines  of  the  Catholic  Church,  while  in  the  creed  they  pro- 
fessed to  believe  the  Catholic  Church?  To  escape  from  this  difficulty, 
some  divines  of  other  communions  have  maintained,  that  they  (the 
Protestants)  are  the  real  Catholics,  under  the  ingenious  pretence  that 
they  teach  the  doctrines  originally  established  by  the  Apostles  in  the 
Catholic  Church.  But  this  cannot  avail  them,  for  two  reasons:  1st, 
The  word  Catholic  has  no  direct  reference  to  the  truth  or  falsehood 
of  doctrine.  It  points  out  universality;  it  designates  "the  Church 
spread  over  the  whole  inhabitable  world," — a  designation  to  which 
they  can  have  no  claim.  2d.  If  their  reasoning  be  admitted,  w^e  must 
concede  the  title  of  Catholic  to  every  heterodox  sect  that  ever  had 
(Existence.  For  all  these  sects  believed  that  their  peculiar  doctrines 
were  true;  and  of  course  they  might  thence  infer,  as  the  divines  in 
(]uestion  do,  that  the  doctrines  in  question  were  those  of  the  Apostles, 
and  gave  lo  them  a  right  to  the  appellation  of  Catholics. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


123 


So  long  as  the  creed  is  true,  there  must  exist  a  Catholic  Church, 
in  which  the  reciters  of  the  creed  may  profess  their  belief  There 
was,  then,  such  a  church  when  the  so-called  reformers  were  born. 
By  Catholic  ministers  they  were  baptized ;  in  Catholic  doctrines  they 
were  educated  ;  in  the  Catholic  Church  they  were  taught  to  believe. 
Subsequently  they  separated  from  her ;  a  separation  that  certainly 
could  not  affect  her  right  to  the  title  of  Catholic,  which  she  had  pos- 
sessed for  so  many  centuries.  She  still  exists,  and  is  still  the  same 
Catholic  Church.  Their  followers  also  still  exist,  and  may  justly 
claim  the  names  assumed  by  their  fathers.  They  may  be  Anglicans, 
or  Lutherans,  or  Calvinists,  or  Baptists,  or  any  other  denomination 
whatever :  but  one  thing  is  certain, — they  cannot  be  Catholics. 

As  to  the  term  "  Roman  Catholic,"  it  shows  the  bond  of  union 
which  binds  the  various  churches  of  Christendom  in  the  profession  of 
the  faith  of  the  chief  See  of  the  entire  Christian  world.  Hence,  it 
always  brings  to  the  mind  of  the  faithful  in  any  clime,  the  great, 
primitive  senior  church,  the  Church  of  Rome;  and  as  more  nations 
became  converted  to  the  faith,  they  were  called  by  their  different 
appellations,  as  "  EngUsh  Roman  Catholics,"  "American  Roman 
Catholics,"  "  French  Roman  Catholics,"  &c. 

"  The  reproachful  epithets  of  '  Papist,'  '  Romanist,'  '  Popish,' 
'  Romish,'  &c.,  are  no  longer  applied  to  them  (the  Catholics,)  by  any 
gentleman  or  scholar."  (Rev.  J.  Nightingale,  author  of  "  A  Portraiture 
of  Methodism,"  &c.) 

The  same  liberal  Protestant  makes  the  following  quotation  from  a 
sermon  of  Dr.  Butler,  preached  at  Cambridge,  at  the  installation  of 
the  Duke  of  Gloucester :  "  Popery,  as  it  is  called,  is  still  a  fertile 
theme  of  declamation  to  the  old  women  and  children  of  the  year 
1811.  This  term  Papist  is  reproachful,  conveys  an  erroneous  idea, 
keeps  alive  a  dishonourable  prejudice,  and  ought  to  be  abolished ;  nor 
will  I  ever  believe  that  man  a  sincere  friend  to  Christian  liberty,  who 
persists  in  the  use  of  it." 


THE   DOGMAS    OF    THE   CATHOLIC    FAITH. 

"  We  see  now  through  a  glass  in  a  dark  manner ;  but  then  [we 
shall  see]  face  to  face.  Now  I  know  in  part,  but  then  I  shall  know 
even  as  I  am  known.  And  now  there  remain  Faith,  Hope,  Charity, 
these  three:  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  charity."  1  Cor.  xiii.  12,  13. 

In  these  words  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  natural  blindness  of  men 
respecting  religion.     He  teaches,  that  whilst  we  live  in  this  lovv'er 


124 


HISTOIiY  OF  TIIK 


world,  encompassed  with  clouds  and  darkness,  we  see  faintly  and  ob- 
scurely the  things  that  are  above;  that  the  revelations,  made  to  us 
respecting  a  future  world,  are  often  wholly  above  our  comprehension, 
and  f^cncrally  full  of  mystery  and  difficulty;  that  we  shall  never  be 
able  fully  to  comprehend  them,,  till  the  veil  is  drawn  aside  by  death, 
and  vvc  behold  God  face  to  face:  in  whom,  as  in  a  clear  mirror,  all 
truth  and  all  knowledge  will  be  found. 

While  here  upon  earth,  there  remains  for  our  exercise  three  virtues. 
Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity.  These  united,  form  an  epitome  of  the 
whole  duty  of  a  Christian. 

Faith  serves  as  a  remedy  for  our  natural  defects,  and  supplies  the 
place  of  knowledge.  It  teaches  us  to  believe,  without  doubting,  doc- 
trines which  we  cannot  comprehend,  on  the  testimony  of  God,  who 
has  taught  them.  It  teaches  us  to  put  a  restraint  on  the  daring  flights 
of  reason,  and  to  confine  within  its  proper  limits  this  noblest  of  our 
natural  gifts :  to  employ  it  in  examining  the  grounds  upon  which 
revelation  rests,  but  not  in  discussing  the  credibility  of  any  subject 
which  it  discovers  to  have  been  revealed  ;  to  wait  with  patience  till 
our  faculties  are  enlarged,  and  the  obstacles  to  our  knowledge  re- 
moved, and  in  the  mean  time,  with  the  humility  and  simplicity  of 
children,  to  receive,  venerate  and  love  the  hidden  and  mysterious 
truths  taught  us  by  the  invisible  and  incomprehensible  Deity. 

Hope  teaches  us  to  look  forward  with  humble  confidence  to  future 
happiness.  It  is  an  essential  doctrine  of  revelation,  that  God  really 
and  truly  desires  the  salvation  of  all  mankind ;  that  he  created  all  for 
this  end  ;  that  with  this  view;  Jesus  Christ,  his  eternal  Son,  died  upon 
the  cross,  and  established  the  Church  with  all  necessary  helps  to  sal- 
vation ;  that  consequently,  if  we  do  our  best  endeavoiu's,  we  shall  be 
saved,  not  indeed  by  our  natural  strength,  for  with  this  alone  we  can 
do  nothing,  but  by  the  help  of  grace,  which  God  is  ever  ready  and 
desirous  to  impart  to  those  who  employ  the  proper  means  of  obtain- 
ing it;  that  consequently,  if  any  one  is  lost,  his  perdition  is  from  him- 
self alone,  and  that  if  any  one  despair  or  cease  to  hope,  it  must  either 
be,  that  he  refuses  to  do  his  best,  or  that  he  violates  the  doctrine  of 
faith,  and  accuses  God  of  injustice.  Hope  gives  peace  to  the  mind, 
not  by  imparting  a  certainty  of  future  happiness,  which  even  the 
apostle  himself  declares  he  did  not  possess,  but  by  inspiring  a  firm 
yet  luimble  confidence  in  the  promises,  the  mercy,  and  the  merits  of 
Christ. 

Charity  is  the  first,  the  greatest,  the  most  essential  of  all  the  Chris- 
tian virtues.  It  is  not  synonymous  with  benevolence  to  the  poor. 
It  does  not  consist  merely  in  relieving  the  distressed,  comforting  the 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


1-25 


sorrowful,  clothing  the  naked,  and  similar  works  of  brotherly  kind- 
ness; for  St.  Paul  says,  "If  I  distribute  my  goods  to  the  poor,  and 
givo  my  body  to  the  flames,  and  have  nof  charity,  it  profiteth  me  no- 
thing." (I  Cor.  xiii.  3.)     Charity,  then,  is  something  more  than  bene- 
volence.    It  is  a  virtue  which  regards  God  as  well  as  man.  It  would 
be  a  partial  and  imperfect  virtue,  indeed,  if  it  excluded  God,  the  most 
perfect,  the  most  amiable,  the  only  adorable  being,  the  first  of  bene- 
factors, the  best  of  friends,  the  most  tender  and  loving  of  parents.     It 
teaches  us  to  love  God  above  all  things,  to  prefer  his  law  and  will 
before  every  consideration,  to  make  them  the  rule,  guide,  and  criterion 
of  our  thoughts,  our  words,  and  our  conduct.     It  prepares  us  at  any 
moment  to  sacrifice  whatever  we  value  most  in  life,  rather  than  vio- 
late the  allegiance  we  owe  to  our  sovereign  Lord.     It  teaches  us  to 
worship  him  in  the  manner  he  requires,  and  consequently  to  follow 
the  religion  which  we  sincerely  believe  to  have  been  established  by 
him.     For  should  any  man  say  to  God,  "  I  love  thee,  O  God,  but  I 
will  not  worship  thee  in  the  manner  which  thou  hast  commanded, 
but  in  a  manner  which  I  consider  as  good  or  better,"  would  he  not 
offer  an  affront  to  God?     Would  he  not  be  considered  as  a  rebel 
against  the  divine  majesty  ?  Would  not  his  selfish  homage  be  rejected 
with  disdain  ? 

This  sacred  virtue  teaches  us  to  love  every  neighbour  as  ourselves, 
in  thought,  in  word,  and  in  deed.  It  forbids  us  to  think  unkindly,  or 
to  judge  rashly  of  any  human  being;  it  commands  us  to  put  the  best 
construction  on  his  conduct,  to  excuse  it  when  we  can,  and  palliate 
it  when  it  will  not  admit  of  excuse,  and  this,  even  though  our  judg- 
ments be  confined  to  the  secrets  of  our  own  breasts. 

Still  more  does  it  require  that  our  words  be  regulated  by  the  same 
principles :  that  nothing  escape  our  lips  which  can  injure  our  neigh- 
bour's reputation,  or  disturb  his  peace  of  mind  ;  that,  when  occasion 
offers,  we  undertake  his  defence,  excuse  his  defects,  extenuate  his 
errors,  and  proclaim  his  merits.  It'  teaches  us  to  assist  him  in  his 
distress,  comfort  him  in  his  sorrows,  advise  him  in  his  doubts,  cor- 
rect his  errors,  and,  as  far  as  lies  in  our  power,  promote  all  his  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  interests. 

Such  is  the  virtue  of  charity,  which  the  Apostle  declares  to  be  the 
greatest  and  most  essential  of  Christian  virtues.  It  is  a  universal 
virtue.  It  admits  of  no  exception.  It  extends  to  God  and  to  our  fel- 
low creatures  of  every  country,  of  every  colour,  of  every  disposition, 
of  every  opinion,  of  every  sect.  The  man  who  should  exclude  from 
his  universal  charity  one  single  child  of  Adam,  be  his  country,  his 
conduct,  his  religion,  whatever  it  may,  transgresses  this  first  of  the 
divine  commands,  and  becomes  guilty  of  all.  (James  ii.  10.) 


J  2(5  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ONE   GOD    IN    THREE    DIVINE    PERSONS. 

The  Catholic  Church  holds,  as  the  foundation  of  all  religion,  that 
there  is  but  one  supreme,  self-existent,  eternal  Deity,  infinite  in  wis- 
dom, in  goodness,  in  every  perfection;  by  whom  all  things  were 
made,  in  whom  all  that  exist  "  live,  move,  and  have  their  being." 
(Acts  xvii.  28.)  It  teaches  that  our  first  duty  is,  to  love  God,  and 
adore  him  alone ;  that  tlie  worst  of  treasons  and  the  greatest  of  crimes 
is,  to  give  his  homage  to  any  creature  whatsoever.  It  teaches  that 
in  this  one  God,  there  are  three  divine  persons,  perfectly  distinct  in 
personality,  perfectly  one  in  nature ;  that  the  second  Person  de- 
scended from  heaven,  became  man,  and  died  upon  a  cross  for  the 
salvation  of  all  mankind :  that  through  his  blood  all  may  be  saved, 
and  that  there  is  "  no  other  name  under  heaven  given  to  men,  in 
which  any  one  can"  obtain  salvation,  (Acts  iv.  12 ;)  that  all  spiritual 
graces  and  blessings  actually  bestowed  in  this  life,  or  hoped  for  in  the 
next,  must  be  derived  originally  from  the  sufferings  and  merits  of  the 
divine  Redeemer  alone. 

REDEMPTION   THROUGH   CHRIST. 

Catholics  believe  in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  eternal  Son  of  God ; 
who,  for  us  sinners  and  for  our  salvation,  was  made  man,  that  he 
might  be  the  Head,  the  High  Priest,  the  Advocate  and  Saviour  of  all 
mankind.  We  acknowledge  him  our  only  Redeemer,  who  paid  our 
ransom  by  dying  for  us  on  the  cross ;  that  his  death  is  the  fountain  of 
all  our  good  ;  and  that  mercy,  grace  and  salvation  can  by  no  means 
be  obtained  but  through  him.  We  confess  him  to  be  the  Mediator  of 
God  and  man,  the  only  Mediator  of  redemption,  and  the  only  Me- 
diator of  intercession  too :  who  intercedes  in  such  manner  as  to  stand 
in  need  of  no  other  merits  to  recommend  his  petitions.  But  as  for 
the  saints,  although  we  address  ourselves  to  them,  and  desire  their 
prayers,  as  we  do  also  to  God's  servants  here  upon  earth,  yet  we 
mean  no  otherwise  than  that  they  would  pray  for  us,  and  with  us,  to 
our  common  Lord,  who  is  our  God  and  their  God,  through  the  merits 
of  the  same  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  our  Mediator  and  their  Mediator. 

THE    HOLY    SPIRIT. 

Catholics  believe  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  third  person  of  the  blessed 
Trinity,  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  is  equally  God 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  127 

with  them,  and  that  he  is  "  the  other  Comforter"  promised  to  the 
apostles,  to  abide  with  the  church  for  ever.  The  Holy  Spirit  de- 
scended on  our  Saviour  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  a  fit  emblem  of  that 
peace,  that  reconciliation  between  God  and  man,  which  he  was  about 
to  accomplish  by  his  death.  The  same  Holy  Spirit  descended  on 
the  disciples  in  the  visible  form  of  fire,  an  emblem  of  that  supernatural 
change  which  he  was  about  to  work  in  their  hearts,  by  the  purifica- 
tion of  their  feelings  and  aspirations  from  the  dross  of  sensual  ideas 
and  affections.  '•  And  I  will  ask  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you 
another  Paraclete,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever,  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  nor 
knoweth  him :  but  you  shall  know  him,  because  he  shall  abide  with 
you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you,  re- 
maining with  you.  But  the  Paraclete,  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name,  he  will  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring 
all  things  to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said  to  you."  (St. 
John,  xiv.  16,  26.)  By  the  term  "Paraclete"  is  understood  a  com- 
forter, or  an  advocate;  inasmuch  as  by  inspiring  prayer,  he  prays, 
as  it  were,  in  us,  and  pleads  for  us.  It  is  also  evident  from  the  above 
texts,  that  this  Spirit  of  truth  was  promised,  not  only  to  the  persons 
of  the  apostles,  but  also  to  their  successors  through  all  generations. 

Again :  Christ's  last  words,  before  ascending  up  to  his  Father,  were  : 
"  But  you  shall  receive  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  coming  upon 
you,  and  you  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judea  and  Samaria,  and  even  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth." 
(Acts,  i.  8.)  In  the  following  chapter  of  the  Acts  we  see  the  fulfil- 
ment of  this  promise,  and  hear  the  testimony  of  the  chief  of  the  apos- 
tles :  "  This  Jesus  hath  God  raised  up  again,  whereof  we  all  are 
witnesses.  Being  exalted,  therefore,  upon  the  right  hand  of  God,  and 
having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath 
poured  forth  this  which  you  see  and  hear."  (Acts,  ii.  32,  33.) 

JUSTIFICATION. 

It  is  the  Catholic  belief  that  no  man  can  be  justified,  either  by  the 
works  of  nature,  or  of  the  law  of  Moses,  without  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
That  we  cannot  by  any  prudent  works  merit  the  grace  of  justifica- 
tion. That  all  the  merit  of  our  good  works  is  the  gift  of  God  ;  and 
that  every  merit  and  satisfaction  of  ours  entirely  depend  on  the 
merits  and  passion  of  Christ.  Or,  in  other  words,  that  our  sins  are 
gratuitously  remitted  to  us  by  the  mercy  of  God,  through  the  merits 


126 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  liuit  whatever  good  works  we  do,  they  are,  all 
of  them,  the  efTccts  of  God's  grace. 

"  Wo  are  justified  freely  by  the  grace  of  God,  through  tlie  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion through  faith  in  his  blood"  (Rom.  in.  24) ;  "  In  Christ  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins"  (Eph.  i.  7) ; 
'•  And  Clirist  hath  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  blood,"  (Rev.  i.  5.) 

So  far  the  members  of  nearly  all  communions  agree  with  the 
Catholic  Church.  They  arc,  therefore,  in  agreement  with  her  not 
only  in  charity,  but  in  the  profession  of  the  primary  and  most  essen- 
tial doctrines  of  faith.*  Beyond  these  primary  articles,  the  generality 
of  communions  are  not  very  rigid  in  exacting  agreement  from  each 
other.  Other  points  they  consider  as  of  smaller  moment,  and  allow, 
in  regard  to  them,  a  greater  latitude  of  opinion.  Surely,  then,  they 
will  not  refuse  the  same  privilege  to  their  Catholic  brethren,  which 
tl.ey  allow  to  each  other. 

SCRIPTURE    AND    TRADITION. 

Jesus  Christ  laid  the  foundations  of  his  church  upon  the  authority 
o{  teaching ;  consequently  the  unwritten  word  was  the  first  rule  of 
Christianity,  a  rule,  which,  even  when  the  books  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment were  superadded  to  it,  did  not,  upon  this  account,  lose  any  thing 
of  its  former  authority.  Hence  it  is  that  Catholics  receive  with  equal 
veneration  whatever  was  taught  by  the  apostles,  whether  communi- 
cated by  writing,  or  circulated  only  by  word  of  mouth,  according  to 
the  express  declaration  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Thessalonians,  commanding 
them  "  to  hold  fast  the  traditions  which  they  had  been  taught,  whether 
by  word,  or  by  epistle."  (2  Thess.  ii.  15.)  Upon  no  point  is  the  Scrip- 
ture more  express,  than  upon  the  subject  of  the  ViuXhonXy  oi  teachivg : 
"  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  teaching  them 
to  observe  all  things,  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you."  (Matt, 
xxviii.  19,  20.)  "Go  forth  to  the  whole  world,  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature."  (Mark  xvi.  15.)     "For  I  have  received  of  the 

*  "  Under  the  Papacy  cire  many  good  tilings ;  yea,  every  thing  tliat  is  good  in  Chris- 
tianity. I  say,  moreover,  that  under  tlie  Papacy  is  true  Christianity,  even  tlie  very  Iterncl 
of  Christianit}'." — Luther,  Book  against  the  Annbaplists. 

"Tlif  Clmrch  of  Rome  is,  no  doubt,  to  be  attributed  a  part  of  the  House  of  God;  and 
wo  gladly  acknowledge  them  to  be  of  the  family  of  Jesus  Christ." — Hookek,  Ecclesiastical 
Policy. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


129 


Lord  that  which  also  I  have  delivered  to  you."  (1  Cor.  xi.  23.)  "  Hold 
the  form  of  sound  words,  which  thou  hast  heard  from  me  in  faith." 
(2  Tim.  i.  13.)  '*  The  things  which  thou  hast  heard  from  me,  before 
many  witnesses,  the  same  commend  to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  fit 
to  teach  others  also."  (2  Tim.  ii.  2.) 

There  is  nothing  in  the  Scripture  to  intimate,  that  Christ  ever  com- 
manded his  disciples  to  compose  a  code  of  doctrine  for  the  guidance 
of  the  faithful.  In  fact,  it  is  clear  from  internal  evidence,  that  the 
Scripture  is  not  a  doctrinal  record.  From  an  unprejudiced  perusal 
of  the  different  parts  that  compose  the  New  Testament,  it  will  evi- 
dently appear  that  the  wa'iters  had  their  contemporaries  principally 
before  their  eyes,  and  that  instead  of  intending  to  leave  behind  them 
a  perfect  code  of  Christian  doctrine  for  future  generations,  they  pre- 
supposed, in  their  readers  of  that  day,  a  previous  knowledge  of  such 
doctrines.  When  they  make  mention  of  doctrinal  matters,  it  is  only 
incidentally,  or  by  way  of  explanation.  Hence  it  happens  that,  when 
men  seek  to  form  a  system  of  theology  from  the  sacred  writings, 
they  are  compelled  to  go  backward  and  forward,  from  gospel  to 
epistle;  to  take  part  of  a  passage  from  one,  and  part  from  another; 
to  tack  the  several  fragments  together,  and  out  of  them  all  to  form  a 
piece  of  patchwork,  which  they  call  the  religion  taught  by  Christ  and 
his  apostles. 

Now  it  is  plain  that  in  a  creed  compiled  after  this  fashion,  much 
must  depend  on  the  skill  and  judgment  of  the  workman;  and  as  it  is 
very  seldom  that  we  meet  with  any  two  men  possessing  exactly  the 
same  skill  and  judgment:  we  must  expect  to  meet  with  very  great 
differences  in  the  religious  systems  formed  by  different  teachers.  And 
thus  it  is  in  fact.  The  Trinitarian  pronounces  from  the  Scripture 
that  Christ  is  God ;  the  Unitarian,  that  he  is  not  God  but  man  only ; 
the  Presbyterian  infers  from  it  that  Episcopacy  is  no  divine  ordi- 
nance ;  the  Independent,  that  the  Presbyterian  system  is  as  contrary 
to  Scripture  as  the  Episcopalian ;  the  Baptist  is  convinced  that  the 
baptism  of  infants  is  anti-scriptural ;  the  Quaker,  that  it  is  to  be  ad- 
ministered neither  to  infants  nor  to  adults.  Thus  it  is  with  all  the 
sects,  which  a  belief  in  the  private  interpretation  of  Scripture  has 
created ;  they  all,  on  the  testimony  of  Scripture,  contradict  one 
another,  betraying  by  such  contradiction  the  insecurity  of  that 
common  principle  on  which  they  found  their  respective  creeds,  and 
renouncing  all  claim  to  that  certainty  of  belief,  which  is  due  to  the 
truths  revealed  by  God  to  man.  Another  consideration  must  present 
itself  to  the  reflecting  mind.  If  the  Scriptures  are  the  only  rule  of 
faith,  then  those  who  cannot  read  are  left  without  any  rule  at  alk 


130  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Now  previous  to  the  invention  of  printing  the  great  mass  of  mankind, 
for  fourteen  hundred  years,  were  unable  to  read.  Will  any  one 
venture  to  say,  that  God  abandoned  such  multitudes  of  Christians  for 
so  long  a  period  without  a  rule?  Perhaps  it  may  be  replied,  that 
their  pastors  explained  the  Scriptures  to  them ;  but  then  a  contradic- 
tion arises :  two  rules  are  established  in  place  of  one  only  rule,  making 
the  church  the  rule  for  the  ignorant,  and  the  Scriptures  the  rule  for 
the  learned.  Again,  in  the  case  of  those  who  can  read,  surely  it  may 
flatter  the  pride,  but  at  the  same  time  deceive  the  simplicity,  of  those 
who  do  not  understand  the  learned  lano;uaf;es,  to  bid  them  search  the 
Scriptures,  and  judge  for  themselves  from  the  word  of  God.  They 
may  come  to  suspect,  nor  will  their  suspicions  be  unfounded,  that  the 
versions  put  into  their  hands  are  not  the  word  of  God,  but  in  part  the 
work  of  man,  of  uninspired  man,  and  men  prepossessed  in  favour  of 
some  particular  doctrines ;  and  therefore  liable,  even  without  intend- 
ing it,  to  misinterpret  passages  bearing  on  their  own  particular  doc- 
trines. What  security  then  can  the  reader,  unversed  in  any  language 
but  his  own,  have,  that  by  searching  in  such  versions,  he  is  doing 
what  he  is  told  to  do,  that  is,  culling  the  doctrines  of  his  creed  from 
the  inspired  word  of  God  ?     Evidently  he  has  none. 

The  Catholic  Church  maintains,  that  there  are  doctrines  of  essential 
importance  not  contained  in  the  Scriptures;  as  for  instance,  the  law- 
fulness and  obligation  of  keeping  holy  the  Sunday,  instead  of  the 
Saturday,  the  real  scriptural  sabbath ;  the  validity  of  infant  bap- 
tism, &c. 

And  even  if  all  the  doctrines  of  religion  were  actually  contained  in 
the  Bible,  still  the  rule  of  Catholic  belief  would  not  be  the  Scriptures 
explained  by  private  interpretation,  but  by  the  teaching  of  the 
Apostles  and  their  successors. 

THE    SCRIPTURES    IN   THE    VULGAR   TONGUE. 

The  Scriptures,  in  which  are  contained  the  revealed  mysteries  of 
divine  truth,  are  the  most  excellent  of  all  writings.  They  were 
written  by  men  divinely  inspired,  and  are  "  not  the  word  of  men,  but 
the  word  of  God,  which  can  save  our  souls."  (1  Thess.  ii.  13,  and 
James  i.  21.)  But  then  they  ought  to  be  read,  even  by  the  learned, 
in  the  spirit  of  humility,  and  with  a  fear  of  mistaking  their  true  sense, 
as  many  have  done.  Of  this  we  are  admonished  by  the  Scripture 
itself,  where  St.  Peter  says,  that  in  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  there  "  arc 
some  things  hard  to  be  understood,  which  the  unlearned  and  unstable 
wrest,  as  they  do  also  the  other  Scriptures,  to  their  own  perdition." 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


131 


(2  Peter  iii.  17.)  Let  every  reader  of  the  sacred  writings,  reflect  on 
the  words  of  Isaias  :  "  My  thoughts  are  not  as  your  thoughts,  neither 
are  your  ways  as  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord  ;  for  as  the  heavens  are 
exalted  above  the  earth,  even  so  are  my  ways  exahed  above  your 
ways,  and  my  thoughts  above  your  thoughts,"  (chap.  Iv.  8,  9.)  How 
then  shall  any  one,  by  his  private  reason,  pretend  to  judge,  to  com- 
prehend, and  to  demonstrate,  the  incomprehensible  and  unsearchable 
ways  of  God  'I 

The  Catholic  Church,  anxious  to  prevent  this  abuse,  and  to  guard 
against  error,  has  exhorted  her  children  to  seek  the  advice  of  the 
pastors  and  spiritual  guides  whom  God  has  appointed  to  govern  his 
church,  (Acts  xx.  28,)  in  regard  to  the  indiscriminate  reading  of  the 
Scriptures.  It  is  not  forbidden  to  read  them  :  it  is  forbidden  to  read 
so  as  to  abuse  them. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  of  Pope  Pius  the  Sixth,  to 
Archbishop  Martini,  on  his  translation  of  the  Holy  Bible  into  Italian, 
shows  the  benefit  which  the  faithful  may  reap  from  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures in  the  vulgar  tongue.  "  At  a  time  that  a  vast  number  of  bad 
books  are  circulated,  to  the  great  destruction  of  souls,  you  judge  ex- 
ceedingly well,  that  the  faithful  should  be  excited  to  the  reading  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures ;  for  these  are  most  abundant  sources,  which 
ought  to  be  left  open  to  every  one,  to  draw  from  them  purity  of  life 
and  doctrine ;  to  eradicate  the  errors  which  are  widely  disseminated 
in  these  corrupt  times.  This  you  have  seasonably  eflected,  by  pub- 
lishing the  sacred  writings  in  the  language  of  your  country,  so  as  to 
place  them  in  the  reach  of  all."     Given  at  Rome,  April  1778. 

THE    CHURCH. 

When  the  Divine  Author  of  the  Christian  religion  had  given  all 
necessary  instructions  to  his  apostles,  and  communicated  to  them  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  assist  and  direct  them,  he  assembled  them  together  on 
Mount  Olivet,  and  thus  addressed  them  :  "  All  power  is  given  to  me 
in  heaven  and  in  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations : 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost :  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you:  and,  behold,  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even  to  the 
consummation  of  the  world."  (Matt,  xxviii.  18,  19,  20.)  In  another  of 
the  gospels,  the  same  commission  is  given  in  somewhat  different 
terms :  "  Go  ye  into  the  whole  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved:  but  he 
that  believeth  not,  shall  be  condemned."  (Mark  xvi.  15,  16.)     [In  the 


132  IIISTOKY  OF  THE 

translation,  j)ublishcd  by  authority  under  James  I.,  the  words  are, 
"  He  who  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."] 

On  another  occasion,  Christ  had  said  to  Peter,  "  Thou  art  Peter," 
(which  name  signifies  a  rock,)  "  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my 
church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it ;  and  I  will 
give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  &c.  (Matt.  xvi.  18, 
19.)     The  conclusions  we  draw  from  these  texts  are — 

That  as  Christ  commissioned  his  apostles  to  teach  all  the  doctrines 
of  his  religion  to  mankind,  so  he  required  mankind  to  receive  these 
doctrines,  and  this  under  the  severest  penalty :  "  Go  ye,"  my  apos- 
tles, go  ye,  and  teach  mankind  "  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
have  commanded  you."  "Ho  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  condemned." 
Therefore  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  believe  what  we  please,  but  our 
salvation  is  attached  to  the  belief  of  the  very  doctrines  taught  by  the 
apostles. 

With  respect  to  the  apostles,  it  will  be  readil}^  admitted,  that  there 
was  an  obligation  of  believing  their  doctrines.  Which  of  us  would 
have  ventured  to  contradict  St.  Paul  to  his  face,  to  tell  him  that  we 
did  not  understand  the  Bible  in  the  sense  he  taught,  and  that  we  had 
a  right  to  explain  its  meaning  for  ourselves  t  Would  he  have  ac- 
quiesced in  our  claims  ?  Would  he  not  rather  have  pronounced  upon 
us  the  anathema,  which  he  declared  he  would  pronounce  even  upon 
an  angel  from  heaven,  who  should  teach  doctrines  different  from 
those  which  he  had  preached  ?  (Galat.  i.  8.)  Would  he  not  have  said 
to  us,  as  he  said  to  the  Corinthians, — "Keep  my  ordinances  as  I  have 
delivered  them  to  you :  but  if  any  man  seem  to  be  contentious,  we 
have  no  such  custom,  nor  the  church  of  God."  (1  Cor.  xi.  2-1(5.) 

But  why  should  the  apostles  be  entitled  to  an  obedience  which  is 
refused  to  their  successors  ?  The  apostles  had  no  power  but  such  as 
they  received  from  Christ;  no  security  against  error,  but  such  as 
they  derived  from  his  guidance  and  protection.  Now  the  same 
powers,  the  same  guidance  and  protection,  were  promised  to  the  suc- 
cessors of  the  apostles  as  were  promised  to  the  apostles  themselves. 
Christ  did  not  send  to  the  apostles  the  "  Spirit  of  Truth,"  to  "  teach 
them  all  truth"  (John  xvi.  13,)  only  for  a  limited  time,  but  "for  ever." 
(John,  xiv.  IG.)  He  did  not  promise  to  be  himself  with  his  apostles 
merely  during  their  short  lives,  but  "all  days,  even  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  world."  (Matt,  xxviii.  20.)  The  Catholic  Church,  therefore, 
believes  that  the  same  submission  is  due  to  the  lawful  successors  of 
the  apostles  in  the  first,  the  second,  and  the  nineteenth  century  of 
Christianity,  as  was  due  to  the  apostles  themselves.  Where  does 
Scripture  teach  that  the  doctrines  of  the  apostles  should  be  received, 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  J33 

and  those  of  their  successors  rejected  1     Where  does  it  teach  that, 
after  the  death  of  the  apostles,  the  commission  to  teach  mankind 
should  be  transferred  from  the  living  pastors  of  the  church,  to  the 
dead  letter  of  the  Bible  ?     Where  does  it  I'ecall  the  solemn  denuncia- 
tion pronounced  against  those  who  refuse  to  "  hear  the  Church  ?" 
(Matt,  xviii.  17.)  Where  does  it  retract  the  promised  guidance  of  the 
Spirit  and  the  pledged  protection  of  Christ  1     In  what  age  of  Chris- 
tianity did  the  great  body  of  believers  adopt  the  modern  principle  of 
private  interpretation  1     Most  of  the   apostles  were  dead  before  the 
whole  of  the  New  Testament  was  written  ;  near  four  hundred  years 
had  elapsed  before  its  different  books  were   collected  together  and 
fully  authenticated  ;  the  gospel  had  been  preached,  and  Christianity 
planted  in  many  nations,  before  a  single  copy  of  the  New  Testament 
had  reached  them  ;  more  than  fourteen  centuries  had  passed  over  the 
Christian  Church,  before  the  invention  of  printing  rendered  it  possible 
for  one  Christian  in  a  thousand  to  possess  a  copy  of  the  Scriptures, 
or  one  in  ten  thousand  of  the  people  to  read  it.     Could  Christ  intend 
that  men  should  follow  a  rule  of  faith,  to  which  they  could  not  obtain 
access?  To  read  a  book  which  was  not  written,  or  could  not  be  ob- 
tained ?  to  explain  a  book  which,  if  they  possessed,  they  could  not 
read  ?     Could  he  require  that  the  ignorant  and  unlettered  should  un- 
derstand a  book,  which  the  wisest  and  most  learned  cannot  always 
comprehend  1     Could  he  require,  as  a  condition  of  salvation,  that  the 
peasant,  the  day-labourer,  the  woman,  the  child,  unacquainted  with 
the  languages,  the  history,  the  usages  of  antiquity,  should  fathom  the 
depths  of  the  most  ancient,  the  most  profound,  and  the  most  myste- 
rious volume  that  ever  was  penned;  a  volume,  in  which  the  great  St. 
Augustin  declared  he  found  more  which  he  could  not,  than  which  he 
could  compi-ehend  ;  the  contentsof  which  he  could  never  have  brought 
himself  to  believe,  "  if  the  authority  of  the  Catholic  Church  had  not 
moved  him  to  it  ?"  (Contra  ep.  Fundam.)     Whilst  a  human  legislator 
would  deem  it  the  height  of  folly  to  write  his  laws,  and  leave  them 
without  authorized  living  expositors,  can  we  suppose  that  the  Divine 
Legislator  would  be  guilty  of  such  an  inconsistency  1     Whilst  the 
generality  of  men   are  acknowledged  to   require  the   aid  of  living 
teachers  in  every  science,  in  every  art,  in  almost  every  mechanical 
trade  :  can  we  believe  that  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  would 
leave  them  without  this  assistance  in  religion,  the  most  diflicult  and 
the  most  important  of  all  sciences  ?     Could  Christ  require,  under  pain 
of  damnation,  that  all  men  should  believe  the  same  doctrines,  and  yet 
require  them  to  find  these  doctrines  in  a  book,  which  is  capable,  as 
fatal  experience  too  clearly  proves,  of  being  understood  in  a  thousand 


234  HISTOUV  OF  THE 

different  senses,  and  which  perhaps  no  two  unassisted  men  ever  un- 
derstood in  the  same  ?  Tcrtullian,  a  learned  writer  of  the  second  cen- 
tury, tells  us,  "  Tliat  whenever  any  refractory  Christian,  in  those 
days,  refused  to  submit  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Catholic  Church,  he 
claimed  a  right  to  explain  Scripture  for  himself,  and  to  make  it  teach 
whatever  doctrines  he  chose  to  adopt."  (Lib.  de  pra^scriptionibus.) 
The  same  has  been  the  refuge  of  all  subsequent  innovators.  There 
is  no  error,  extravagance,  or  impiety,  which  private  interpretation 
has  not  maintained  to  be  the  infallible  word  of  God.  Hence  the 
Catholic  Church  continues  to  adhere  to  the  ancient  rule,  which  guided 
the  faithful  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  which  has  preserved  unity 
of  faith  amongst  their  successors  through  every  age. 

But  should  these  reasons  be  deemed  insulficient  to  justify  the  sub- 
mission which  Catholics  yield  to  the  decisions  of  the  church,  and 
should  it  be  insisted  that  every  principle  of  religion  shall  rest  on  the 
private  interpretation  of  Scripture  :  there  can  be  no  objection,  in  the 
present  instance,  to  comply  with  the  demand.  What  does  the  Scrip- 
tures say  on  this  head  ?  "  If  he  will  not  hear  the  church,  let  him  be 
to  thee  as  the  heathen  and  the  publican."  (Matt,  xviii.  17.)  "  Into 
whatever  city  you  (my  apostles)  enter,  and  they  receive  you  not — I 
say  to  you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  at  the  day  of  judgment  for 
Sodom,  than  for  that  city.  He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me ;  and  he 
that  dcspiseth  you,  despiseth  me."  (Luke,  x.  10,  12,  16.)  "  He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not, 
shall  be  condemned."  (Mark,  xvi.  IG.)  "  Remember  your  prelates  who 
have  spoken  to  you  the  word  of  God :  whose  faith  follow.  Obey  your 
prelates,  and  be  subject  to  them,  for  they  watch,  being  to  render  an 
account  of  your  sins."  (Hebrews,  xiii.  7,  17.) 

These,  and  many  other  similar  texts,  are  sincerely  understood  by 
every  Catholic  to  require  submission  to  the  church  in  matters  of  faith 
and  morality,  and  consequently,  to  forbid  all  opposite  interpretation 
of  Scripture.  And  shall  the  Catholic  be  denied  the  right  assumed 
by  all  other  communions  of  judging  of  the  sense  of  Scripture? 
If  he  understand  the  Scripture  as  teaching  submission  to  the  church, 
why  should  an  objection  be  raised  to  his  following  the  convictions  of 
his  conscience?  A  right  is  claimed  to  explain  Scripture  differently 
from  him ;  why  should  the  persons  claiming  such  a  privilege  refuse 
him  the  right  of  explaining  it  differently  from  them?  He  calls  not 
for  their  approval  of  his  opinions;  he  objects  not  (on  his  own  account) 
to  their  dissent.  He  is  willing  to  abide  the  decision  of  an  all-seeing 
Judge,  and  to  incur  the  threatened  condemnation,  if  his  faith  be 
erroneous.     By  the  same  tribunal  will  those  who  differ  from  him  be 


ROMAN  CATPIOLIC  CHURCH. 


135 


tried.  Let  them  be  satisfied  with  this,  and  not  expect  that  their 
Catholic  brethren  will  prefer  their  opponent's  convictions  to  their 
own.  Let  the  liberty  claimed  be  reciprocal :  "  As  you  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  do  you  also  to  them  in  like  manner."  (Luke 
vi.  31.) 

But,  it  may  be  asked,  why,  upon  the  supposition  that  the  lawful 
successors  of  the  apostles  are  authorized  teachers  of  religion  and 
expositors  of  Scripture,  does  the  Catholic  assume  that  the  pastors  of 
his  church  are  the  lawful  successors  of  the  apostles,  and  the  Catholic 
Church  the  only  church  of  Christ?  The  reasons  will  be  best  given 
by  recurring  to  the  different  texts  of  Scripture  already  cited.  From 
those  texts  it  may  be  inferred,  first,  that  certain  revealed  doctrines 
are  essentially  required  to  be  believed.  "  He  who  believeth  not  shall 
be  condemned."  (Mark,  xvi.  16.) 

It  may  be  inferred,  secondly,  from  the  commission  of  Christ,  "  Go 
teach  all  nations,"  (Matt,  xxviii.) — "Go  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,"  (Mark,  xvi.) — that  the  religion  of  Christ  must  be  a  universal, 
not  a  national  or  merely  local  religion.  Now  the  Catholic  is  the  only 
universal  religion.  It  is  morally  universal  as  to  place ;  for  it  exists  in 
every  known  country  of  the  world.  In  many  countries,  it  is  the  only 
religion ;  in  most,  its  numbers  greatly  predominate ;  in  every  country, 
where  Christianity  exists  in  any  form,  there  the  Catholic  religion  is 
found.  It  is  comparatively  universal  as  to  numbers,  being  infinitely 
more  numerous  than  any  other  sect  or  denomination  of  Christians, 
and  perhaps  than  all  other  sects  and  denominations  put  together.  All 
other  religions  or  sects  are  confined  to  comparatively  narrow  limits. 
They  are  national  or  local  establishments.  They  are  the  church  of 
England,  the  church  of  Scotland,  the  church  of  Geneva,  the  Greek, 
or  the  Russian  church,  existing  in  the  particular  countries  which  give 
them  their  names,  and  scarcely  known  in  other  parts  of  the  world. 
Not  one  of  them  has  the  slightest  pretensions  to  be  the  church  of  "  all 
nations."  Hence,  it  may  be  concluded,  that  none  of  them  can  be  the 
church  which  Christ  commanded  his  apostles  to  found  for  the  benefit 
of  the  world  at  large,  into  which  the  prophet  had  predicted,  that  "  all 
nations  should  flow."     (Isaiah,  ii.  2.) 

3dly.  The  doctrines  which  the  apostles  were  commanded  to  teach, 
were  those  and  only  those  which  they  had  learnt  from  Christ:  "teach- 
ing them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you." 
(Matt,  xxviii.)  Therefore  the  doctrines  of  the  true  and  universal 
church  of  Christ  must  be  in  all  places  the  same ;  for  where  there  is 
difference  of  doctrine,  there  must  necessarily  be  deviation  from  the 


136  HISTORY  OF  THE 

doctrines  of  Christ.  Now  this  unity  of  doctrine  exists  in  the  great 
Catholic  Ciiurcii,  and  in  it  alone.  Though  spread  through  every 
nation  of  the  known  world,  though  professed  by  so  many  "  peoples, 
and  tribes,  and  tongues,"  differing  from  each  other  in  manners,  in 
customs,  in  language,  in  interest,  the  doctrines  of  the  Catholic  religion 
are  every  where  the  same.  Not  a  difference  will  be  found  on  any 
single  article  of  faith,  amongst  all  its  countless  millions.  Let  the  ex- 
periment be  made.  Let  the  first  bishop  or  priest  you  meet  with  be 
consulted,  as  to  what  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  any 
given  article  of  faith,  and  let  his  reply  be  carefully  noted.  Let  the 
same  question  be  put  to  any  bishop  or  priest  of  France,  of  Italy,  of 
Germany,  of  Spain,  of  Hindoostan,  of  China,  and  from  all  and  every 
one  the  same  answer  will  be  received.  One  and  all  will  unhesitat- 
ingly say,  *'  such  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church,  such  is  my 
sincere  belief."  Surely  candour  must  acknowledge  that  this  is  as  it 
ought  to  be.  Unity  like  this  is  indispensable  in  any  church  which 
lays  claim  to  teach  the  uniform  and  unchangeable  doctrines  of  Christ. 

INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  MATTERS  OF  FAITH. 

If  it  be  true  that  the  Son  of  God  took  upon  himself  our  nature,  not 
only  that  He  might  die  for  our  salvation,  but  also  that  He  might 
establish  a  church  to  teach  his  doctrine,  and  to  dispense  to  mankind 
the  benefit  of  his  death  ;  it  surely  follows,  as  an  indisputable  conse- 
quence, that  He  would  moreover  preserve  that  church  from  falling 
into  doctrinal  or  practical  error;  otherwise,  we  must  suppose  that 
a  God  of  infinite  power  and  wisdom,  having  a  particular  end  in  view, 
adopted,  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  end,  means  calculated  to 
frustrate  his  own  purpose ;  that  he  founded  a  church  to  teach  truth 
and  holiness,  and  yet  permitted  her,  while  she  taught  under  his 
auspices,  to  become  the  propagator  of  error,,  and  the  corrupter  of 
morality. 

Now,  that  he  promised  to  preserve  her  from  error,  is  manifest. 
1.  He  promised  to  his  apostles,  that  the  Spirit  of  truth  should  abide 
with  them, — how  long?  For  the  term  of  their  natural  lives?  No, 
for  ever  (John  xiv.  16) ;  and  therefore  not  with  them  only,  but  also 
with  their  successors.  2.  He  promised  to  remain  with  them  himself, 
— how  long?  Only  whilst  they  preached  the  gospel?  No:  but  all 
days,  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world  (Matt,  xxviii.  20) ;  a 
promise  which  must  also  extend  to  their  successors.  3.  He  appoint, 
cd  Peter  the  rock,  and  declared  that  against  his  church,  founded  on 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  jn^ 

that  rock,  the  gates  of  hell  should  never  prevail.  (Matt.  xvi.  18.) 
The  infallibility  of  the  church  plainly  follows  from  this  text  :*  for  it 
is  manifest*  that,  if  the  church  ever  fell  into  doctrinal  err6r, — if  she 
ever  taught  blasphemy,  sacrilege,  and  idolatry,  as  is  often  stated  in 
the  *'  vain  and  profane  babblings  of  men,  who  speak  evil  of  things 
which  they  know  not"  (]  Tim,  vi.  20  ;  Jude  i.  10), — then  the  gates  of 
hell  have  prevailed  against  the  church,  and  the  declaratory  promise 
of  our  Saviour  has  been  falsified. 

It  should,  however,  be  remembered,  that  when  v^'e  deduce  from 
these  premises,  that  the  church  cannot  err  in  matters  of  faith,  we 
claim  no  infallibility  in  such  matters  for  any  individuals ;  but  mean, 
that  God,  by  his  superintending  providence,  will  so  watch  over  his 
church  in  her  decisions,  as  never  to  suffer  her  to  become  the  teacher 
of  error  in  point  of  religious  doctrine. 

THE    SACRAMENTS. 

Catholics  believe  that  the  sacraments  of  the  "Christian  covenant 
are  not  only  sacred  signs  representative  .of  grace,  but  also  seals 
which  insure  and  confirm  the  grace  of  God  to  us,  and  the  instru- 
ments of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  they  are  applied  to  the  souls  of 
men.  In  other  words,  a  sacrament  is  an  external  rite,  ordained  by 
Christ, — the  visible  sign  of  an  invisible  grace  or  spiritual  benefit  be- 
stowed by  God  on  the  soul.  Every  sacrament,  therefore,  imparts 
such  grace,  as  often  as  it  is  received  with  due  dispositions. 

The  Catholic  Church  recognizes  seven  sacraments,  viz..  Baptism, 
Confirmation,  Holy  Eucharist,  Penance,  Extreme  Unction,  Holy 
Order,  Matrimony. 

Of  these  seven  sacraments  five  are  common  to  all:  for,  by  bap- 
tism we  are  spiritually  born  again ;  by  confirmation  our  weakness  is 
strengthened ;  by  the  eucharist  we  are  fed  with  the  bread  which 
comes  down  from  heaven ;  penance  restores  the  soul  from  sickness 
to  health  ;  and  by  extreme  unction  it  is  prepared  for  its  departure  to 
another  world.  Of  the  remaining  two,  holy  order  supplies  the 
church  with  ministers,  and  matrimony  sanctifies  the  state  of  mar- 
riage. Thus  has  the  blessed  Founder  of  Christianity,  by  the  institu- 
tion of  these  means  of  grace,  provided  for  all  the  wants  of  man  in 
his  passage  through  life.  The  sacraments  are  the  fountains  of  the 
Saviour,  at  which  the  Christian  is  to  slake  his  thirst  during  his  earthly 

*  "  The  only  difference  between  the  Church  of  Rome  and  our  national  church,  in 
respect  to  the  certainty  of  their  doctrine  is,  that  the  former  thinks  it  is  always  infallible, 
and  (he  latter  thai  it  is  never  in  the  wrong." — Sir  Richard  Steele. 

10 


138 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


pilgrimage ;  the  blessed  sources  whence,  by  divine  appointment,  lie 
is  to  draw  the  waters  of  eternal  life.  "  You  shall  draw  waters  with 
joy  from  the  fountains  of  the  Saviour."  (Isaiah  xii.  3.)  And  again : 
*'  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink."  (St.  John  vii,  37.) 
"  He  that  shall  drink  of  the  waters  that  I  will  give  him,  shall  not 
thirst  for  ever.  It  shall  become  in  him  a  fountain  of  water  springing 
up  unto  everlasting  life."  (lb.  iv.  14.) 

BAPTISM. 

Catholics  believe  that  by  the  sacrament  of  baptism  men  are 
cleansed  from  sin,  as  well  original  as  actual,  and  made  members  of 
the  church  of  Christ,  adopted  children  of  God,  and  heirs  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  "  God  hath  saved  us,  not  by  the  works  of  justice 
which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy,  by  the  laver  of  re- 
generation, and  the  renovation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  he  hath 
poured  forth  abundantly  upon  us,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Saviour, 
that,  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  may  be' heirs,  according  to  hope, 
of  life  everlasting."  (Tit.  iii.  5.)  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again  of 
water  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
(John  iii.  5.)  "  Be  baptized,  every  one  of  you ;  for  the  promise  is 
unto  you,  and  to  your  children."  (Acts  ii.  38,  39.) 

With  respect  to  the  ceremonies  used  by  the  Catholic  Church  in  the 
administration  of  baptism,  they  allude  either  to  the  state  of  the  pagan 
before,  or  to  the  duties  of  the  Christian  after,  baptism,  and  were  ori- 
ginally performed,  some  of  them  during  the  instruction  of  the  cate- 
chumen, and  some  during  the  administration  of  the  sacrament.  Some 
modern  sects  have  thought  proper  to  reject  them  all,  under  the  idea 
that  they  are  useless,  and,  as  some  of  them  assert,  superstitious. 
The  CathoUc  Church  has  preserved  the  ancient  ritual.  Other  churches 
betray  the  newness  of  their  origin  by  the  newness  of  their  service. 
It  is  the  pride  of  Catholics  to  practise  the  ceremonies  practised  by 
their  forefathers ;  they  are  respected  by  them  as  having  been  esta- 
blished by  the  founders  of  Christianity,  and  are  cherished  as  evidences 
of  their  descent  from  its  first  professors. 

CONFIRMATION. 

Catholics  beheve  that,  through  the  sacrament  of  confirmation,  they 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  enable  them  to  overcome  temptations  to 
sin,  and  to  suffer  persecution  for  the  name  of  Christ.  It  is  adminis- 
tered by  the  imposition  of  the  hands,  with  prayer,  and  the  unction  of 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  I39 

the  forehead  with  the  holy  chrism,  accompanied  l^y  the  words  "  I 
sign  thee  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  confirm  thee  with  the 
chrism  of  salvation,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Confirmation  completes  what  was  begun  in 
baptism.  In  baptism  we  enrol  ourselves  under  the  banners  of  Christ ; 
in  confirmation  we  receive  strength  to  fight  with  courage  the  battles 
of  our  leader. 

"  Now,  when  the  apostles,  that  were  in  Jerusalem,  had  heard  that 
Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God,  they  sent  to  them  Peter  and 
John ;  who,  when  they  were  come,  prayed  for  them,  that  they  might 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  he  had  not  yet  come  upon  any  of  them  ; 
but  they  were  only  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Then 
they  laid  their  hands  upon  them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost." 
(Acts  viii.  14-17.)  "Having  heard  these  things  they  were  baptized  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  when  Paul  had  imposed  his  hands 
on  them,  the  Ploly  Ghost  came  upon  them."  (Acts  xix.  5,  6.)  It  is 
certain,  from  historical  records,  that  what  the  apostles  then  did,  the 
bishops,  in  every  age  from  that  time  to  the  present,  have  continued  to 
do,  and  for  the  same  purpose,  that  is  to  give  the  Holy  G/tost. 

The  following  is  the  testimony  of  St.  Cyprian :  "  It  is  necessary 
that  he  who  has  been  baptized,  should  be  moreover  anointed ;  in  order 
that  having  received  the  chrism,  that  is  the  unction,  he  may  be 
anointed  in  God,  and  possess  the  grace  of  Christ."  (Ep.  1.  20.)  "  It 
was  the  custom,"  say  the  Centuriators,  "to  impose  hands  upon  those 
who  were  baptized,  and  to  imprint  upon  their  foreheads,  with  chrism, 
the  sign  of  the  cross." 

PENANCE. 

All  the  first  Christians  were  converts  from  Judaism  or  Paganism, 
who,  being  instructed  by  the  apostles,  had  received  the  sacrament  of 
baptism,  and  in  that  sacrament  the  remission  of  their  former  sins. 
They  were  of  the  number  of  those  of  whom  our  blessed  Lord  had 
said,  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved."  (Mark  xvi. 
16.)  It  is  plain  that  for  this  blessing  they  were  indebted,  not  to  their 
own  merits,  but  to  the  mercy  of  God.  "Not  by  works  of  justice  which 
w^e  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy.  God  hath  saved  us  by 
the  laver  of  regeneration,  and  renovation  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Tit.  iii. 
5.)  Hence  it  is  that  St.  Paul,  in  his  epistles  to  Christians,  thus  re- 
ceived into  the  covenant  through  baptism,  continually  reminds  them 
that  they  had  been  justified,  not  by  the  works  which  they  had  done 
whilst  they  were  Jews  or  Pagans,  but  by  faith  in  Christ,  which  had 


HO 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


broun-ht  them  to  the  grace  of  baptism.  This,  therefore,  is  the  true 
meaning  of  *•  justification  by  faith  and  not  by  works."  They  had 
thus  "  been  justified  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  made  heirs  according 
to  hope  of  eternal  Ufe."  (Tit.  iii.  7.)  Hence,  also,  we  may  learn  in 
what  sense  they  were  said  to  have  been  saved  by  the  justification  re- 
ceived in  baptism.  They  had  been  taken  out  of  the  great  mass  of 
sinners,  and  placed  amongst  those  who  were  heirs  to  eternal  life:  not 
heirs  in  actual  possession,  but  //e/rs  accordivg  to  hope.  Still  it  was 
possible  that  they  might  forfeit  their  inheritance.  They  icould  forfeit 
it  if  they  relapsed  into  the  sinful  practices  of  their  former  life.  Some 
did  actually  relapse,  and  "  walk  so  as  to  be  enemies  of  the  cross  of 
Christ,  whose  end  would  be  destruction."  (Phil.  iii.  18.) 

Now  these  men  had  already  obtained,  in  baptism,  the  remission  of 
their  sins  committed  before  baptism.  Could  they  be  baptized  again 
to  obtain  the  remission  of  their  sins  committed  after  baptism?  No; 
"  for  it  w^as  impossible  for  those  who  had  once  been  enlightened,  who 
had  tasted  the  heavenly  gift,  and  who  had  been  made  partakers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  if  they  then  fell  away,  to  be  renewed  (baptized)  again 
unto  repentance ;  having  crucified  again  the  Son  of  God,  and  made  a 
mockery  of  him."  (Heb.  vi.  4,  6.)  "  It  had  been  better  for  them  not 
to  have  known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than,  after  they  had  known 
it,  to  turn  back  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered  unto  them."  (2 
Pet.  ii.  21.)  Were  they  then  to  despair  of  pardon?  Certainly  not;  for, 
notwithstanding  the  severity  of  these  warnings,  they  were  still  re- 
minded that,  "  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father, 
Jesus  Christ,  the  just,  who  is  a  propitiation  for  our  sins;  and  not  for 
our  sins  only,  but  for  those  of  the  whole  world."  (John  xi.  12.) 

How,  then,  without  a  second  baptism,  was  the  sinner  to  be  recon- 
ciled a  second  time  with  God  ?  To  this  most  important  question — 
and  the  query  is  calculated  to  startle  the  man  who  looks  upon  the 
Scripture  as  the  sole  and  sufficient  rule  for  all  Christians — the  in- 
spired writings  return  no  direct  or  satisfactory  answer.  They  re- 
,  peatedly  speak  of  ihefrst  reconciliation  in  baptism,  but  scarcely  ever 
allude  to  reconciliation  after  baptism.  For  the  manner  in  which  this 
is  to  be  effected  there  is  no  instruction  in  Scripture.  For  it  we  must 
have  recourse  to  the  practice  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  the  more 
early  ages ;  which  practice,  as  it  prevailed  universally,  must  have 
been  founded  on  the  doctrine  taught  by  the  apostles.  From  it  we 
learn  that  the  second  reconciliation  required  a  longer  and  more  labo- 
rious course  than  the  first.  Of  the  Jew  or  Pagan  it  was  required, 
that  he  should  believe,  renounce  his  sins,  and  be  baptized ;  but  the 
oflTending  Christian  was  excluded  from  the  communion  of  the  body 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


Ml 


and  blood  of  Christ,  was  called  upon  to  confess  his  sins,  was  made  to 
undergo  a  long  course  of  humiliation  and  self-denial,  and  then  to  sue 
for  absolution,  which  was  often  deferred  till  the  approach  of  death. 
By  such  absolution  he  was  reconciled  through  the  sacrament  of 
penance.  We,  indeed,  who  have  been  baptized  in  infancy,  could  not 
have  committed  any  actual  sin  to  be  forgiven  in  baptism :  but,  like 
them,  we  w^ere  made  in  baptism  heirs  of  heaven,  and,  like  them,  may, 
after  baptism,  forfeit  that  inheritance  by  sin.  If  such  be  our  misfor- 
tune, there  remains  to  us  no  other  resource  than  that  which  was  left 
to  them.  We  must  seek  forgiveness  through  the  same  sacrament  of 
penance. 

SACRAMENTAL    CONFESSION. 

A  slight  acquaintance  with  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  will 
suffice  to  show,  that  the  writers  had  no  intention  of  defining,  in  them, 
the  doctrines,  or  of  regulating  the  practices,  of  the  Christian  religion. 
They  presuppose  in  their  readers  a  knowledge  of  both  the  one  and 
the  other.  Hence,  if  they  mention  such  practices,  it  is  only  inciden- 
tally, and  without  any  full  or  minute  description ;  so  that,  on  the  pre- 
sent subject  of  confession,  though  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  was 
of  divine  institution,  yet  the  practice  is  no  where  expressly  recorded. 
From  the  very  earliest  ages,  however,  it  has  been  considered  as  in- 
cluded in  the  power  given  to  the  apostles  of  forgiving  or  retaining 
sins;  for,  how  could  they  exercise  that  office  in  a  rational  manner, 
without  a  knowledge  of  the  spiritual  state  of  the  applicant,  or  obtain 
such  knowledge  but  from  his  free  confession  of  his  sins?  To  it  St. 
Paul  appears  to  allude,  when,  writing  to  the  Corinthians,  lie  says : 
"  God  has  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  ...  he  has  placed 
in  us  the  word  of  reconciliation  .  .  .  for  Christ  we  beseech  you,  be  ye 
reconciled  to  God."  (2  Cor.  v.  18-20.)  Where,  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  he  is  writing  to  persons  who  had  already  been  baptized,  and  ex- 
horts them  to  make  use  of  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  entrusted  to 
the  apostles,  which,  in  their  case,  can  refer  only  to  the  pardon  of  sins 
committed  after  baptism.  In  like  manner,  St.  John  says,  "  If  we  con- 
fess our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,"  (I  John  i. 
i),)  where  the  confession  of  which  he  speaks  is  one,  in  virtue  of  which, 
God  is  bound,  in  faith  and  justice,  to  grant  forgiveness.  Moreover, 
St.  James  writes,  "  Confess,  therefore,  your  sins  one  to  another,  and 
pray  for  one  another,  that  ye  may  be  saved"  (James  v.  16);  which 
passage  many  of  the  ancient  fathers  explain  of  confession  to  a  priest; 
because  it  is  connected  with  the  preceding  verses,  in  which  the  sick 


142  HISTORY  OF  THE 

man  is  told  to  call  in  the  priests  of  the  church,  to  be  anointed  by  them, 
and  prayed  for  by  them. 

If  it  be  objected  that  there  is  nothing  positive  in  these  passages,  and 
that  the  confession  there  spoken  of  may  be  a  general  acknowledg- 
ment of  sinfulness,  or  a  private  confession  to  God,  or  a  public  confes- 
sion in  presence  of  the  congregation :  the  objection  might  be  met  by 
a  reference  to  the  practice  of  the  apostles ;  and  of  that  there  can  be 
no  doubt,  when  we  find  in  the  most  ancient  Christian  documents,  that 
confession  to  priests,  sometimes  in  private,  sometimes  in  public,  uni- 
versally prevailed.  Undoubtedly,  a  practice  so  humbling  to  human 
pride,  as  that  of  confession,  could  never  have  been  introduced  and 
propagated  throughout  the  whole  church,  on  any  authority  less  than 
that  of  the  apostles. 

And  w^hat  was  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles  ?  Before  his 
ascension  into  heaven,  Christ  breathed  upon  them  and  said,  "  Whose 
sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven ;  and  whose  sins  you  shall 
retain,  they  are  retained."  (John  xx.  23.)  He  had  before  said  to  the 
same  apostles,  "  Whatsoever  you  shall  bind  on  earth,  it  shall  be 
bound  also  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  on  earth,  it 
shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven,"  (Matt,  xviii.  18,)  and  to  St.  Peter  he 
had  said,  that  he  gave  to  him  "  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
(Matt.  xvi.  19.)  Catholics  conclude  from  these  texts  that  Christ  gave 
to  his  apostles  and  their  successors  in  the  ministry  the  commission 
to  remit,  under  certain  conditions,  the  sins  of  his  people.  What  are 
these  conditions  ?  The  first  is  sincere  sorrow  for  the  offence  com- 
mitted, and  a  firm  determination  of  mind  never  to  commit  it  again. 
Without  this  condition,  it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church,  uni- 
versally received  as  an  article  of  her  faith,  that  neither  priest,  nor 
bishop,  nor  pope,  nor  the  whole  church  together,  has  power  to  forgive 
any  sin  whatever ;  and  that  should  any  priest,  or  bishop,  or  pope, 
presume  to  grant  absolution  to  any  sinner,  who  was  not  from  his 
heart  sorry  for  his  sins,  and  fully  determined  not  to  commit  them 
again,  such  absolution  could  have  no  effect,  but  to  augment  the  sin- 
ner's guilt,  and  involve  in  a  participation  of  it  the  rash  minister  who 
had  presumed  to  absolve  him. 

But,  in  addition  to  this,  the  (^atholic  Church  requires  that  the  sinner 
should  confess  his  guilt  to  the  minister  of  religion,  in  order  that  the 
latter  may  ascertain  whether  his  penitent  possesses  the  requisite  dis- 
positions, and  that  he  may  be  enabled  to  prescribe  the  necessary  re- 
paration for  the  pnst  and  precautions  against  future  transgressions. 
Unless  a  sinner  is  ready  to  make  this  full  and  undisguised  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  offences,  however  painful,  however  humbling  it  may 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  I43 

be:  the  Catholic  Church  teaches,  that  her  ministers  have  no  authority 
to  grant  an  absolution,  and  that  should  they  presume  to  grant  it,  it 
would  be  of  itself  null  and  void. 

Nor  are  the  above  conditions  sufficient.  The  sinner  must,  more- 
over, submit  to  make  such  atonement  to  his  offended  God,  by  prayer, 
by  fasting,  by  works  of  self-denial,  and  the  like,  as  may  be  required 
of  him;  and  if  he  has  injured  any  neighbour  in  his  good  name,  his 
])roperty,  or  his  person,  he  must,  to  the  utmost  of  his  ability,  resolve 
to  make  full  and  ample  satisfaction.  Without  such  a  resolution,  no 
Catholic  priest  in  the  world  could  or  would  consider  himself  autho- 
rized to  give  absolution  to  any  penitent;'  and  if  he  did  presume  to  give 
it,  his  religion  teaches,  as  an  article  of  faith,  that  his  absolution  could 
be  of  no  avail  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  would  add  to  the  guilt  both  of 
the  giver  and  the  receiver. 

Now,  it  may  be  asked,  is  this  a  doctrine  which  relaxes  Christian 
morality,  which  encourages  guilt,  and  facilitates  tl)e  commission  of 
crime?  What,  then,  must  those  doctrines  be,  which  admit  the  sinner 
to  reconciliation,  upon  the  simple  condition  of  repentance  and  a  con- 
fession made  to  God  alone  1 

As  to  the  charge  of  forgiving  sins  for  money,  or  allowing  the  com- 
mission of  future  sins,  on  any  condition  whatever,  it  is  a  simple 
calumny.  The  Catholic  Church  expressly  forbids  her  clergy  to  re- 
ceive money  for  absolution  from  sin,  and  would  condemn,  as  guilty 
of  simony,  any  priest  who  should  commit  such  a  crime.  Accounts 
to  the  contrary,  in  which  many  works  abound, — and  frequently  such 
works  as  would  appear  least  likely  to  admit  them, — are,  like  other 
similar  charges,  fabricated  for  purposes  best  known  to  the  authors. 

SATISFACTION. 

According  to  the  doctrine  of  the  ancient  church,  if  the  convert  to 
Christianity  relapsed  into  the  sins  which  he  had  abjured,  he  was  sub- 
jected to  a  course  of  penance,  partly  in  satisfaction  to  God,  for  the 
breach  of  his  vows  of  fidelity  to  him,  and  partly  in  satisfaction  to 
the  church,  for  the  scandal  which  he  had  given  to  it.  In  later  ages, 
the  severity  of  this  discipline  was  abandoned  ;  and  only  a  portion  of 
it  remains  in  the  satisfaction  still  enjoined  in  the  sacrament  of  penance. 
The  sinner  who  voluntarily  punishes  his  sin,  can  in  no  wise  displease 
God,  or  offer  an  injury  to  Christ,  while  he  at  the  same  time  admits, 
that  no  satisfaction  which  he  can  make,  can  be  of  any  avail,  inde- 
pendently of  the  satisfaction  of  Christ.  As  well  might  it  be  said  that 
prayer  for  mercy  is  injurious  to  the  mercy  of  God,  or  to  the  atone- 
ment offered  by  our  Saviour. 


144 


HISTORY  OF  THC 


INDULGENCES. 


Indulgences  grew  out  of  ihc  church  discipline  just  spoken  of.  In 
every  case,  the  bishops  were  accustomed  to  mitigate  the  rigour,  or 
abridge  the  duration  of  the  penitential  course,  as  circumstances  ap- 
peared to  them  to  require.  Both  in  the  imposition  and  the  relaxation 
of  such  penance,  they  had  the  same  object  in  view,  the  benefit  of  the 
sinner;  and  in  both  they  believed  themselves  to  be  justified  by  the 
promise  of  our  Saviour,  that  ''  whatsoever  they  should  bind  upon 
earth,  should  be  bound  also  in  heaven ;  and  that  whatsoever  they 
should  loose  upon  earth,  should  be  loosed  also  in  heaven."  (Matt, 
xviii.  18.) 

See  1  Corinthians,  v.  3-5.  In  this  passage  St.  Paul  excommuni- 
cates the  man  who  had  been  guilty  of  incest.  But  in  the  second 
chapter  of  the  second  Epistle, — having  been  informed  of  the  sorrow 
and  repentance  of  the  criminal,  he  tells  the  Corinthians,  that  he  re- 
mits the  punishment  which  he  had  lately  deemed  so  salutary.  "  Where- 
fore,'' he  says,  "  I  beseech  you,  that  you  would  confirm  your  charity 
towards  him.  And  to  whom  you  have  forgiven  any  thing,  even  I 
also.  For  what  1  forgive,  if  I  have  forgiven  any  thing  for  your  sakes, 
I  have  done  it  in  the  person  of  Christ."  This  mitigation  by  St.  Paul, 
is  precisely  what  the  Catholic  Church  means  by  an  indulgence. 

Most  misrepresentation  on  the  subject  of  indulgences  has  arisen 
from  an  ambiguity  of  language,  in  which  the  term  "  remission  of  sin" 
has  been  made  to  include  "  remission  of  the  punishment  due  to  sin ;"  in 
the  same  manner  as  we  say,  that  a  king  has  pardoned  treason,  when 
he  has  remitted,  on  certain  conditions,  the  penalties  of  treason. 

Every  grant  of  indulgence  requires  in  express  terms,  as  a  previous 
condition,  true  repentance,  and  the  performance  of  all  that  is  neces- 
sary for  the  forgiveness  of  the  guilt  of  sin  :  so  that,  in  fact,  instead  of 
being,  as  some  persons  have  rashly  said,  an  encouragement  to  sin,  it 
becomes  to  those  who  avail  themselves  of  it,  a  powerful  incentive  to 
virtue  and  religion. 

An  indulgence  is  still  less  "  a  license  to  commit  sin,"  as  others 
have  falsely  represented.  The  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church  is, 
that  no  power  on  earth  can  give  a  license  to  sin.  Again,  it  has  been 
misrepresented  as  "  a  pardon  for  sin  beforehand."  But  an  indulgence, 
so  far  from  being  a  pardon  for  sin  beforehand,  has  no  concern  what- 
ever with  the  pardon  of  sin  in  any  form :  it  is  confined  solely  to  the 
temporal  punishment  which  may  be  due  after  the  guilt  has  been  com- 
■  mitted.     As  little  can  it  be  an  encourau:ement  to  sin,  when  its  verv 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  145 

condition  is  true  repentance:  otherwise,  God  might  be  said  to  en- 
courage sin  by  promising  exemption  from  eternal  punishment  to  the 
repentant  sinner. 


EXTREME   UNCTION. 

Catholics  believe  that  extreme  unction  is  a  sacrament,  ordained 
for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  dangerously  sick,  both  in  remitting 
their  sins,  and  alleviating  their  sufferings,  according  to  the  hidden 
designs  of  God's  providence,  and  to  the  different  degrees  of  faith  and 
preparation  in  those  who  receive  it. 

It  is  administered  in  the  manner  described  by  St.  James :  "  Is  any 
man  sick  among  you'(  Let  him  bring  in  the  priests  of  the  church, 
and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord." 

Its  effects  are  also  declared  by  the  same  apostle :  "  And  the  prayer 
of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  man;  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up; 
and  if  he  be  in  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him." 

"  I  acknowledge,"  says  Calvin,  "  that  extreme  unction  was  used  by 
the  disciples  of  Christ,  as  a  sacrament ;  for  I  am  not  of  the  opinion 
of  those  who  imagine,  that  it  was  a  corporal  remedy."  {Comment, 
in  Ep.  Jac.) 

HOLY   ORDER. 

Holy  order  is  a  sacrament  by  which  bishops,  priests,  and  others 
are  ordained  to  the  ministry  of  the  altar,  and  receive  grace  to  perform 
their  respective  duties.  The  Scriptures  inform  us  that  our  blessed 
Lord  appointed  his  apostles  to  spread  his  religion  and  worship  through 
the  world  ;  that  they  appointed  others  to  aid  them  in  this  great  work, 
ordaining  such  persons  with  fasting,  prayer,  and  imposition  of  hands; 
and  that  this  ordination  conferred  on  the  ordained  certain  spiritual 
graces,  adapted  to  their  respective  duties. 

"As  the  Father  hath  sent  me,  I  also  send  you."  (John  xx.  21.) 
"Let  a  man  so  account  of  us,  as  of  ministers  of  Christ,  and  the  dis- 
pensers of  the  mysteries  of  God."  (1  Cor.  iv.  1.)  "He  gave  some 
apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  other  some  evangelists,  and  other 
some  pastors  and  teachers,  ....  that  henceforth  we  be  no  more  chil- 
dren, tossed  to  and  fro  with  .every  wind  of  doctrine."  (Eph.  iv.  11, 14.) 
"  Stir  up  the  grace  of  God,  which  is  in  thee,  by  the  imposition  of  my 
hands."  (2  Tim.  i.  6.)     "  Neglect  not  the  grace  that  is  in  thee,  which 


14G  HISTORY  OF  THE 

was  given  to  thee  by  prophecy,  with  the  imposition  of  the  hands  of 
the  priesthood."  (I  Tim.  iv.  14.) 

As  the  New  Testament  contains  no  detailed  account  of  the  consti- 
tution of  the  Christian  ministry,  nor  of  the  exact  form  of  ordination: 
we  must  have  recourse  for  information  on  those  subjects  to  the  most 
ancient  ecclesiastical  historians;  and  when  we  find  in  their  pages 
the  same  gradation  of  office  and  authority  in  the  sacred  ministry, 
which  still  prevails  in  the  Catholic  Church,  described  as  existing  in 
every  particular  church,  the  only  conclusion  that  can  be  reasonably 
drawn  from  such  antiquity  and  universality  is,  that  it  was  established 
by  the  apostles  themselves,  in  conformity  with  the  will  of  their  hea- 
venly Master.  No  other  authority  could  have  established  it  everij 
idler e. 

MATRIMONY. 

Catholics  believe  that  matrimony  is  a  sacrament,  by  which  the 
marriage  covenant  is  sanctified  and  blessed,  and  the  parties  receive 
grace  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  the  married  state.  "  For  this  cause  shall 
a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  cleave  to  his  wife,  and  they 
shall  be  two  in  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  sacrament :  but  I  speak  in 
Christ  and  the  church."  (Eph.  v.  31,  82.) 

"  Matrimony,"  says  Luther,  "  is  called  a  sacrament,  because  it  is 
the  type  of  a  very  noble  and  very  holy  thing.  Hence,"  he  adds,  "  the 
married  ought  to  consider,  and  respect  the  dignity  of  the  sacrament." 
— {De  Matrimonio.) 

The  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  the  marriage  covenant  cannot 
be  dissolved  by  human  authority.  "  What  God  hath  joined  together, 
let  no  man  put  asunder."  (Matt.  xix.  G.) 

THE    HOLY    EUCHARIST. 

Catholics  believe  that,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  holy  eucharist  are 
the  body  and  blood  of  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  under  the  outward 
appearance  of  bread  and  wine ;  that  they  are  received  in  memory  of 
his  death  for  our  redemption;  that  the  soul  is  thereby  filled  with 
grace,  and  that  a  pledge  is  given  to  us  of  future  glory. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  at  his  last  supper,  took  bread  and  wine  into  his 
hands;  blessed  them  successively,  and  gave  them  to  his  '  apostles, 
saying  of  the  bread,  "  Take  ye,  and  cat ;  this  is  my  body  ;"  and  of 
the  wine,  "  Drink  ye  all  of  this  ;  for  this  is  my  blood."  (Matt.  xxvi. 
26-28.)     The  real  signification  of  these  words  is  a  sul)ject  of  con- 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  14^ 

troversy  between  Catholics  and  Protestants.  The  Protestant, 
arguing  from  the  appearance  of  the  elements  to  the  meaning  of  the 
words,  contends  that,  as  there  is  no  visible  change  in  the  bread  and 
wine,  the  words  must  be  taken  in  some  figurative  sense :  the  Catho- 
lic, arguing  from  the  literal  meaning  of  the  words  to  the  real  state  of 
the  elements,  contends  that,  as  the  meaning  is  obvious  and  positive, 
the  bread  and  wine  must  have  undergone  some  invisible  change. 
He  asks  if  such  a  change  is  impossible,  and  bids  us  look  at  Him  who 
utters  these  mysterious  words.  Who  is  He  1  To  judge  from  our 
senses,  he  is,  indeed,  a  mere  man,  like  ourselves.  To-day  he  is 
sitting  at  table  with  his  disciples, — to-morrow  we  shall  see  him  in 
the  agonies  of  death,  hanging,  like  a  malefactor,  on  the  cross.  But 
what  says  our  faith  ?  That  he  is  not  only  man,  but  God ;  t/iat  God 
who  inhabiteth  eternity, — who  by  a  single  word  called  the  universe 
into  existence, — whose  will  all  things  must  obey.  Shall  we  then 
dispute  the  power  of  this  God  to  work  a  change  in  the  bread  and 
wine,  unless  it  be  perceptible  to  our  senses?  Shall  we  dare  to  give 
him  the  lie,  by  denying  that  to  be  his  body  and  blood,  which  he 
has  declared  to  be  so  1  The  men  of  Capernaum  did  this,  when  they 
exclaimed,  "  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat?  It  is  a  hard 
saying,  and  who  can  hear  it  ?"  (John  vi.  60.)  But  then  the  men  of 
Capernaum  took  him  for  a  mere  man ;  we  believe  that  he  is  our 
God. 

Hence  it  appears,  that  the  real  point  in  dispute  regards  the  power 
of  God.  Unless  you  deny  that  it  is  possible  for  him  so  to  change  the 
substance  of  the  elements,  that  Christ  may  say  of  them  literally  and 
with  truth  that  they  were  his  body  and  blood ;  or  maintain  that,  if 
such  change  were  wrought,  it  must  of  necessity  fall  under  the 
cognizance  of  the  senses :  it  will  follow  that  you  are  bound  to  admit, 
with  the  Catholic,  the  conversion  of  the  elements  into  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ.  The  Scripture  says,  it  is  his  body  and  his  blood  : 
who  that  believes  the  Scripture  will  dare  to  say,  It  is  not  his  body, 
it  is  not  his  blood  ? 

To  escape  from  the  difficulty,  some  theologians  have  sought  shelter 
behind  certain  expressions  of  our  Saviour,  which  they  call  parallel 
passages ;  because  in  them  the  verb  to  be  has  reference  to  a  figurative 
meaning.  But  this  is  a  miserable  subterfuge.  The  most  important 
in  our  Savour's  words,  at  the  supper,  is  the  demonstrative  pronoun 
{/lis: — t/iis,  which  I  hold  in  my  hand,  is  my  body.  He  has  indeed 
said,  I  am  the  door,  I  am  the  vine;  but  when  did  he  lay  his  hand  on 
a  door  or  a  vine,  and  say,  This  door,  or  this  vine,  am  I  ? 

There  cannot  be  a  doubt  that  the  apostles  would  teach  the  real 
meaning  of  these  words  to  their  disciples.    Nov/  we  have,  fortunately, 


148  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  means  of  ascertaining  what  was  the  belief  of  the  Christians  about 
half  a  century  after  the  death  of  St.  John,  from  the  apology  of  Justin 
Martyr.  It  was  his  object  to  describe  the  acknowledged  doctrines 
and  practices  of  the  converts,  and  to  place  them  in  the  most  favour- 
able light  before  the  eyes  of  his  infidel  sovereign.  Now,  if  the 
eucharist  had  been  considered  nothing  more  than  a  figure,  most 
certainly  he  would  have  said  so  at  once:  for  there  could  be  no  need 
of  concealment,  where  there  was  nothing  which  might  be  thought 
singular  or  unintelligible.  But  of  the  figurative  doctrine  he  appears 
never  to  have  heard.  He  states  openly,  that  the  consecrated  elements 
are  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  and  accounts  for  a  belief  of  a  doc- 
trine so  extraordinary  and  startling,  because  it  was  the  doctrine  of 
our  Lord  at  his  last  supper.     The  following  are  his  words : 

"  With  us,  this  food  is  called  the  eucharist,  of  which  it  is  not  allow- 
ed that  any  other  man  should  partake,  but  he  w^ho  believes  in  the 
truth  of  our  doctrines,  and  who  has  been  washed  in  the  laver  for  the 
remission  of  sins  and  for  a  new  birth,  and  who  lives  according  to  the 
precepts  which  Christ  has  left  us.  For  we  do  not  receive  these 
things  as  common  bread  and  common  drink ;  in  the  same  manner  as 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  becoming  incarnate,  through  the  word  of 
God,  had  flesh  and  blood  for  our  salvation:  so  have  we  been  taught 
that  the  food,  with  which  by  transmutation  our  flesh  and  blood  are 
nourished,  is,  after  it  has  been  blessed  by  the  prayer  of  the  word  that 
comes  from  him,  the  body  and  blood  of  him,  the  same  incarnate 
Jesus.  For  the  apostles,  in  the  commentaries  written  by  them,  and 
called  *  gospels,'  have  delivered  to  us  that  they  were  so  commanded 
to  do  by  Jesus,  when,  taking  the  bread,  and  having  blessed  it,  he 
said.  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me:  this  is  my  body;  and  in  like 
manner,  taking  the  chalice,  having  blessed  it,  he  said,  This  is  my 
blood  :  and  distributed  it  among  them  only." — Just.  Mart.  97. 

Assuredly,  if  the  Catholic  doctrine  be  false,  the  error  must  have 
introduced  itself  among  Christians  before  that  race  of  men,  who  had 
been  instructed  by  the  apostles,  had  become  entirely  extinct. 

The  change,  eflccted  by  Almighty  Power,  of  the  substance  of  the 
bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  has,  with  great 
propriety,  been  termed  transubstanliation ;  a  word  introduced  to  dis- 
•  tinguish  the  real  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church  from  the  heterodox 
opinions  of  successive  innovators.  The  term,  indeed,  is  of  more 
recent  origin ;  but  the  doctrine  designated  by  it  is  as  ancient  as 
Christianity.  "  Learn,"  says  St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  {Calccli.  Myst. 
iv.)  "  that  the.bread  which  we  see,  though  to  the  taste  it  be  bread,  is 
nevertheless  not  bread,  but  the  body  of  Christ;  and  that  the  wine 
which  we  see,  though  to  the  taste  it  be  wine,  is  nevertheless  not 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


M9 


wine,  but  the  blood  of  Christ."  (See  also  pp.  281-289,  ed.  Oxon.) 
It  would  be  ditlicult  to  express  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  in 
clearer  terms. 

"  I  should  have  wished,"  says  Luther,  "  to  have  denied  the  real 
presence  of  Christ  in  the  eucharist,  in  order  to  incommode  the  pa- 
pists. But  so  clear  and  so  strong  are  the  words  of  Scripture  which 
establish  it,  that  in  spite  of  my  inclination  so  to  do,  and  although  I 
strained  every  nerve  to  reach  the  point,  yet,  never  could  I.  persuade 
myself  to  adopt  the  bold  expedient."  [EpisL  Car.  Amic.)  Again : 
"Among  the  fathers,  there  is  not  one  who  entertained  a  doubt  con- 
cerning the  real  presence  of  Christ  Jesus  in  the  holy  eucharist." 
{Defens.  Vers.  CmncE.)  He  calls  the  contrary  opinion  "  blasphemy, 
an  impeachment  of  the  veracity  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  an  act  of 
treachery  against  Christ,  and  a  seduction  of  the  faithful."  {Ibid.) 

"  Many  Protestants,"  says  Bishop  Forbes,  (A.  D.)  "  deny  too  boldly 
and  too  dangerously,  that  God  can  transubstantiate  the  bread  into  the 
body  of  Christ.  For  my  part,  I  approve  of  the  opinion  of  the  Wit- 
temburg  divines,  who  assert  that  the  power  of  God  is  so  great,  that 
he  can  change  the  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ."  {De  Euc/i.) 

INVOCATION    OF    THE    SAINTS. 

When  Catholics  pray  to  the  saints,  they  do  no  more  than  when 
they  pray  for  their  fellow-men  upon  earth  ;  of  the  one  and  the  other 
they  ask  the  same  thing — that  they  would  pray  to  the  common  God 
and  Father  of  all,  both  with  them  and  for  them. 

If  Catholics  be  asked,  "  Whether  they  do  not  make  the  saints  their 
mediators?"  their  answer  will  be,  "  We  make  them  so  in  no  other 
sense,  than  we  are  mediators  one  for  another."  Nor  does  the  passage 
of  Scripture  so  often  quoted,  apply  here  :  "  There  is  but  one  mediator 
between  God  and  man,"  becaUse  by  mediator  is  here  signified,  one 
"  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all."  (1  Tim.  ii.  6.)  In  that  sense, 
Jesus  Christ  is  our  only  mediator.  Did  the  mediatorship  of  Christ 
receive  any  injiiry,  or  disparagement,  from  the  prayers  addressed  to 
the  saints,  then  would  it  also  be  violated  in  like  manner  by  the 
prayers  which  Christians  reciprocally  offer  up  for  each  other's 
benefit.  When  the  Catholic  says  to  his  brother  in  Christ,  "  Pray  for 
me  to  our  common  Father,  to  obtain  for  me  those  blessings  which  I 
myself  may  be  unable  or  unworthy  to  obtain :"  the  same  he  says  to 
the  blessed  mother  of  Christ,  to  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  St.  Augustine,  St. 
Chrysostom,  St.  Jerome,  or  any  other  of  those  holy  persons,  whose 


100 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


acknowledged  sanctity  has  procured  for  them,  through  the  grace  and 
merits  of  Christ,  the  friendship  of  God,  and  the  happiness  of  heaven. 
Surelv  there  is  nothing  wrong  or  unreasonable  in  this.  The  earthly 
trials  of  those  holy  persons  are  past,  the  veil  of  mortality  is  removed 
from  their  eyes,  they  behold  God  face  to  face,  and  enjoy  without  re- 
serve his  friendship  and  his  love.  May  the  pious  Catholic  not  rea- 
sonably hope  that  their  prayers  will  be  more  efficacious  than  his  own, 
or  those  of  his  friends  here  upon  earth  ?  At  least,  there  is  nothing  in 
reason  or  revelation  to  forbid  him  to  do  so.  Let  a  case  be  supposed. 
A  child  has  been  deprived  by  death  of  a  parent,  who  through  life 
offered  for  him  the  most  fervent  supplications.  Is  it  likely  that  the 
anxiety  of  a  parent  for  the  welfare  of  a  beloved  child  wholly  ceases 
in  death  1  Should  the  child  think  not,  and  under  this  persuasion  say, 
"  O !  my  parent,  think  of  me,  love  me,  pray  for  me  still.  Forget  not 
in  your  happy  country  your  exiled  child."  Would  this  be  impiety  ? 
Would  this  be  robbing  God  of  his  glory,  or  Christ  of  his  mediation? 
Would  this  be  transferring  to  creatures,  the  honours  and  privileges 
due  to  God  alone  1  Would  this  justify  a  man  in  judging  harshly, 
speaking  contemptuously,  or  acting  unkindly  towards  his  Christian 
brother  1 

The  following  texts  are  offered  to  the  notice  of  those  who  would 
more  closely  examine  the  subject.  "  The  angel  Raphael  said  to 
Tobias :  When  thou  didst  pray  with  tears,  and  didst  bury  the  dead,  I 
offered  up  thy  prayer  to  the  Lord."  (Tobias,  xii.  12.)  "  This,"  says 
Judas,  relating  his  vision,  '•  this  is  Jeremiah,  the  prophet  of  God,  who 
prays  much  for  the  people,  and  the  holy  city."  (2  Mach.  xv.  12,  &c.) 
"  I  say  to  you,  there  shall  be  joy  before  the  angels  of  God,  upon  one 
sinner  that  repents."  (Luke,  xv.  10.) 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  book,  the  four  living  creatures,  and 
the  four  and  twenty  ancients,  fell  down  before  the  Lamb ;  having 
each  of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of  odours,  which  are  the 
prayers  of  the  saints."  (Apocal.  v.  8. 

In  the  early,  we  may  say  the  earliest,  ages  of  the  church,  the  saints 
were  invocated.  Listen  to  St.  Augustine.  "  Christians  celebrate 
with  religious  solemnity  the  memory  of  the  martyrs,  that  they  may 
excite  themselves  to  imitate  their  constancy,  that  they  may  be  united 
to  their  merits,  and  may  be  aided  by  their  prayers.  But  it  is  not  to 
any  martyr,  but  to  the  very  God  of  the  martyrs,  that  we  raise  our 
altars.  To  God  alone,  who  crowned  the  martyrs,  is  the  sacrifice 
offered."  {Cont.  Faust,  xx.  18.) 

And  here  be  it  observed,  that  to  God  it  is  said,  "  Have  mercy  upon 
us;"  to  the  saints  it  is  said,  "  Prav  for  us."     It  is  surelv  not  difficult 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  15i 

to  discriminate  between  these  two  forms  of  address :  the  difference  is 
immense. 

On  the  subject  of  the  invocation  of  the  saints,  that  learned  Protes- 
tant, Bishop  Montague,  has  the  following  remarks :  "  It  is  the  com- 
mon voice,  with  general  concurrence  and  without  contradiction,  of 
reverend  and  learned  antiquity.  And  I  see  no  cause  to  dissent  from 
them  [the  Catholics],  touching  intercession  of  this  kind.  Christ  is 
not  thus  wronged  in  his  mediation.  And  it  is  no  impiety  to  say,  as 
the  CathoUcs  do,  '  Holy  Mary,  pray  for  me.'  "  {Invoc.  of  Saints.) 

"  I  allow,"  says  Luther,  "  with  the  whole  Christian  church,  and 
believe,  that  the  saints  in  heaven  should  be  invoked."  {De  Purgat. 
Quorund.) 

ON    GOOD    WORKS. 

Good  works  are  twofold :  religious  works,  which  have  for  their 
immediate  object  the  honour  and  worship  of  God ;  and  works  of 
mercy  or  charity,  which  have  for  their  object  to  relieve  the  wants  of 
our  neighbour,  spiritual  or  corporal.  To  these  works  ample  reward 
is  promised :  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  possess  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  For  I  was  hungry, 
and  ye  gave  me  to  eat ;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  to  drink ; 
naked,  and  ye  clothed  me,"  &c.  (Matt.  xxv.  34.) 

Nor  will  the  smallest  act  of  charity  go  unrequited :  "  Whoever 
shall  give  to  drink  to  one  of  these  little  ones,  a  cup  of  cold  water  only, 
in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  amen  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  not  lose  his 
reward."  (Matt.  x.  42.) 

Respecting  the  merit  of  these  good  works,  the  Catholic  believes, 
that  eternal  life  is  proposed  to  the  children  of  God,  both  as  a  grace, 
which  is  mercifully  promised  to  them,  and  as  a  recompense,  which,, 
in  virtue  of  this  promise,  is  faithfully  bestowed  upon  their  good  works. 
Lest,  however,  the  weakness  of  the  human  heart  should  be  flattered 
with  the  idea  of  any  presumptuous  merit :  it  is  at  the  same  time  care- 
fully inculcated,  that  the  price  and  value  of  Christian  actions  proceed 
wholly  from  the  efficacy  of  sanctifying  grace,  a  grace  gratuitously 
bestowed  upon  us,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Much  unintelligible  learning  has  been  wasted  in  attempts  to  explain 
the  doctrine,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  without  good  works.  But 
on  carefully  weighing  the  passages  on  which  this  doctrine  is  founded, 
it  will  appear  that  the  Apostle  is  not  speaking  of  the  justification  of 
the  Christian  who  has  fallen  into  sin  after  baptism,  but  of  the  justifi- 
cation in  baptism,  of  the  man  who  has  been  converted  from  Judaism 


lo2 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


or  Paganism.  (Tit.  iii.  5,  7.)  Such  convert  is  justified,  according  to 
St.  Paul,  not  in  consequence  of  the  works  which  lie  did  while  he  was 
a  Jew  or  a  Pagan,  but  in  virtue  of  his  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  who 
brought  him  to  the  water  of  baptism.  But  it  must  be  remembered, 
that  the  faith  which  sufficed  for  his  justification  in  that  sacrament, 
will  not  suffice  for  justification  after  baptism.  When  once  he  is  be- 
come a  Christian,  he  must  "  be  faithful  in  every  good  work."  (Col.  i. 
10.)  "  Because  faith  without  works  is  dead,  and  by  works  a  man  is 
justified,  and  not  by  faith  only."  (James,  ii.  24,  26.)  He  has  indeed 
began  well,  but  he  is  not  yet  secure  of  salvation  ;  it  is  by  good  works 
"that  he  is  to  make  his  calling  and  election  sure."  (2  Peter,  i.  10.) 

THE  INTERMEDIATE  STATE,  OR  PURGATORY.* 

It  is  the  belief  of  the  Catholic  Church,  as  indeed  it  may  be  pre- 
sumed of  every  communion,  that  all  sins  are  not  equal  in  malice  and 
guilt ;  that  a  passing  angry  feeling  is  not  so  great  a  crime  as  murder, 
nor  an  idle  word  as  blasphemy.  Hence  we  believe  that  God  does  not 
punish  all  sins  equally,  but  "  renders  to  every  one  according  to  his 
works"  (Matt.  xvi.  27)  ;  that  whilst  he  punishes  the  wilful,  deliberate 
and  mortal  offender  wjth  the  extremity  of  severity,  even  with  ever- 
lasting fire,  he  inflicts  upon  the  minor  and  more  venial  sinner  chas- 
tisements less  severe,  and  of  limited  duration.  Tliis  belief  is  surely 
not  unreasonable.  In  human  laws  there  are  gradations  of  punish- 
ment, corresponding  with  the  gradations  of  crime.  We  should  call 
the  law  unjust,  that  punished  equally  with  death  the  child  who  pilfered 
an  apple,  or  the  wretch  who  had  murdered  his  father.  Are  the  laws 
of  God  alone  unjust  1  Has  he  alone  the  privilege  of  punishing  with- 
out discrimination'?  The  Scripture  expressly  declares,  that  before 
the  divine  tribunal  "  men  shall  give  an  account  of  every  idle  word." 
(Matt.  xii.  3G.)  Let  us,  then,  make  a  supposition.  A  child  arrived 
at  the  full  use  of  reason,  and  knowing  that  every  lie  is  a  sin,  to  escape 
punishment,  tells  an  untruth  in  a  matter  of  trivial  moment.  There  is 
not  a  doubt  that  a  sin  has  been  committed.  Before  the  child  has  time 
to  repent,  an  accident  deprives  him  of  life.     What  reception  shall  he 

*  Tills  term  is  from  a  Latin  root,  wliicli  sijrnifics  to  cleanse  or  purify.  To  the  objcc- 
tion  tliat  tlic  word  is  not  in  Scripture,  it  may  be  answered,  that  like  the  word  "  Trinity," 
(which  also  has  no  place  in  Scripture)  the  term  "  Purgatory"  was  introduced  and  adopted 
to  express  more  conveniently  by  one  word,  what  was  previously  expressed  by  metaphor 
or  circumlocution.  In  this  manner  many  new  terms  have  been  admitted  into  Christian 
thcolojry  ;  thus  men  believed  in  the  three  divine  persons,  long;  before  they  adopted  the 
word  "  Trinity." 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  ir,3 

meet  with  at  the  bar  of  eternal  justice  ?  Will  he  be  sentenced  with 
the  parricide  to  eternal  flames  1  I  need  not  give  the  answer.  Reason 
revolts  at  the  idea.  He  must  then  be  punished  for  a  lime,  and  when 
he  has  atoned  for  his  fault,  be  admitted  to  reconciliation.  Such  is 
the  belief  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

But  if  a  temporary  state  of  punishment  be  admitted,  prayer  for  the 
dead  must  follow  of  course ;  as  on  the  other  hand,  if  heaven  and  hell 
are  believed  to  be  the  only  alternatives  in  the  moment  of  death,  prayer 
for  the  dead  is  vain :  for  in  heaven  relief  is  not  wanted,  and  "  from 
hell  there  is  no  redemption."  Hence,  when  our  friends  are  taken 
from  us  by  death,  and  we  have  reason  to  hope  (and  when  will  not 
affection  hope  1)  that  these  offences  may  not  deserve  the  extremity  of 
eternal  punishment :  we  entreat  the  divine  Goodness  to  shorten  or 
alleviate  their  sufferings.  Is  this  unreasonable?  Is  this  superstitious? 
Is  this  unscriptural  ?  Certain  it  is,  that  it  is  not  uncharitable,  and 
charity  is  the  first  of  virtues. 

"  But  the  Scripture  does  not  command  us  to  pray  for  the  dead." 
Neither  does  it  forbid  us.  Why,  then,  may  not  the  voice  of  nature, 
the  dictates  of  reason,  and  the  belief  and  usages  of  antiquity,  be 
allowed  to  govern  our  conduct  1  At  all  events,  if  the  Catholic 
does  not  think  the  practice  repugnant  to  Scripture,  why  should  he  be 
condemned  ?  Surely  he  has  as  much  right  as  others  to  judge  of  the 
meaning  of  Scripture  ?  And  if  his  interpretation  be  confirmed  by  the 
constant  belief  of  the  Catholic  Church,  by  the  practice  of  his'  fore- 
fathers, by  the  dictates  of  nature,  and  the  best  feelings  of  the  human 
heart:  is  he  not  abundantly  justified  in  preferring  his  own  firm  convic- 
tion to  the  fluctuating  opinion  of  his  neighbours  ? 

An  assertion  is  often  made,  "  That  the  ministers  of  the  church  claim 
the  power  of  relieving  souls  from  purgatory."  This  strange  misrepre- 
sentation, though  a  thousand  times  proved  to  be  groundless,  is  as  often 
repeated.  The  Catholic  priest  claims  no  authority  or  jurisdiction 
over  the  dead.  All  he  can  do  is  to  apply  to  the  mercy  of  God  in  their 
behalf;  but,  like  other  men,  he  must  ever  remain  uncertain  respecting 
the  eflacacy  of  his  prayers.  He  has,  indeed,  one  advantage  peculiar 
to  the  priesthood.  He  can  offer  sacrifice ;  and  sacrifice  under  the 
new  law,  as  well  as  under  the  old,  has  always  been  considered  the 
most  powerful  means  of  moving  God  to  mercy.  Hence,  if  any  one, 
in  addition  to  his  own  private  prayers,  wish  to  have  sacrifice  offered 
for  the  souls  of  his  departed  friends,  there  is  no  doubt  he  must  apply 
to  the  ministry  of  the  priests ;  and  if  "  They  who  serve  the  altar  are 
entitled  to  live  by  the  altar,"  (1  Cor.  ix.  13,)  no  one,  I  presume,  will 
deny,  that  the  priest  is  as  much  entitled  to  a  remuneration  for  the 

U 


ir>i 


HISTORY  OF  THt: 


labour  he  performs,  as  those  who  receive  fees  for  the  burial  service 
performed  over  the  dead  ;  nay,  even  for  the  administration  of  baptism, 
and  for  preaching  the  gospel.  Would  a  Catholic  be  justified  in  say- 
inf^,  on  this  account,  that,  for  a  sum  of  money,  these  clergymen  claim 
a  power  of  remitting  sin,  and  opening  to  their  foUovi'ers  the  gates  of 
life? 

PICTURES   AND   IMAGES. 

Catholics  use  paintings  and  images  as  the  most  fitting  ornaments 
for  churches,  oratories,  &c.,  and  at  the  same  time,  as  objects  calcu- 
lated to  excite  and  keep  alive  feelings  of  devotion.  As  the  principal 
among  them  the  crucifix  may  be  mentioned.  It  is  not  possible  to 
gaze  upon  the  figure  of  the  Redeemer,  nailed  to  the  cross,  with  a 
vacant  eye.  It  brings  before  the  mind,  in  the  liveliest  manner,  his 
goodness,  who  for  us,  and  for  our  salvation,  was  pleased  "  to  submit 
himself  to  death,  even  to  the  death  of  the  cross ;"  and  reminds  us  how 
criminal  those  sins  must  be  which  caused  him  to  undergo  such  suf- 
ferings, and  how  sincere  our  sorrow  should  be  in  having  participated 
in  tlie  commission  of  them. 

But  there  are  those  who  say,  that  "  Catholics  worship  images,  as 
did  the  pagans  of  old,  and  that,  like  them,  they  give  to  the  works  of 
man's  hands  the  glory  due  to  the  one  eternal  God."  The  accusation 
is  a  common  one ;  and  were  it  not  that  it  proceeds  from  otherwise 
respectable  sources,  it  might  appear  like  insulting  the  understanding 
of  the  reader,  to  suppose  him  capable  of  believing  them.  For  surely 
it  is  not  possible,  that,  in  an  age,  and  a  country  which  claims,  and 
not  unjustly  too,  to  be  one  of  the  most  liberal  and  enlightened  upon 
earth,  men  should  be  found  capable  of  believing,  that  the  majority  of 
the  Christian  world,  the  great,  the  good,  the  learned  of  almost  every 
civilized  nation  under  heaven,  should  be  so  ignorant,  so  debased,  so 
stupid,  so  wicked,  as  to  give  divine  honours  to  a  lifeless  and  senseless 
image !     It  is  difficult  to  bring  the  mind  to  conceive  it. 

Among  other  texts  of  Scripture  which  bear  upon  this  subject,  the 
following  are  ofiered  for  consideration:  Numb.  xxi.  8,9;  John  iii.  14, 
15;  Exod.  XXV.  18,  22. 

"  The  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  .  .  .  Thou  shalt  also  make 
tvv'o  cherubim  of  beaten  gold,  on  the  tw'o  sides  of  the  oracle.  Let 
them  cover  both  sides  of  the  propitiatory,  spreading  their  wMngs,  and 
covering  the  oracle  ;  and  let  them  look  one  towards  the  other,  their 
taces  being  turned  towards  the  propitiatory,  wherewith  the  ark  is  to 
be  covered ;  in  which  thou  shalt  put  the  testimony  that  I  will  give 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  J 55 

thee.  Thence  will  I  give  orders,  and  will  speak  to  thee  over  the  pro- 
pitiatory, and  from  the  midst  of  the  two  cherubims,"  &c.  (Exodus 
XXV.  18,  &c.) 

"And  the  Lord  said  to  him  (Moses),  Make  a  brazen  serpent,  and 
set  it  up  for  a  sign.  Every  one  that  is  bitten,  when  he  looketh  upon 
it,  shall  live.  Moses,  therefore,  made  a  brazen  serpent,  and  set  it  up 
for  a  sign,  which  when  they  that  were  bitten  looked  upon,  they  were 
healed."     (Numb.  xxi.  8,  9.) 

"  And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  desert,  so  must  the  son 
of  man  be  lifted  up.  That  whosoever  believeth  in  him  may  not  perish, 
but  may  have  life  everlasting."  (John  iii.  14,  15.) 

Like  the  invocation  of  the  saints,  the  early  use  and  veneration  of 
their  images  are  acknowledged.  The  centuriators  allow  that  they 
were  common  in  the  third  age  of  the  church.  "Eusebius,"  they  say, 
"  writes  that  he  saw,  in  Asia,  Christians  who  preserved  the  images  of 
St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  and  of  Christ  himself."  {Cent,  iii.)  The  same 
writers  add :  "  TertuUian  seems  to  declare,  that  the  Christians  kept 
the  image  of  the  cross,  both  in  their  public  assemblies,  and  private 
houses ;  and  it  was  thence  that  the  pagans  called  them  worshippers 
of  the  cross."  {Cent,  iii.) 

CEREMONIES   AND   VESTMENTS. 

With  respect  to  ceremonies  and  vestments,  they  should  be  viewed 
with  the  eye  of  antiquity.  They  are  venerable  relics  of  primitive 
times,  and,  though  ill  adapted  to  the  youthful  religions  of  modern 
times,  well  become  that  hoary  religion,  which  bears  the  weight  of  so 
many  ages.  The  ceremonies  employed  in  the  Christian  sacrifice,  as 
well  as  the  sacerdotal  vestments,  have  their  model  in  the  book  of 
Leviticus,  and,  as  nearly  as  the  difference  of  the  old  and  new  laws 
permits,  closely  resemble  those  instituted  by  God  himself.  The  Catholic 
Church  deems  them  useful.  They  give  a  peculiar  dignity  to  the  sacred 
mysteries  of  religion ;  they  raise  the  mind  of  the  beholder  to  heavenly 
things  by  their  various  and  appropriate  import ;  they  instruct  the 
ignorant  and  keep  alive  attention ;  they  give  the  ministers  of  religion 
a  respect  for  themselves,  and  for  the  awful  rites  in  which  they  officiate; 
but  neither  the  ceremonies  nor  the  vestments  belong  to  the  essence  of 
religion.  The  Church  established  them  in  the  first  ages.  She  could, 
if  she  deemed  it  advisable,  set  them  aside  any  day,  and  the  sacrifice 
would  be  equally  holy,  though  not  equally  impressive,  if  offered  by 
the  priest  in  a  plain  white  surplice,  or  the  ordinary  costume  of  the 
day. 


J  3(3  HISTORY  OF  THE 


THE  SERVICES  IN  THE  LATIN  LANGUAGE. 

The  reasons  why,  in  the  celebration  of  the  mass,  and  of  other 
services  of  tiie  church,  the  Latin  language  is  used,  are  simply  these: 
First,  the  Latin  and  Greek  were  the  languages  most  generally  used, 
and  almost  the  only  written  languages  in  the  principal  countries 
where  the  Christian  religion  was  first  promulgated.     In  these  lan- 
guages, therefore,  the  liturgy  of  the  church  was  originally  composed, 
nearly  in  its  present  form.     When,  several  centuries  afterwards,  the 
languages  of  modern  Europe  began  to  be  formed,  the  church  did  not 
think  proper  to  alter  the  languages  she  had  ever  used  in  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  holy  sacrifice.     For  if,  on  the  one  hand,  these  languages, 
by  becoming  dead,  ceased  to  be  understood  by  the  unlearned,  on  the 
other,  they  became,  like  a  body  raised  from  death,  immortal,  un- 
changeable, and  on  this  account  the  better  adapted  for  preserving 
unaltered  the  awful  doctrines  and  mysteries  committed  to  their  care. 
Would  prudence  have  justified  the  setting  aside  the  pure,  the  dignified, 
the  immutable  languages  of  the  primitive  church  ;  languages  which, 
though  no  longer  spoken  by  the  unlettered,  were  still,  as  they  are  to 
this  day,  the  universal  languages  of  the  learned  in  every  country,  and 
the  adoption  in  their  stead  of  the  numberless  barbarous,  half-formed 
and  daily  changing  languages  of  modern  Europe  ?     Would  it  have 
been  respectful,  would  it  have  been  secure,  would  it  have  been  prac- 
ticable, to  commit  to  these  rude  and  uncertain  vehicles,  the  sacred 
deposit  of  the  faith  and  hope  of  Christians  1  For  the  use  of  the  people, 
translations  have  been  made,  and  abound  in  every  Catholic  country ; 
but  at  the  altar  the  priest  continues  to  commune  with  God  in  the  original 
languages,  reciting  the  more  sacred  parts  of  the  sacrificial  rite  in  a 
low  voice,  which  breaks  not  the  awful  silence,  nor  disturbs  the  deep 
recollections  of  the  surrounding  adorers.     And  yet  this  has  been 
termed  "  praying  in  an  unknown  tongue,"  and  for  the  purpose  "  of 
keeping  the  people  in  ignorance."     Had  the  latter  been  the  unwise 
policy  of  the  Catholic  Church,  she  would  have  commanded  the  clergy 
to  give  instructions  and  to  preach  in  unknown  languages ;  whereas 
these  portions  of  the  church  ordinances  are  always  in  the  vernacular 
language. 

PROSELYTISM. 

And  here  a  few  remarks  may  not  be  irrelevant,  in  regard  to  what 
is   usually   called   proselytism.     A   degree   of  odium   has   become 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


157 


attached  to  the  term ;  all  seem  eager  to  disclaim  it,  as  if  it  implied 
something  criminal.  Yet  what  is  meant  by  proselytism  ?  If  it  means 
converting  others  to  the  true  religion,  what  were  the  apostles  them- 
selves, but  the  makers  of  proselytes?  What  did  Jesus  Christ  give 
them  to  do,  when  he  bade  them  "Go  and  teach  all  nations,"  (Matt, 
xxviii.  19,)  but  every  where  to  make  proselytes?  For  what  were 
the  apostles  persecuted,  put  to  d^th,  and  crowned  with  the  glory  of 
martyrdom,  but  for  making  proselytes?  What  successor  of  the 
apostles  would  do  his  duty,  if  he  did  not  labour  like  them  to  make 
proselytes?  What  Christian  could  lay  claim  to  the  rewards  of 
charity,  who,  convinced  of  the  truth  of  his  religion,  and  of  the  inesti- 
mable blessings  it  imparts,  refused  or  neglected  to  make  others  par- 
takers of  it ;  concealed  his  treasure  from  the  objects  of  distress,  and 
covered  "  under  a  bushel,"  the  light  which  was  wanted  to  guide  the 
steps  of  his  benighted  fellow-traveller? 

But,  if  by  proselytism  is  meant  the  seducing  of  men  from  truth  to 
error,  or  what  we  believe  to  be  such ;  if  it  imply  the  use  of  any 
means  that  are  unfair,  unhandsome,  dishonourable,  or  uncharitable ; 
of  violence,  bribery,  false  arguments  or  any  other  means  whatsoever 
than  such  as  are  dictated  by  the  strictest  truth  and  animated  by  pure 
benevolence ;  then,  indeed,  is  proselytism  as  odious  as  it  is  unchris- 
tian; then,  far  be  its  practice  from  every  Catholic  and  from  every 
Christian.  Be  it  hated  and  detested  by  every  lover  of  honesty,  of 
truth,  and  of  charity. 

THE    POPE. 

Catholics,  while  they  hold  that  the  Church  is  the  congregation  of 
all  the  faithful  under  their  invisible  head,  Jesus  Christ,  also  believe 
that  the  Church  has  a  visible  head,  in  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  suc- 
cessor of  St.  Peter,  and  commonly  called  the  Pope.  That  Jesus 
Christ,  in  quality  of  our  Lord,  is  the  head  of  the  Church,  will  not  be 
disputed  ;  for  "  God  appointed  him  head  over  all  the  Church."  (Eph. 
i.  22.)  But,  since  his  ascent  into  heaven,  he  is  invisible  to  us ;  and 
the  question  is,  whether  he  did  not,  before  he  left  the  earth,  appoint  a 
vicar,  or  deputy,  to  be  the  visible  head  in  his  place.  From  Scripture 
it  is  manifest  that  he  did,  and  that  St.  Peter  was  the  person  on  whom 
he  conferred  this  high  dignity.  The  following  circumstances  are 
worthy  of  attention.  The  name  of  this  apostle  was  originally  Simon. 
The  moment  he  appeared  before  our  Saviour,  he  received  from  him 
a  new  name :  "  Thou  art  Simon,  the  son  of  Jona ;  thou  shall  be 
called  Cephas."  (John  i.  42.)     Nov/,  why  did  our  blessed  Lord  give 


158 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


to  Simon,  at  first  sight,  before  he  had  said  or  done  any  thing  to  elicit 
it,  this  name  of  Cephas,  which  signifies  7'och?  In  due  season,  the 
mystcrv  was  disclosed,  when,  in  consequence  of  Peter's  confession, 
Christ  said  to  him,  "  Thou  art  Cephas,  and  on  this  cephas  I  will 
build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it" 
(Matt.  xvi.  18);  words,  in  Hebrew,  equivalent  to  the  following: 
"Thou  art  Rock,  the  rock  on  whi(4)  I  will  build  my  church,"  He 
then  proceeded  thus  :  "  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven;  and  whatsoever  thou  shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound 
also  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shall  loose  on  earth,  shall  be 
loosed  also  in  heaven."  (Ibid.  19.)  The  power  of  binding  and 
loosing  was  afterwards  conferred  on  the  other  apostles,  but  not  the 
keys,  the  badge  of  the  chief  officer  in  the  household.  They  were 
granted  to  Peter  alone.  Other  circumstances  will  be  noted  by  those 
who  are  desirous  to  ascertain  the  bearing  and  signification  of  the 
Saviour's  actions.  For  instance,  in  the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes, 
which  was  figurative  of  the  gathering  of  the  nations  into  the  church, 
when  Peter,  with  his  associates  James  and  John,  forsook  all,  and  fol- 
lowed our  Saviour,  it  will  be  remarked  that  it  was  the  bark  of 
Peter  into  which  Jesus  entered  in  preference ;  it  was  Peter  whom  he 
ordered  to  let  down  the  net  for  a  draught,  and  to  Peter  that  he  said, 
"  Fear  not ;  henceforth  thou  shall  catch  men ;"  that  is,  shall  be  a 
fisher  of  men.  (Luke  v.  10.)  From  that  period,  we  always  find 
Peter  spoken  of  as  the  first,  and  the  leader  of  the  others ;  to  him  is 
given  the  charge  that  he  confirm  his  brethren,  (Luke  xxii.  32,)  and 
the  ollicc  of  feeding  both  the  lambs  and  the  sheep,  (John  xxi.  15,  16,) 
which  is  interpreted  by  the  fathers  as  the  simple  faithful,  and  their 
spiritual  guides.  After  the  ascension  of  our  Lord,  we  find  him  act- 
ing as  the  head  of  the  whole  body,  at  the  election  of  Matthias 
(Acts  i.) ;  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  Jews  (Acts  ii.  3);  in  re- 
buking Ananias  and  Sapphira  (Acts  v.) ;  in  the  calling  of  the  gentiles 
(Acts  X.) ;  and  in  the  council  at  Jerusalem,  (Acts  xv.)  All  these 
passages  and  proceedings  demonstrate  in  Peter  a  pre-eminence  in 
rank  and  authority  above  the  other  apostles. 

Should  it  be  supposed  that  the  olTice  might  l)c  personal  to  Peter, 
and  therefore  might  not  pass  to  his  successors,  it  is  not  unreasonable 
to  ask  on  what  ground  such  a  supposition  rests  ?  If  Christ,  w^hcn  he 
established  his  church,  gave  to  it  a  visible  head,  who  could  have 
authority  to  change  that  form  of  government  afterwards?  Whatever 
reason  there  might  be  why  Peter  should  be  invested  with  authority 
over  his  brethren,  the  other  apostles ;  the  same  i^eason  will  require 
that  the  successor  of  Peter  should  be  invested  with  authority  over 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 


159 


kis  brethren,  the  successors  of  those  apostles.  To  seek  for  proof 
from  Scripture  on  points  like  these,  would  be  labour  lost,  because  the 
Scripture  does  not  treat  of  them.  We  may  glean  from  the  inspired 
writers  a  few  detached  and  imperfect  notices  of  the  form  of  church 
government  which  was  established  in  their  time ;  but  not  one  of 
them  fully  describes  that  form,  nor  alludes  to  the  form  that  was  to 
prevail  in  time  to  come.  For  such  matters  we  must  have  recourse 
to  tradition;  and  tradition  bears  ample  testimony  to  the  superior 
authority  of  the  successors  of  St.  Peter,  St.  Irenseus  says  (an7io  177), 
"  It  is  necessary  that  all  the  Church — that  is,  the  faithful,  wherever 
they  are, — should  conform  to"  (be  in  communion  with)  "the  Church 
of  Rome,  on  account  of  her  superior  chiefdom." — Ado.  Hcer.  iii.  3. 
Tertullian  says  {anno  194),  "  If  thou  think  that  heaven  is  still  closed, 
recollect  that  the  Lord  left  the  keys  thereof  to  Peter,  and  through 
him  to  the  Church." — -Scorpiaci,  c.  x. 

With  respect  to  certain  questions  agitated  in  the.  schools,  relative 
to  the  spiritual  power  of  the  Pope,  as  exercised  in,  conjunction  with 
the  temporal,  little  need  be  said  in  this  place;  although  we  see  such 
questions  continually  revived,  in  order  to  draw  down  odium  upon  the 
Catholics.  Suffice  it  to  state,  that  these  questions  are  not  included  in 
the  articles  of  Catholic  faith,  nor  have  any  influence  upon  Catholic 
practice.  On  this  point,  we  have  pleasure  in  quoting  the  decisive 
words  of  Dr.  Purcell,  Bishop  of  Cincinnati :  "  The  Catholics  do  not 
believe  that  the  Pope  has  any  such  power  [that  of  interfering  with 
the  institutions  of  free  States].  We  would  be  among  the  first  to 
oppose  him  in  its  exercise,  and  we  should  be  neither  heretics  nor  bad 
Catholics  for  so  doing.  For  ten  centuries  this  power  was  never 
claimed  by  any  Pope ;  it  can,  therefore,  be  no  part  of  Catholic  doc- 
trine. It  has  not  gained  one  foot  of  land  for  the  Pope.  It  is  not  any 
where  believed  or  acted  upon,  in  the  Catholic  Church  ;  nor  could  it 
at  this  late  day  be  established,  even  were  a  man  found  mad  enough 
to  make  the  attempt.  Let  these  go  forth  before  the  American  people 
as  the  real  principles  of  Catholics  concerning  the  power  of  the  Pope. 
And  if  we  must  pronounce  a  judgment  on  the  past,  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, that  when  the  Pope  did  use  the  power,  it  was  ichen  he  icas 
appealed  to  as  a  common  father,  and  in  favour  of  the  oppressed. 
We  should  go  back,  in  spirit,  to  former  times,  when  we  undertake  to 
judge  them.  We  should  understand  the  condition  of  society  at  the 
period;  we  should  know  the  circumstances,  general  and  particular, 
which  controlled  or  influenced  the  great  events  recorded  in  history. 
We  should  not  quarrel   with  our  ancestors,   because  they  did   not 


ino 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


possess  knowledge  which  we  possess ;  nor  flatter  ourselves  that  we 
arc  vastly  their  betters,  because  of  these  adventitious  advantages  ; 
while  they  manifestly  surpass  us  in  others,  of  greater  value  to  the 
Christian  and  the  moralist.  They  had  the  substance  of  good  things  ; 
we  seem  to  be  content  witJi  the  shadow  of  them." 

The  same  sentiments  are  eloquently  enforced  by  Judge  Hall,  of 
Cincinnati.  We  quote  a  paragraph  or  two,  for  the  benefit  of  those 
who  may  not  be  acquainted  with  an  address,  honourable  alike  to  the 
head  and  the  heart  of  its  candid  and  liberal  author. 

"  This  question  [the  alarm  raised  against  the  Catholics]  has  be- 
come so  important  in  the  United  States,  that  it  is  time  to  begin  to 
inquire  into  its  bearings,  and  to  know  whether  the  public  are  really 
interested  in  the  excitement  which  has  been  gotten  up  with  unusual 
industry,  and  has  been  kept  alive  with  a  pertinacity  that  has  seldom 
been  equalled.  For  several  years  past  the  religious  Protestant  papers 
of  our  country,  with  but  few  exceptions,  have  teemed  with  virulent 
attacks  against  the  Catholics,  and  especially  with  paragraphs  charging 
them  substantially  with  designs  hostile  to  our  free  institutions,  and 
with  a  systematic  opposition  to  the  spread  of  all  free  inquiry  and 
liberal  knowledge.  These  are  grave  charges,  involving  consequences 
of  serious  import,  and  such  as  should  not  be  believed  or  disbelieved 
upon  mere  rumour,  or  permitted  to  rest  upon  any  vague  hypothesis ; 
because  they  are  of  a  nature  which  renders  them  susceptible  of 
proof.  The  spirit  of  our  institutions  requires  that  these  questions 
should  be  thus  examined.  We  profess  to  guarantee  to  every  inhabi- 
tant of  our  country,  certain  rights,  in  the  enjoyment  of  which  he  shall 
not  be  molested,  except  through  the  instrumentality  of  a  process  of 
law  which  is  clearly  indicated.  Life,  liberty,  property,  reputation, 
are  thus  guarded — and  equally  sacred  is  the  right  secured  to  every 
man,  to  '  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  con- 
science.' 

"But  it  is  idle  to  talk  of  these  inestimable  rights,  as  having  any  effi- 
cacious existence,  if  the  various  checks  and  sanctions,  thrown  around 
them  by  our  constitution  and  laws,  may  be  evaded,  and  a  lawless 
majority,  with  a  high  hand,  ravish  them  by  force  from  a  few  indivi- 
duals, who  may  be  effectually  outlawed  by  a  perverted  public  opinion, 
produced  by  calumny  and  clamour.  It  is  worse  than  idle,  it  is  wick- 
ed, to  talk  of  liberty,  while  a  majority,  having  no  other  right  than 
that  of  the  strongest,  persist  in  blasting  the  character  of  unoffending 
individuals  by  calumny,  and  in  oppressing  them  by  direct  violence 
upon  their  persons  and  property,  not  only  without  evidence  of  their 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CIIURCPI.  16] 

delinquency,  but  against  evidence;  not  only  without  law,  but  in  vio- 
lation of  law — and  merely  because  they  belong  to  an  unpopular 
denomination. 

"  The  very  fact  that  the  Roman  Catholics  are,  and  can  be  with 
impunity,  thus  trampled  upon,  in  a  country  like  ours,  affords  in  itself 
the  most  conclusive  evidence  of  the  groundlessness  of  the  fears 
which  are  entertained  by  some  respecting  them.  Without  the  power 
to  protect  themselves  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  ordinary  I'ights  of  citi- 
zenship, and  with  a  current  of  prejudice  setting  so  strongly  against 
them,  that  they  find  safety  only  in  bending  meekly  to  the  storm ;  how 
idle,  how  puerile,  how  disingenuous  is  it,  to  rave  as  some  have  done, 
of  the  danger  of  Catholic  influence! 

"  We  repeat,  that  this  is  a  question  which  must  rest  upon  testi- 
mony. The  American  people  are  too  intelligent,  too  just,  too 
magnanimous,  to  suffer  the  temporary  delusion  by  which  so  many 
have  been  blinded,  to  settle  down  into  a  permanent  national  preju- 
dice, and  to  oppress  one  Christian  denomination  at  the  bidding  of 
others,  without  some  proof,  or  some  reasonable  argument. 

"We  have  not  yet  seen  any  evidence  in  the  various  publications 
that  have  reached  us,  of  any  unfairness  on  the  part  of  the  Catholics, 
in  the  propagation  of  their  religious  doctrines.  If  they  are  active, 
persevering,  and  ingenious,  in  their  attempts  to  gain  converts,  and  if 
they  are  successful  in  securing  the  countenance  and  support  of  those 
who  maintain  the  same  form  of  belief  in  other  countries,  these,  we 
imagine,  are  the  legitimate  proofs  of  Christian  zeal  and  sincerity.  In 
relation  to  Protestant  sects,  they  are  certainly  so  estimated ;  and  we 
are  yet  to  learn,  why  the  ordinary  laws  of  evidence  are  to  be  set 
aside  in  reference  to  this  denomination,  and  why  the  missionary  spirit 
which  is  so  praiseworthy  in  others,  should  be  thought  so  wicked  and 
so  dangerous  in  them. 

"  Let  us  inquire  into  this  matter  calmly.  Why  is  it  that  the 
Catholics  are  pursued  with  such  pertinacity,  with  such  vindictive- 
ness,  with  such  ruthless  malevolence  ?  Why  cannot  their  peculiar 
opinions  be  opposed  by  argument,  by  persuasion,  by  remonstrance, 
as  one  Christian  sect  should  oppose  each  other?  We  speak  kindly 
of  the  Jew,  and  even  of  the  heathen ;  there  are  those  that  love  a 
negro  or  a  Cherokee  even  better  than  their  own  flesh  and  blood ;  but 
a  Catholic  is  an  abomination,  for  whom  there  is  no  law,  no  charity, 
no  bond  of  Christian  fraternity. 

"  These  reflections  rise  naturally  out  of  the  recent  proceedings  in 
relation  to  the  Roman  Catholics.  A  nunnery  has  been  demolished 
by  an  infuriated  mob — a  small  community  of  refined  and  unprotected 


Kjo  HISTORY  OF  THE 

females,  lawfully  and  usefully  engaged  in  the  tuition  of  children, 
whose  parents  have  voluntarily  committed  them  to  their  care,  have 
been  driven  from  their  home — yet  the  perpetrators  have  escaped 
punishment,  and  the  act,  if  not  openly  excused,  is  winked  at,  by 
Protestant  Christians.  The  outrage  was  public,  extensive,  and  unde- 
niable; and  a  most  respectable  committee,  who  investigated  all  the 
facts,  have  shown  that  it  was  unprovoked — a  mere  wanton  ebullition 
of  savage  malignity.  Yet  the  sympathies  of  a  large  portion  of  the 
Protestant  community  are  untouched. 

"  Is  another  instance  required,  of  the  pervading  character  of  this 
prejudice  ?  How  common  has  been  the  expedient,  employed  by  mis- 
sionaries from  the  west,  in  the  eastern  states,  of  raising  money  for 
education  or  for  religion  upon  the  allegation  that  it  was  necessary  to 
prevent  the  ascendancy  of  the  Catholics !  How  often  has  it  been 
asserted,  throughout  the  last  ten  years,  that  this  was  the  chosen  field 
on  which  the  papists  had  erected  their  standard,  and  where  the  battle 
must  be  fought  for  civil  and  religious  liberty  !  What  tales  of  horror 
have  been  poured  into  the  ears  of  the  confiding  children  of  the  Pil- 
grims— of  young  men  emigrating  to  the  west,  marrying  Catholic 
ladies,  and  collapsing  without  a  struggle  into  the  arms  of  Romanism 
— of  splendid  edifices  undermined  by  profound  dungeons,  prepared 
for  the  reception  of  heretic  republicans — of  boxes  of  firearms  secretly 
transported  into  hidden  receptacles,  in  the  very  bosoms  of  our  flou- 
rishing cities — of  vast  and  widely  ramified  European  conspiracies,  by 
which  Irish  Catholics  are  suddenly  converted  into  lovers  of  mo- 
narchy, and  obedient  instruments  of  kings  ! 

"A  prejudice  so  indomitable  and  so  blind,  could  not  fiail,  in  an 
ingenious  and  enterprising  land  like  ours,  to  be  made  the  subject  of 
pecuniary  speculation ;  accordingly  we  find  such  works  as  the 
'  Master  Key  to  Popery,'  '  Secrets  of  Female  Convents,'  and  '  Six 
Months  in  a  Convent,'  manufactured  with  a  distinct  view  to  making 
a  profit  out  of  this  diseased  state  of  the  public  mind.  The  abuse  of 
the  Catholics,  therefore,  is  not  merely  matter  of  party  rancour,  but  is 
a  regular  trade  ;  and  the  compilation  of  anti-catholic  books  of  the 
character  alluded  to,  has  become  a  part  of  the  regular  industry  of 
the  country,  as  much  as  tlie  making  of  nutmegs,  or  the  construction 
of  clocks. 

"  Philosophy  sanctions  the  belief,  that  power,  held  by  any  set  of 
men  without  restraint  or  competition,  is  liable  to  abuse;  and  history 
teaches  the  humiliating  fact,  that  power  thus  held  has  always  been 
abused.  To  inquire  who  has  been  the  greatest  aggressor'  against  the 
rights   of  human  nature,  when   all  who  have   been  tempted   have 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  103 

evinced  a  common  propensity  to  trample  upon  the  laws  of  justice 
and  benevolence,  w^ould  be  an  unprofitable  procedure.  The  re- 
formers punished  heresy  by  death  as  well  as  the  Catholics ;  and  the 
murders  perpetrated  by  intolerance,  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  were 
not  less  atrocious  than  those  which  occurred  under  '  the  bloody 
Mary.'  We  might  even  come  nearer  home,  and  point  to  colonies  on 
our  own  continent,  planted  by  men  professing  to  have  fled  from 
religious  persecution,  who  not  only  excluded  from  all  civil  and  politi- 
cal rights  those  who  were  separated  from  them  by  only  slight  shades 
of  religious  behef,  but  persecuted  many  even  to  death,  for  heresy  and 
witchcraft.  Yet  .these  things  are  not  taken  into  the  calculation  ;  and 
Catholics  are  assumed,  without  examination,  to  be  exclusively  and 
especiall}^  prone  to  the  sins  of  oppression  and  cruelty. 

"  The  French  Catholics,  at  a  very  early  period,  commenced  a  sys- 
tem of  missions  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indians,  and  were  remarka- 
bly successful  in  gaining  converts,  and  conciliating  the  confidence 
and  affections  of  the  tribes.  While  the  Pequods  and  other  northern 
tribes  were  becoming  exterminated,  or  sold  into  slavery,  the  more 
fortunate  savage  of  the  Mississippi  was  listening  to  the  pious  coun- 
sels of  the  Catholic  missionary.  This  is  another  fact,  which  de- 
serves to  be  remembered,  and  which  should  be  weighed  in  the 
examination  of  the  testimony.  It  shows  that  the  Catholic  appetite 
for  cruelty  is  not  quite  so  keen  as  is  usually  imagined  ;  and  that  they 
exercised,  of  choice,  an  expansive  benevolence,  at  a  period  when 
Protestants,  similarly  situated,  were  bloodthirsty  and  rapacious. 

"Advancing  a  little  further  in  point  of  time,  we  find  a  number  of 
colonies  advancing  rapidly  towards  prosperity,  on  our  Atlantic  sea- 
board. In  point  of  civil  government  they  were  somewhat  detached, 
each  making  its  own  municipal  laws,  and  there  being  in  each  a  pre- 
dominance of  the  influence  of  one  religious  denomination.  We  might 
therefore  expect  to  see  the  political  bias  of  each  sect  carried  out  into 
practice  ;  and  it  is  curious  to  examine  how  far  such  was  the  fact.  It 
is  the  more  curious,  because  the  writers  and  orators  of  one  branch  of 
this  family  of  republics,  are  in  the  habit  of  attributing  to  their  own 
fathers  the  principles  of  religious  and  political  toleration,  which  be- 
came established  throughout  the  whole,  and  are  now  the  boast  and 
pride  of  our  nation.  The  impartial  record  of  history  aflbrds  on  this 
subject  a  proof  alike  honourable  to  all,  but  which  rebukes  alike  the 
sectional  or  sectarian  vanity  of  each.  New  England  was  settled  by 
English  Puritans,  New  York  by  Dutch  Protestants,  Pennsylvania  by 
Quakers,  Maryland  by  Cathohcs,  Virginia  by  the  Episcopalian  adhe- 
rents of  the  Stuarts,  and  South  Carolina  by  a  mingled  population  of 


jot  HISTORY  OF  Tllli 

RoLintlhcads  and  Cavaliers  from  England,  and  of  French  Huguenots — 
yet  the  same  broad  foundations  of  civil  and  political  liberty  were  laid 
simultaneously  in  them  all,  and  the  same  spirit  of  resistance  animated 
each  community,  when  the  oppressions  of  the  mother  country  became 
intolerable.  Religious  intolerance  prevailed  in  early  times  only  in  the 
eastern  colonies ;  but  the  witchcraft  superstition,  though  most  strongly 
developed  there,  pervaded  some  other  portions  of  the  new  settlements. 
We  shall  not  amplify  our  remarks  on  this  topic ;  it  is  enough  to  say, 
that  if  the  love  of  monarchy  was  a  component  principle  of  the  Catho- 
lic faith,  it  was  not  developed  in  our  country  when  a  fair  opportunity 
was  offered  for  its  exercise ;  and  that  in  the  glorious  struggle  for 
liberty,  for  civil  and  religious  emancipation — when  our  fathers  ar- 
rayed themselves  in  defence  of  the  sacred  principles  involving  the 
whole  broad  ground  of  contest  betwen  liberty  and  despotism,  the 
Catholic  and  the  Protestant  stood  side  by  side  on  the  battle-field,  and 
in  the  council,  and  pledged  to  their  common  country,  with  equal  de- 
votedness,  their  lives,  their  fortunes,  and  their  sacred  honour.  Nor 
should  it  be  forgotten,  that  in  a  conflict  thus  peculiarly  marked,  a 
Catholic  king  was  our  ally,  when  the  most  powerful  of  Protestant 
governments  was  our  enemy." 

We  close,  in  the  language  of  the  great  father  of  American  liberty. 
In  a  reply  to  a  patriotic  address  of  the  Catholics  of  the  United  States, 
the  illustrious  Washington  thus  gave  utterance  to  his  feelings : 

"  Gentlemen, — While  I  now  receive  with  much  satisfaction  your 
congratulations  on  my  being  called  by  an  unanimous  vote,  to  the  first 
station  in  my  country,  I  cannot  but  duly  notice  your  politeness,  in 
offering  an  apology  for  the  unavoidable  delay.  As  that  delay  has 
given  you  an  opportunity  of  realizing,  instead  of  anticipating,  the 
benefits  of  the  general  government,  you  will  do  me  the  justice  to  be- 
lieve, that  your  testimony  of  the  increase  of  the  public  prosperity, 
enhances  the  pleasure,  which  I  should  otherwise  have  experienced 
from  your  affectionate  address. 

"I  feel  that  my  conduct,  in  war  and  in  peace,  has  met  with  more 
general  approbation  than  could  have  reasonably  been  expected ;  and 
I  find  myself  disposed  to  consider  that  fortunate  circumstance,  in  a 
great  degree,  resulting  from  the  able  support,  and  extraordinary 
candour,  of  my  fellow-citizens  of  all  denominations. 

."  The  prospect  of  national  prosperity  now  before  us,  is  truly  ani- 
mating, and  ought  to  excite  the  exertions  of  all  good  men,  to  establish 
and  secure  the  happiness  of  their  country,  in  the  permanent  duration 
of  its  freedom  and  independence.  America,  under  the  smiles  of 
divine  Providence,  the  protection  of  a  good  government,  and  tl;e  cul- 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  '  |55 

tivation  of  manners,  morals,  and  piety,  cannot  fail  of  attaining  an  un- 
common degree  of  eminence  in  literature,  commerce,  agriculture, 
improvements  at  home,  and  respectability  abroad. 

"  As  mankind  become  more  liberal,  they  will  be  more  apt  to  allow, 
that  all  those  ivlio  conduct  themselves  as  icorlhy  members  of  the  commu- 
nity, are  equally  entitled  to  the  protection  of  civil  government.  I  hope 
ever  to  see  America  among  the  foremost  nations  in  examples  of  jus- 
tice and  liberality.  And  I  presume  that  your  fellow-citizens  will  not 
forget  the  patriotic  part  ichich  you  took  in  the  accomplishment  of  their 
revolution,  and  the  establishment  of  their  government,  or  the  important 
assistance  which  they  received  from  a  nation  in  which  the  Roman 
Catholic  faith  is  professed. 

"  I  thank  you,  gentlemen,  for  your  kind  concern  for  me.  While 
my  life  and  my  health  shall  continue,  in  whatever  situation  I  may  be, 
it  shall  be  my  constant  endeavour  to  justify  the  favourable  sentiments 
which  you  are  pleased  to  express  of  my  conduct.  And  may  the 
members  of  your  society  in  America,  animated  alone  by  the  pure 
spirit  of  Christianity,  and  still  conducting  themselves  as  the  faithful 
subjects  of  our  government,  enjoy  every  temporal  and  spiritual  felicity." 


CHRISTIANS,  OR  CHRISTIAN  CONNEXION. 

BY  THE  REV.  DAVID  MILLARD, 

AUTHOR  OF  TRAVELS  IN  EGiPT,  ARABIA  PETREA,  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 

Within  about  one  half  century,  a  very  considerable  body  of  reli- 
gionists have  arisen  in  the  United  States,  who,  rejecting  all  names, 
appellations,  and  badges  of  distinctive  party  among  the  followers  of 
Christ,  simply  call  themselves  Christians.  Sometimes,  in  speaking 
of  themselves  as  a  body,  they  use  the  term  Christian  Connexion.  In 
many  parts  of  our  country  this  people  have  become  numerous ;  and 
as  their  origin  and  progress  have  been  marked  with  some  rather 
singular  coincidents,  this  article  will  present  a  few  of  them  in  brief 
detail. 

Most  of  the  Protestant  sects  owe  their  origin  to  some  individual 
reformer,  such  as  a  Luther,  a  Calvin,  a  Fox,  or  a  Wesley.  The 
Christians  never  had  any  such  leader,  nor  do  they  owe  their  origin 
to  the  labours  of  any  one  man.  They  rose  nearly  simultaneously  in 
different  sections  of  our  country,  remote  from  each  other,  without 
any  preconcerted  plan,  or  even  knowledge  of  each  other's  movements. 
After  the  lapse  of  .several  years,  the  three  branches  obtained  some 
information  of  each  other,  and  upon  opening  a  correspondence,  were 
surprised  to  find  that  all  had  embraced  nearly  the  same  principles, 
and  were  engaged  in  carrying  forward  the  same  system  of  reform. 
This  singular  coincidence  is  regarded  by  them  as  evidence  that  they 
are  a  people  raised  up  by  the  immediate  direction  and  overruling 
providence  of  God  ;  and  that  the  ground  they  have  assumed  is  the  one 
which  will  finally  swallow  up  all  party  distinctions  in  the  gospel 
church. 

While  the  American  Revolution  hurled  a  deathblow  at  political 
domination,  it  also  diffused  a  spirit  of  liberty  into  the  church.  The 
Methodists  had  spread  to  some  considerable  extent  in  the  United 
States,  especially  south  of  the  Potomac.  Previous  to  this  time  they 
had  been  considered  a  branch  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  were 
dependent  on  English  Episcopacy  for  the  regular  administration  of 
ihe  ordinances.     But  as  the  revolution  had  wrested  tlie  states  from 


CHRISTIANS,  OR  CHRISTIAN  CONNEXION.  1G7 

British  control,  it  also  left  the  American  Methodists  free  to  transact 
their  own  affairs.  Thomas  Coke,  Fi'ancis  Asbury,  and  others,  set 
about  establishing  an  Episcopal  form  of  church  government  for  the 
Methodists  in  America.  Some  of  the  preachers,  however,  had  drank 
too  deeply  of  the  spirit  of  the  times  to  tamely  submit  to  lordly  power, 
wdiether  in  judicial  vestments,  or  clad  in  the  gown  of  a  prelate. 
Their  form  of  church  government  became  a  subject  of  spirited  dis- 
cussion in  several  successive  conferences.  .James  O'Kelly,  of  North 
Carolina,  and  several  other  preachers  of  that  state  and  of  Virginia, 
plead  for  a  congregational  system,  and  that  the  New  Testament  be 
their  only  creed  and  discipline.  The  weight  of  influence,  however, 
turned  on  the  side  of  Episcopacy  and  a  human  creed.  Francis 
Asbury  was  elected  and  ordained  bishop ;  Mr.  O'Kelly,  several  other 
preachers,  and  a  large  number  of  brethren,  seceding  from  the  domi- 
nant party.  This  final  separation  from  the  Episcopal  Methodists, 
took  place,  voluntarily,  at  Manakin  Town,  N.  C,  December  25th, 
1793.  At  first  they  took  the  name  of  "  Republican  Methodists,"  but 
at  a  subsequent  conference  resolved  to  be  known  as  Christians  only, 
to  acknowledge  no  head  over  the  church  but  Christ,  and  no  creed  or 
discipline  but  the  Bible. 

Near  the  close  of  the  18th  century.  Dr.  Abner  Jones,  of  Hartland, 
Vermont,  then  a  member  of  a  regular  Baptist  Church,  had  a  peculiar 
travel  of  mind  in  relation  to  sectarian  names  and  human  creeds. 
The  first,  he  regarded  as  an  evil,  because  they  were  so  many  badges 
of  distinct  separation  among  the  followers  of  Christ.  The  second, 
served  as  so  many  lines  or  walls  of  separation  to  keep  the  disciples  of 
Christ  apart ;  that  sectarian  nfimes  and  human  creeds  should  be  aban- 
doned, and  that  true  piety  alone,  and  not  the  externals  of  it,  should  be 
made  the  only  test  of  Christian  fellowship  and  communion.  Making 
the  Bible  the  only  source  from  whence  he  drew  the  doctrine  he  taught, 
Dr.  Jones  commenced  propagating  his  sentiments  with  zeal,  though 
at  that  time  he  did  not  know  of  another  individual  who  thought  like 
hin^self.  In  September,  1800,  he  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  church 
of  about  twenty-five  members  gathered  in  Lyndon,  Vt.,  embracing 
these  principles.  In  1802  he  gathered  another  church  in  Bradford, 
Vt.,  and,  in  March,  1803,  another  in  Piermont,  N.  H.  About  this 
time,  Elias  Smith,  then  a  Baptist  minister,  was  preaching  with  great 
success  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  Falling  in  ^'ith  Dr.  Jones's  views,  the 
church  under  his  care  was  led  into  the  same  principles.  Up  to  this  time 
Dr.  Jones  had  laboured  as  a  preacher  nearly  if  not  quite  single-hand- 
ed; but  several  preachers  from  the  regular  Baptists  and  Freewill 
Baptists,  now  rallied  to  the   standard   he   had    unfurled.     Preachers 


168 


HISTORY  OF  TIIC 


were  also  raised  up  in  the  diflerent  churches  now  organized,  several 
of  whom  travelled  extensively,  preaching  with  great  zeal  and  success. 
Churches  of  the  order  were  soon  planted  in  all  the  New  England 
states,  the  states  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  more  recently 
in  New  Jersey  and  Michigan.  A  large  number  of  churches  have  also 
been  planted  in  the  Canadas,  and  the  province  of  New  Brunswick. 

A  very  extraordinary  revival  of  religion  was  experienced  among 
the  Presbyterians  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  during  the  years  1800 
and  1801.  Several  Presbyterian  ministers  heartily  entered  into  this 
work,  and  laboured  with  a  fervour  and  zeal  which  they  had  never 
before  manifested.  Others  either  stood  aloof  from  it,  or  opposed  its 
progress.  The  preachers  who  entered  the  work,  broke  loose  from 
the  shackles  of  a  Calvinistic  creed,  and  preached  the  gospel  of  free 
salvation.  The  creed  of  the  church  now  appeared  in  jeopardy. 
Pi'esbyteries,  and  finally  the  Synod  of  Kentucky,  interposed  their 
authority  to  stop  what  they  were  pleased  to  call  a  torrent  of  Armi- 
nianism.  Barton  W.  Stone,  of  Kentucky,  a  learned  and  eloquent 
minister,  with  four  other  ministers,  withdrew  from  the  Synod  of  Ken- 
tucky. As  well  might  be  expected,  a  large  number  of  Presbyterian 
members,  with  most  of  the  converts  in  this  great  revival,  rallied 
round  these  men  who  had  laboured  so  faithfully,  and  had  been  so  sig- 
nally blessed  in  their  labours.  As  they  had  already  felt  the  scourge  of 
a  human  creed,  the  churches  then  under  their  control,  with  such 
others  as  they  organized,  agreed  to  take  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their 
only  written  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  At  first  they  organized  them- 
selves into  what  was  called  the  "  Springfield  Presbytery ;"  but  in 
1803,  they  abandoned  that  name,  and  agreed  to  be  known  as  Chris- 
tians only.  Preachers  were  now  added  to  their  numbers  and  raised 
up  in  their  ranks.  As  they  had  taken  the  scriptures  for  their  guide, 
pedobaptism  was  renounced,  and  believers'  baptism  by  immersion 
substituted  in  its  room.  On  a  certain  occasion  one  minister  baptized 
another  minister,  and  then  he  who  had  been  baptized  immersed  the 
others.  From  the  very  beginning,  this  branch  spread  with  surprising 
rapidity,  and  now  extends  through  all  the  western  states. 

From  this  brief  sketch  it  will  be  perceived  that  this  people  origi- 
nated from  the  three  principal  Protestant  sects  in  America.  The 
branch  at  the  south,  from  the  IMethodists ;  the  one  at  the  north,  from 
the  Baptists,  and  liie  on%at  the  west,  from  the  Presbyterians.  The 
three  branches  rose  within  the  space  of  eight  years,  in  sections  re- 
mote and  unknown  to  each  other,  until  sonic  years  afterwards.  Pro- 
bably no  other  religious  body  ever  had  a  similar  origin. 

The  adopting  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their  only  system  of  faith. 


CHRISTIANS,  OR  CHRISTIAN  CONNEXION.  jgg 

has  led  them  to  the  study  of  shaping  their  behef  by  the  language  of 
the  ,sacred  oracles.  A  doctrine,  which  cannot  be  expressed  in  the 
language  of  inspiration,  they  do  not  hold  themselves  obligated  to  be- 
lieve. Hence,  with  very  few  exceptions,  they  are  not  Trinitarians, 
averring  that  they  can  neither  find  the  word  nor  the  doctrine  in  the 
Bible.  They  believe  "  the  Lord  our  Jehovah  is  one  Lord,"  and  purely 
one.  That  "Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God."  That 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  that  divine  unction  with  which  our  Saviour  was 
anointed,  (Acts  x.  38,)  the  effusion  that  was  poured  out  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost;  and  that  it  is  a  divine  emanation  of  God,  by  which  he 
exerts  an  energy  or  influence  on  rational  minds.  While  they  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  they  are  not  Socinians  or  Hu- 
manitarians. Their  prevailing  belief  is  that  Jesus  Christ  existed  with 
the  Father  before  all  worlds.  (See  Millard's  "  True  Messiah,"  Morg- 
ridge's  "  True  Believer's  Defence,"  and  Kinkade's  "  Bible  Doctrine.") 

Although  the  Christians  do  not  contend  for  entire  uniformity  in 
belief,  yet  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  nearly,  if  not  quite  all  of  them 
would  agree  in  the  following  sentiments  :  L  That  God  is  the  right- 
ful arbiter  of  the  universe  ;  the  source  and  fountain  of  all  good.  2. 
That  all  men  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  3. 
That  with  God  there  is  forgiveness ;  but  that  sincere  repentance  and 
reformation  are  indispensable  to  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  4.  That 
man  is  constituted  a  free  moral  agent,  and  made  capable  of  obeying 
the  gospel.  5.  That  through  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  souls,  in 
the  use  of  means,  are  converted,  regenerated  and  made  new  crea- 
tures. 6.  That  Christ  was  delivered  for  our  offences  and  raised  again 
for  our  justification;  that  through  his  example,  doctrine,  death,  resur- 
rection and  intercession,  he  has  made  salvation  possible  to  everyone, 
and  is  the  only  Saviour  of  lost  sinners.  7.  That  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  supper  are  ordinances  to  be  observed  by  all  true  believers ; 
and  that  baptism  is  the  immersing  of  the  candidate  in  water,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  ihe  Holy  Ghost.  8.  That 
a  life  of  watchfulness  and  prayer  only  will  keep  Christians  from  fall- 
ing, enable  them  to  live  in  a  justified  state,  and  ultimately  secure  to 
them  the  crown  of  eternal  life.  9.  That  there  will  be  a  resurrection 
of  both  the  just  and  the  unjust.  10.  That  God  has  ordained  Jesus 
Christ  judge  of  the  quick  and  dead  at  the  last  day ;  and  at  the  judg- 
ment, the  wricked  will  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  and  the 
righteous  into  life  eternal. 

In  the  Christian  Connexion,  churches  are  independent  bodies,  au- 
thorized to  govern  themselves  and  transact  their  own  affairs.  They 
have  a  large  number  of  associations  called  Conferences.     Each  con- 

12 


jiyO  CHRISTIANS,  OR  CHRISTIAN  CONNEXION. 

ference  meets  annually,  sometimes  oftener,  and  is  composed  of  minis- 
ters and  messengers  from  churches  within  its  bounds.  At  such  con- 
ferences candidates  for  the  ministry  are  examined,  received  and 
commended.  Once  a  year,  in  conference,  the  character  and  standing 
of  each  minister  is  examined,  that  purity  in  the  ministry  maybe  care- 
fully maintained.  Such  other  subjects  are  discussed  and  measures 
adopted,  as  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the  welfare  of  the  body  at  large. 

They  have  a  book  concern  located  at  Union  Mills,  N.  Y.,  called 
"  The  Christian  General  Book  Association."  At  the  same  place  they 
issue  a  semi-monthly  periodical  called  the  "  Christian  Palladium." 
They  also  publish  a  weekly  paper  at  Exeter,  N.  H.,  called  the 
"  Christian  Herald ;"  and  another  semi-monthly  periodical  is  about  to 
be  issued  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  to  be  called  the  "  Gospel  Herald." 
They  have  also  three  institutions  of  learning;  one  located  at  Dur- 
ham, N.  H.,  one  in  North  Carolina,  and  the  other  at  Starkey,  Yates 
county,  N.  Y. 

Although  several  of  their  preachers  are  defective  in  education,  yet 
there  are  among  them  some  good  scholars  and  eloquent  speakers ; 
several  of  whom  have  distinguished  themselves  as  writers.  Educa- 
tion is  fast  rising  in  their  body.  While  their  motto  has  ever  been, 
"  Let  him  that  understands  the  gospel,  teach  it,"  they  are  also  con- 
vinced that  Christianity  never  has  been,  and  never  will  be  indebted  to 
palpable  ignorance.  Their  sermons  are  most  generally  delivered  ex- 
tempore, and  energy  and  zeal  are  considered  important  traits  in  a 
minister  for  usefulness. 

The  statistics  of  the  connexion,  though  imperfect,  may  probably  be 
computed,  at  the  present  time,  (1844,)  as  follows:  the  number  of 
preachers  about  1500,  and  500  licentiates;  communicants  about 
325,000;  number  of  churches  about  1500.  There  are  probably  not 
less  than  500,000  persons  in  this  country  who  have  adopted  their 
general  views,  and  attend  upon  their  ministry. 


CHUECH  or  GOD. 


BY    R  E  V.  J  O  H  N    W I  N  E  B  R  E  N  N  E  R,    V.    D.    M., 

HARRISBURG,  PA. 

'Here  are  they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus. 
Rev.  xiv.  12. 


The  prominent  parts  and  aspects  of  this  article  on  the  "  Church  of 
God,"  may  be  traced  and  referred  to  under  the  following  heads,  to 
%vit : 

1st,   Tlic  origin  and  name  ; 

2dly.    The  form  and  attributes  ; 

3dly.   The  faiZh  and  practice  ;  and^ 

4thly.   The  economy  and  statistics,  of  the  Church  of  God, 

We  shall  give  a  brief  account  of 

I.  THE  ORIGIN  AND  NAME  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD. 

a.  As  to  the  origin  of  the  Church  of  God,  truth  compels  us  to  say, 
that  she  justly  claims  priority  to  all  evangelical  churches.  Her  il- 
lustrious and  adorable  founder  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  bought 
her  with  his  blood.*  He  founded  her  on  the  Rock.f  He  first  com- 
menced her  gathering.J  He  continued  her  establishment  by  the 
ministry  of  the  apostles,§  and  by  the  dispensations  of  his  Spirit.  And 
thus  he  still  continues  to  carry  on  this  building  of  Godj] — this  New 
Jerusalem  from  above,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all.^  And  we  may 
add,  this,  his  own  church  or  temple,  he  will  thus  continue  to  build  and 
prosper,  despite  of  all  her  adversaries ;  and  ultimately,  at  the  end  of 
time,  consummate,  by  bringing  forth  the  head  stones  thereof  with  loud 
acclamations  and  shouts  of  grace,  grace  to  it.** 

•  Acts  XX.  28.  t  Matt.  xvi.  18.  X  Mark  i.  14-20. 

§  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20 ;  Mark  xvi. ;  Acts  ii.  1.  II  1  Cor.  iii.  9. 

T  GaL  iv.  26.  **  Zech.  iv.  7, 


172 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Some  writers  have  sought  to  trace  the  origin  of  the  Church  of  God 
up  to  Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful.  But  this  is  an  error.  If 
the  Church  of  God  under  the  New  Testament  was  the  same  with  the 
Abrahamic  or  Jewish  Church,  then  Christ  would  never  have  said  to 
Peter,  "  Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church  ;"*  and  the  Apostle 
would  never  have  said,  "  He  (Christ)  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath 
broken  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  us ;  having  abo- 
lished in  his  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  commandments  con- 
tained in  ordinances,  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  (Jews  and  gentiles) 
one  new  man."f  Now,  if  this  "  new  man,"  means  the  Churcli  of  God, 
and  of  this  there  can  be  no  rational  doubt,  then,  without  controversy, 
she  originated  under  the  personal  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
apostles. 

h.  The  name  or  title,  Church  of  God,  is  undeniably  the  true  and  pro- 
per appellation  by  which  the  New  Testament  church  ought  to  be 
designated.  This  is  her  scriptural  and  appropriate  name.  This,  and 
no  other  title,  is  given  her  by  divine  authority  .J  This  name  or  title, 
therefore,  ought  to  be  adopted  and  worn  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others. 

There  are  those,  who  have  pleaded  for  the  use,  and  for  the  exclusive 
use,  of  some  other  appellations :  such  as  the  name  of  Christian ;  others 
for  that  of  Disciples ;  and  others,  again,  for  the  name  Brethren,  &c. 
But  it  ought  to  be  recollected,  that  not  one  of  these  is  a  proper  noun, 
or  a  patronymic,  and,  therefore,  none  of  them  is  ever  used  in  Scrip- 
ture as  an  appellation  for  the  church.  The  individual  members  of 
the  church  are,  and  may  be,  very  properly  so  called ;  but  not  so  with 
regard  to  the  church  herself.  We  nowhere  read  of  the  •'  Christian 
Church,"  or  of  the  "Disciples'  Church,"  nor  of  the  "Brethren's 
Church,"  &c. 

If,  then,  it  is  unscriptural  to  assume  and  wear  any  one  of  these,  or 
any  other  Bible  name,  as  a  church  appellation,  how  much  more  im- 
proper, unscriptural,  and  God-dishonouring  is  it,  to  lay  aside  all  Bible 
names,  even  the  divinely  appointed  name,  Church  of  God,  and  assume 
a  human  name:  such  as  Roman  Catholic,  Episcopalian,  Lutheran, 
Presbyterian,  German  Reformed,  Baptist,  Methodist,  Menonist,  Uni- 
tarian, Universalist,  or  something  else,  equally  inappropriate,  unscrip- 
tural, or  even  unmeaning? 

As  a  religious  community,  therefore,  we  claim  to  stand  identified 
with,  and  to  be  a  part  of,  the  true  Church  of  God.§    As  such,  we  claim 

*  Matt.  xvj.  18.  t  Eph.  ii.  14,  15. 

t  Is.  Ixii.  2 ;  Acts  xx.  28 ;  Gal.  i.  13;  1  Tim.  iii.  15 

§  We  admit,  tlicrc  arc  more  or  less  Christians,  or  converted  persons,  among  the  dif- 
ferent sects  and  denominations ;  but  we  regret  tliat  the  most  of  liicm  liave  no  preference 


CHURCH  OF  GOD.  I73 

brotherhood  with  all  the  saints  of  God,  wherever,  they  may  be  found, 
and  wish  to  extend  the  hand  of  fellowship  to  all,  without  exception, 
"  whose  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  his  Son  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." 

But  as  I  have  been  requested  to  write  a  brief  history  of  the  Church 
of  God,  as  she  exists  by  that  name  in  the  United  States,  I  shall  here 
give  a  short  account  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  that  religious  com- 
munity, or  body  of  believers,  who  profess  to  have  come  out  from  all 
human  and  unscriptural  organizations,  and  to  have  fallen  back  upon 
original  grounds,  and  who  wish,  therefore,  to  be  known  and  called  by 
no  other  distinctive  name,  collectively  taken,  than  the  Church  of 
God.  This  name  we  assume  from  conscientious  motives,  because 
reason  and  revelation  require  it ;  and  not  because  we  wish  to  magnify 
ourselves  against  others,  as  it  has  been  improperly  and  unkindly  inti- 
mated by  some  of  our  sectarian  neighbours. 

In  the  year  1820  the  writer  of  this  article  settled  in  Harrisburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, as  a  minister  of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  and  took 
charge  o{four  congregations ;  one  in  town,  and  three  in  the  country. 
Soon  after  his  settlement  in  this  charge,  it  pleased  the  great  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  souls  to  commence  a  work  of  grace  among  the 
people,  both  in  town  and  in  the  country.  But,  as  revivals  of  religion 
were  new  and  almost  unheard-of  things  in  those  days,  especially 
among  the  German  people  of  that  region,  this  work  of  God  f;tiled  not 
to  excite  great  wrath  and  opposition  among  hypocrites,  false  profes- 
sors, and  the  wicked  generally;  just  as  true  revivals  of  religion,  or 
genuine  works  of  grace,  have  very  generally,  if  not  always  done.  And 
as  the  members  of  the  aforesaid  congregations  or  churches  so  called, 
were  themselves  unconverted,  with  few  exceptions,  and  ignorant  of 
the  right  ways  of  the  Lord,  the  most  violent  opposition  and  persecu- 
tion arose  from  that  quarter,  aided  by  not  a  few  of  the  ministers  of 
their  synod  themselves.  This  state  of  things  lasted  for  the  space  of 
about  five  years,  and  then  resulted  in  a  separation  from  the  German 
Reformed  Church. 

About  this  time  (1825)  more  extensive  and  glorious  revivals  of 
religion  commenced  in  different  towns  and  neighbourhoods,  to  wit: 
Harrisburg,  Shiremanstown,  Lisborn,  Mechanicsburg,  Churchtown, 
New  Cumberland,  Linglestown,  Middletown,  Millerstown,  Lebanon, 
Lancaster,  Shippensburg,  Elizabethtown,  Mount  Joy,  Marietta,  and 
various  other  places.     In  these  glorious  revivals  there  were  hundreds 

for  Bible  names,  and  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord ;  or,  if  they  have,  that  they  lack  nnoral 
courage  to  avow  it. 


174 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  multitudes  happily  converted  to  God.  The  conversion  of  these 
scores  and  multitudes  in  different  places  led  to  the  organization  of 
churches.  And,  as  the  writer's  views  had  by  this  time  materially 
chanf^cd,  as  to  the  true  nature  of  a  scriptural  organization  of  churches, 
he  adopted  the  apostolic  plan,  as  taught  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
established  spiritual,  free,  and  independent  churches,  consisting  of 
believers  or  Christians  only,  without  any  human  name,  or  creed,  or 
ordinances,  or  laws,  &c. 

From  among  these  young  converts,  in  these  newly  planted  churches, 
it  pleased  God  to  raise  up  several  able  men,  to  take  upon  them  the 
solemn  and  responsible  office  of  the  gospel  ministry.  These  minister- 
ing brethren,  with  a  few  other  great  and  good  men  with  similar  views 
and  kindred  spirits,  laboured  and  co-operated  with  each  other  for  a 
few  years,  promiscuously,  as  it  were,  or  without  any  regular  system 
of  co-operation ;  but  finally  they  agreed  to  hold  a  meeting  for  the 
purpose  of  adopting  a  regular  system  of  co-operation. 

Accordingly,  they  met  together  for  this  purpose,  pursuant  to  public 
notice,  in  the  Union  Bethel,  at  Harrisburg,  in  the  month  of  October, 
1830,  and  organized  the  meeting  by  appointing  John  Winebrenner,  of 
Harrisburg,  speaker;  and  John  Elliott,  of  Lancaster,  clerk. 

After  spending  the  morning  session  in  solemn  prayer  and  delibera- 
tions, the  meeting  was  adjourned  till  2  o'clock,?.  M.,  when  a  sermon 
was  preached  before  the  meeting  by  the  speaker,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a  brief  sketch. 

Text — "And  now,  I  say  to  you,  refrain  from  these  men,  and  let 
them  alone :  for  if  this  counsel  or  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to 
nought :  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it ;  lest  haply  ye  be 
found  even  to  fight  against  God."    (Acts,  v.  38,  39.) 

By  the  "  counsel  and  work"  spoken  of  in  this  passage  is  meant  the 
preaching  and  propagation  of  Christianity,  or,  in  other  words,  the  con- 
version of  sinners,  the  formation  of  churches,  and  the  supply  of  the 
destitute  with  the  gospel  ministry. 

The  furtherance  of  this  counsel  and  work,  then,  is  the  great  osten- 
sible object  contemplated  by  the  present  meeting;  that  is,  by  adopting 
such  a  plan  of  co-operation  as  shall  most  happily  subserve  the  cause 
of  God  in  promoting 

1st.  The  conversion  of  sinners; 

2dly.  The  establishment  of  churches  upon  the  New  Testament 
plan  ;  and, 

3dly.  The  supplying  of  the  destitute  with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

First.  The  conversion  of  sinners  is  the  first  great  aim,  end  or  object 
contemplated  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 


CHURCH  OF  GOD.   j  175 

By  sinners,  we  mean  persons  in  a  carnal  or  natural  state,  and  who 
have  transgressed  the  law  of  God. 

By  the  conversion  of  sinners,  we  mean  such  a  moral  change  of  the 
heart  and  life,  as  the  Scriptures  uniformly  require  and  declare  indis- 
pensably necessary  to  prepare  them  for  heaven. 

This  great  and  benevolent  end  is  usually  effected  by  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  Hence  Christ  has  ordained  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 
And  those  who  are  entrusted  with  this  sacred  office,  ought  to  consi- 
der it  their  first  and  great  duty  to  labour  for  the  conversion  of  sinners. 
This  is  the  first  part  of  the  "  counsel  and  work  of  God."  This,  there- 
fore, we  have  in  view :  of  it  may  we  never  lose  sight,  and  in  it  may 
we  never  tire. 

Secondly.  To  establish  and  build  up  churches  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment plan  is  another  primary  part  of  this  "  counsel  and  work  ;"  and 
a  further  end  or  object  that  we  have  in  view. 

A  church  signifies  a  religious  society,  or  a  given  number  of  Chris- 
tians united  together  by  mutual  consent,  for  the  worship  of  God 
according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Agreeably  to  the  New  Testament,  churches  should  be  formed, — 

1.  Of  Christians  or  believers  only;* 

2.  Without  a  sectarian  or  human  name;| 

3.  With  no  creed  and* discipline  but  the  Bible  ;J 

4.  Subject  to  no  extrinsic  or  foreign  jurisdiction  ;§  and, 

5.  Governed  by  their  own  officers,  chosen  by  a  majority  of  the 
members  of  each  individual  church.jl 

To  accomplish  all  this  will  require  another  great  reformation.  But, 
under  God,  it  can  be  achieved. 

Thirdly.  To  supply  destitute  places  with  regular  preaching,  is  an- 
other great  and  necessary  part  of  the  *'  counsel  and  work"  of  God, 
and  for  the  accomplishment  of  which  we  purpose  to  unite  on  the  best 
and  most  efficient  plan  of  co-operation. 

With  these,  and  many  other  words,  the  preacher  testified,  &c. 

After  sermon,  the  business  meeting  was  called  to  order,  and  after 
some  further  consultation,  it  was  agreed,  as  the  unanimous  sense  of 
the  meeting, 

1st.  That  there  is  but  one  true  church,  namely :  the  Church  of  God. 

2dly.  That  it  is  the  bounden  duty  of  all  God's  people  to  belong  to  her, 
and  none  else. 

*  Acts  ii.  41;  V,  13.  t  Is,  Ixii,  2. 

t  Ps.  xix.  7 ;  Matt,  xxviii.  20  ;  Acts  ii.  42 ;  2  John  9.  §  Heb.  xiii.  17 ;  Gal.  v.  1. 

II  Acts  vi.  3 ;  xx.  28. 


176 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


3dlv.  That  it  is  "  lawful  and  right"  to  associate  together  for  the 
purpose  of  co-operation  in  the  cause  of  God. 

4lhly.  That  we  agree  to  hold  an  eldership  annually  for  this  purpose, 
consisting  of  teaching  and  ruling  elders  belonging  to  the  Church  of 
God. 

The  following  teaching  elders  then  subscribed  their  names,  viz: 
Andrew  Miller,  John  Winebrenner,  John  Elliott,  John  Walborn, 
David  Maxwell  and  Janfies  Richards. 

Thus  originated  the  Church  of  God,  properly  so  called,  in  the 
United  States  of  America ;  and  thus,  also,  originated  the  first  elder- 
ship. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  show,  as  was  proposed, 

II.     THE  FORM  AND  ATTRIBUTES  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD. 

The  Greek  word  sxzXrjtria,  translated  church  in  the  New  Testament, 
in  its  appropriate  application  to  a  religious  use,  signifies, 

1st.  A  society  of  Christians,  in  some  given  place,  who  meet  toge- 
ther for  the  worship  of  God  according  to  the  Scriptures.  (Acts  xiv. 
23;  Rev.  i.  4.) 

2dly.  The  whole  body  of  true  believers,  collectively,  throughout 
the  world.     (Matt.  xvi.  18 ;  2  Cor.  xii.  28 ;  CJal.  i.  13  ;  Eph.  v.  27.) 

Accordingly,  the  saints,  or  body  of  believers,  in  any  given  place, 
constitute  the  Churcii  of  God  in  that  place ;  whilst  those  different, 
local  and  individual  churches,  collectively  taken,  constitute  the  one, 
holy,  catholic  church  of  God,  spread  abroad  throughout  the  world. 

This,  then,  being  the  primary  and  appropriate  use  and  meaning  of 
the  term  exxXrjo'ta,  in  the  New  Testament,  it  will  be  easy  to  perceive 
the  true  nature  and  form  of  the  Church  of  God. 

If  she  is  constituted  or  made  up  of  saints.  Christians,  or  true  be- 
lievers, as  the  use  of  the  word  indicates,  then  such,  and  none  else, 
are  scripturally  entitled  to  membership.  And  if  she  is  a  society  of 
saints  or  Christians,  then  a  congenial  government  is  necessarily  im- 
plied; for  no  society  can  well  exist  without  order,  and  order  supposes 
rule,  discipline,  and  control;  and  these,  a  ruling  and  controlling 
power. 

Organization,  therefore,  is  fairly  predicated  of  every  gospel  church. 
And  we  believe  no  church  to  be  scripturally  organized,  without  a 
competent  number  of  bishops  and  deacons.  These  two  classes  are 
the  only  regular,  standing  church  officers  which  Christ  appointed. 
There  were,   besides  these,  several   other  olTicers  in  the  primitive 


CHURCH  OF  GOD.  I77 

church ;  but  those  were  rather  temporary,  special,  and  extraordinary 
officers,  than  otherwise. 

Bishops  and  elders  (for  these  we  hold  to  be  convertible  appellations, 
and  designations  of  the  same  office.  Acts  xx.  17,  28;  Tit.  i.  5-7,)  are 
the  teaching  and  ruling  officers  of  the  church,  in  both  her  spiritual 
and  secular  departments ;  whilst  the  deacons  are  the  servants  and 
assistants  of  ihe  elders  in  secular  affairs.* 

Hence  we  may  readily  and  clearly  perceive,  that  the  form  of 
government  which  God  has  ordained  in  his  church  is  not  and  cannot 
be  papal,  nor  patriarchal,  nor  magisterial,  nor  episcopal,  in  its  popu- 
lar sense,  nor  congregational ;  but  Presbyterian,  that  is,  a  government 
vested  in  the  hands  of,  and  administered  by,  the  elders  or  presbyters 
of  the  church.f 

The  proper  way  to  organize  or  appoint  the  officers  of  a  church  is, 
to  elect  the  ruling  elders  and  deacons  by  a  vote  of  the  church,  in 
which  all  the  members,  both  males  and  females,  ought  to  participate. 
(See  Acts  vi.  2,  3;  Gal.  iii.  28.)  The  term  of  office  each  church  has 
a  right  to  determine.  But  both  reason  and  Scripture,  we  think, 
dictate  the  propriety  of  making  these  temporary,  and  not  perpetual, 
or  life-officers.  If  they  are  elected  for  a  limited  term,  the  church 
may  displace  them  when  she  has  it  in  her  power  to  elect  men  of 
superior  gifts  and  qualifications;  and  in  the  absence  of  that  opportu- 
nity she  loses  nothing,  because  the  same  officers  are  always  re-eligible. 

Hovvbeit,  teaching  elders,  or  preachers  of  the  gospel,  ought  always 
to  be  chosen  or  called  of  God;  that  is,  moved,  inclined,  or  disposed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  take  upon  them  the  sacred  functions  of  the  gos- 
pel ministry.  A  divine  call  should  always  be  antecedent  to  ecclesias- 
tical ones. 

The  official  functions  and  jurisdiction  of  ruling  elders  and  deacons 
are  restricted  to  the  particular  churches  to  which  they  belong ;  but 
the  teaching  elders,  or  preachers,  carry  with  them  all  their  ecclesias- 
tical functions  ex-officio. 

This  being  the  essential  and  organic  form  of  the  Church  of  God, 
to  her  rightfully  appertain  the  following  primary  attributes,  viz. : 

1.  Visibility. 

2.  Unity. 

3.  Sanctity. 

4.  Universality;  and, 

5.  Perpetuity. 

1st.  Visibility  is  a  prime  attribute  of  the  Church  of  God.     God 

»  Acts  vi.  1-5.  t  Acts  XX.  17-28. 


178 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


intended  his  church  to  be  "  the  light  of  the  world,"*  and  this  light  to 
be  "  as  clear  as  the  sun  and  as  fair  as  the  inoon."f  Hence  he  com- 
pares her  in  another  place  to  "  a  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill,  and  that 
cannot  be  hid."J  An  invisible  church,  therefore,  that  sonne  divines 
speak  of,  is  altogetlier  an  anomaly  in  Christian  theology. 

2dly.  Unity  is  another  essential  attribute  of  the  Church  of  God. 
The  union  of  sects  with  the  beast  and  false  prophet,  or  into  one  human 
organization,  diverse  in  character,  faith,  and  practice  from  the  one 
true  Church  of  God,  we  have  no  belief  in,  nor  sympathy  for.  But  the 
oneness,  or  unity  of  all  true  believers,  under  the  reign  and  govern- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  consummation  we  most  devoutly  wish  for; 
and  it  being  founded  on  the  immutable  counsels  of  God,  we  believe 
implicitly,  that  here,  under  Messiah's  reign,  and  in  the  Church  of  God, 
and  nowhere  else,  is  the  proper  rallying-ground,  and  the  true  platform 
of  Christian  union,  where  all  can,  will,  and  ought  to  meet  and  unite 
in  order  to  be  "one,  perfectly  o/ie,  as  the  Father  and  the  Son  are 
one."  (See  John  xvii.  21,  22,  23;  x.  16;  Eph.  ii.  14,  15.) 

3dly.  Sanctity  is  also  an  essential  attribute  of  the  true  church. 
Hence  none  but  saints,  or  holy  ones,  have  a  just  and  scriptural  claim 
to  membership  in  the  Church  of  God.  And  as  none  can  be  holy  out 
of  Christ,  that  is,  without  a  personal  interest  in  him,  none  but  sound 
converts  and  true  believers  ought  to  be  recognised  and  tolerated  as 
approved  members  in  the  church.  The  religious  association  of 
unconverted  persons,  or  their  incorporation  with  the  "  saints  of  the 
Most  High,"  is  directly  subversive  of  the  designs  of  God  with  regard  to 
his  church.  (See  John  xvii.  14-19;  Acts  v.  13;  1  Cor.  iii.  11-17;  Eph. 
V.  26,27;  1  Pet.  i.  15,  16.) 

4thly.  Universality  is  likewise  a  prominent  attribute  in  the  Church 
of  the  First  Born.  A  few  passages  will  set  this  in  a  clear  light. 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to  leaven  which  a  woman  look  and 
hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened."  (Matt.  xiii. 
33.)  "  He  shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth."     (Ps.  Ixxii.  8 ;   Dan.  ii.  34,  35.) 

Sthly.  Perpetuity  is  another  principal  attribute  of  the  true  church. 
The  Church  of  God  is  built  upon  an  immovable  rock,  and  "  the  gates 
of  hell,"  we  are  told,  "  shall  never  prevail  against  her."  This  •'  king- 
dom," therefore,  "  is  an  everlasting  kingdom."  (See  Matt.  xvi.  18; 
Daniel  iv.  3.) 

Having  thus  briefly  pointed  out  the  form  and  attributes  of  the 
Church  of  God,  I  shall  now  proceed  to  show — 

•  Matt.  V.  14.  t  Sonffs  vi.  10.  t  Matt.  v.  11. 


CHURCH  OF  GOD,  I79 

III.     THE  FAITH  AND  PRACTICE  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD. 

The  Church  of  God  has  no  authoritative  constitution,  ritual,  creed, 
catechism,  book  of  discipline,  or  church  standard,  but  the  Bible.  The 
Bible  she  believes  to  be  the  only  creed,  discipline,  church  standard, 
or  test-book,  which  God  ever  intended  his  church  to  have.  Never- 
theless, it  may  not  be  inexpedient,  pj-o  bono  'publico,  to  exhibit  a  short 
manifesto,  or  declaration,  showing  her  views,  as  to  what  may  be 
called  leading  matters  of  faith,  experience,  and  practice. 

1.  She  believes  the  Bible,  or  the  canonical  books  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament  to  be  the  word  of  God,  a  revelation  from  God  to 
man,  and  the  only  authoritative  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  (See  Luke 
xvi.  29,  31 ;  2  Tim.  iii.  16;  2  Pet.  i.  19-21.) 

2.  She  believes  in  one  Supreme  God,  consisting  of  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  these  three  are  co-equal  and  co-eternal. 
(Matt,  xxviii.  19;  2  Cor.  xiii.  14 ;  1  John  v.  7.) 

3.  She  believes  in  the  fall  and  depravity  of  man;  that  is  to  say,  that 
man  by  nature  is  destitute  of  the  favour  and  image  of  God.  (Rom.  v. 
10 ;  viii.  7  ;  iii.  10-13 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  49 ;  Col.  i.  21.) 

4.  She  believes  in  the  redemption  of  man  through  the  atonement, 
or  vicarious  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ.  (Rom.  v.  6,  11 ;  iii.  25;  2  Cor. 
v.  19-21;  Gal.  iii.  13;  iv.  4,  5;  Heb.  ix.  12-15;  1  Peter  iii.  18; 
1  John  ii.  2.) 

5.  She  believes  in  the  gift  and  office-work  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that 
IS,  in  the  enlightening,  regenerating,  and  sanctifying  influence  and 
power  of  the  Spirit.  (John  xvi.  7-11;  xiv.  16,  17,  26;  Acts  i.  5  ; 
Titus  iii.  5.) 

6.  She  believes  in  the  free,  moral  agency  of  man ;  that  he  has 
ability,  because  commanded,  to  repent  and  believe,  in  order  to  be 
saved ;  and  that  the  doctrine  of  unconditional  election  and  reproba- 
tion, has  no  foundation  in  the  oracles  of  God.  (Matt,  xxiii.  27 ;  xxv. 
14-30  ;  John  v.  40  ;  Mark  i.  15  ;  Acts  x.  43;  xiii.  38,  39;  xvii.  30; 
1  John  iii.  23.) 

7.  She  believes  that  man  is  justified  by  faith  in  Christ,  and  not  by 
the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  works  of  his  own  righteousness.  (Rom.  iii. 
28;  iv.  5,6;  Gak  ii.  16;  Phik  iii.  9.) 

8.  She  believes  in  the  necessity  of  regeneration  or  the  new  birth  ; 
or,  in  the  change  of  man's  moral  nature,  after  the  image  of  God,  by 
the  influence  and  power  of  the  word  and  spirit  of  God,  through 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  (John  iii.  5  ;  Titus  iii.  5-7  ;  James  i.  18  ;  1  Pet. 
i.  23.) 

9.  She  believes  in  three  positive  ordinances  of  perpetual  standing 


180 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


in  ihc  church,  viz.,  Baptism,  Feet-washing,  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 
(Malt,  xxviii.  19;  Mark  xvi.  IG;  John  xiii.  4-17;  1  Cor.  xi.  23-29; 
Matt.  xxvi.  20-28.) 

10.  She  believes  two  things  essential  to  the  validity  of  baptism, 
\iz., faith  iind  immersion:  that  faith  should  always  precede  immer- 
sion ;  and  that  where  either  is  wanting,  there  can  be  no  scriptural 
baptism.  (Mark  xvi.  16;  Acts  viii.  37;  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  5;  Col.  ii. 
12;  1  Pet.  iii.  21.) 

11.  She  believes  that  the  ordinance  o^  feet-vashing,  that  is,  the 
literal  washing  of  the  saints'  feet,  according  to  the  vi'ords  and  exam- 
ple of  Christ,  is  obligatory  upon  all  Christians,  and  ought  to  be  ob- 
served by  all  the  churches  of  God.  (John  xiii.  4-17  ;  Matt,  xxviii.  20  ; 
1  Tim.  v.  10.) 

12.  She  believes  that  the  Lord's  Supper  should  be  often  administer- 
ed, and,  to  be  consistent,  to  Christians  only,  in  a  sitting  posture,  and 
always  in  the  evening.  (Matt.  xxvi.  20-28  ;  1  Cor.  xi.  23-26 ;  Luke 
xxii.  19,  20;  Mark  xiv.  22-25  ;  Acts  ii.  42.) 

13.  She  believes  in  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  day,  or  Christian 
sabbath,  as  a  day  of  rest  and  religious  worship.  (Mark  ii.  27;  Luke 
xxiii.  56  ;  Acts  xiii.  27  ;  Rev.  i.  10.) 

14.  She  believes  that  the  reading  and  preaching  of  God's  word, 
the  singing  of  psalms  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  and  the  offer- 
ing up  of  prayers,  are  ordained  of  God,  and  ought  to  be  regularly 
and  devoutly  observed  by  all  the  people  and  churches  of  God.  (John 
V.  39;  Matt.  vi.  6-13;  xxviii.  19,  20;  Eph.  v.  19;  Col.  iii.  16;  Phil, 
iv.  6.) 

15.  She  believes  in  the  propriety  and  utility  of  holding  fast-days, 
experience  meetings,  anxious  meetings,  camp  meetings,  and  other 
special  meetings  of  united  and  protracted  efforts  for  the  edification  of 
the  church  and  the  conversion  of  sinners.  (1  Cor.  xiv.  31  ;  Luke  vi. 
12  ;  Acts  xi.  26;  xii.  12  ;  xiv.  27.) 

16.  She  believes  that  the  gospel  ministry,  sabbath  schools,  educa- 
tion, the  religious  press,  the  Bible,  missionary,  temperance,  and  all 
other  benevolent  causes,  ought  to  be  heartily  and  liberally  supported. 
(1  Cor.  ix.  11-14;  Gal.  vi.  6;  James  iv.  17.) 

17.  She  believes  that  the  church  ought  to  relieve  and  take  care  of 
her  own  poor  saints,  superannuated  ministers,  widows  and  orphans. 
(Acts.  vi.  1,  2;  xi.  29;  Rom.  xii.  13;  Gal.  vi.  2;  1  Tim.  v.  9;  1 
Thess.  V.  14;  Phil.  iv.  15;  Hcb.  xiii.  16.) 

18.  She  believes  that  the  manufacture,  traffic,  and  use  of  ardent 
spirits,  as  a  beverage  or  common  drink,  is  injurious  and  immoral, 
and  ought  to  be  abandoned.  (1  Cor.  x.  31  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  11,  12  ;  1  Thess. 
v.  22.) 


CHURCH  OF  GOD.  JQI 

19.  She  believes  the  system  or  institution  of  involuntary  slavery  to 
be  impolitic  and  unchristian.  (Matt.  vii.  12  ;  xix.  19  ;  Gal.  iii.  28.) 

20.  She  believes  that  all  civil  wars  are  unholy  and  sinful,  and  in 
which  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  ought  never  to  participate.  (2  Cor. 
X.  4;  Heb.  xii.  14  ;  Matt.  vii.  12;  xxvi.  52  ;  v.  39,  44.) 

21.  She  believes  that  civil  governments  are  ordained  of  God  for 
the  general  good ;  that  Christians  ought  to  be  subject  to  the  same  in 
all  things,  except  what  is  manifestly  nnscriptural ;  and  that  appeals  to 
the  law,  out  of  the  church,  for  justice,  and  the  adjustments  of  civil 
rights,  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  principles  and  duties  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  (Rom.  xiii.  1-5;  Acts  xxv.  11,  21  ;  1  Cor.  vi.  1-7.) 

22.  She  believes  in  the  necessity  of  a  virtuous  and  holy  life,  and 
that  Christ  will  save  those  only  who  obey  them.  (Heb.  xii.  14;  1  Pet. 
i.  6 ;  V.  9.) 

23.  She  believes  in  the  visibility,  unity,  sanctity,  universality,  and 
perpetuity  of  the  church  of  God.  (Matt.  v.  14;  John  xvii.  21 ;  1  Cor. 
X.  17  ;  Eph.  V.  27  ;  Matt.  xiii.  33 ;  xvi.  18.) 

24.  She  believes  in  the  personal  coming  and  reign  of  Jesus  Christ. 
(Matt.  xxiv.  42-44 ;  Acts  i.  1 1  ;  Phil.  iii.  20,  21  ;  1  Thess.  iv.  16, 17  ; 
1  John  iii.  2;  Rev.  i.  17.) 

25.  She  believes  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  "  both  of  the  just 
and  unjust;"  that  the  resurrection  of  the  just  will  precede  the  resur- 
rection of  the  unjust;  that  the  first  will  take  place  at  the  beginning, 
and  the  second  at  the  end  of  the  millennium.  (John  v.  28,  29  ;  Acts 
xxiv.  15;  1  Thess.  iv.  16;  Rev.  xx.  4,  5,  6.) 

26.  She  believes  in  the  creation  of  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth. 
(Is.  Ixv.  17  ;  Ixvi.  22  ;  2  Pet.  iii.  13 ;  Rev.  xxi.  1.) 

27.  She  believes  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul;  in  a  universal  and 
eternal  judgment ;  and  in  future  and  everlasting  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, (Matt.  xxv.  31-46  ;  Mark  viii.  36 ;  xii.  25  ;  Luke  xvi.  19-31  ; 
Acts  xvii.  31.) 

Such  then,  is  an  outline  of  the  avowed  principles  and  practice  of 
the  Church  of  God  in  the  United  States.  I  shall  now  conclude  this 
article  by  presenting — 

IV.     HER    ECONOMY     AND    STATISTICS. 

The  economy  of  the  ixxk-riglag  Gtou,  is  strictly  scriptural  and  apos- 
tolical. All  her  local  and  individual  churches  are  formed  on  the 
principles  of  a  free  and  independent  republic.  After  confederation 
and  organization  every  particular  church  is  under  the  supervision, 
watch-care,  and  government  of  an  official  church-council,  consisting 


182 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


of  the  preacher  or  preachers  in  charge,  and  a  competent  number  of 
ciders  and  deacons.  These  jointly  co-operate  in  feeding,  ruling,  and 
governing  the  flock  of  God,  on  the  rational  principles  of  family  go- 
vernment.    These  consist  chiefly  in  these  things,  to  wit : 

"  In  o-oino-  before  the  people,  and  leading  the  several  parts  of  their 
worship,  and  becoming  their  example  in  every  duty.  In  teaching 
them  the  principles  and  rules  of  their  religion  ;  the  knowledge,  pro- 
fession, and  practice  of  those  doctrines  and  duties,  that  worship  and 
order,  which  reason  and  natural  religion  dictate,  and  which  Christ 
himself  has  revealed,  superadded,  and  established  in  his  Word.  It 
consists  in  exhorting  and  persuading,  and  charging  the  members  of 
the  church  with  that  seriousness,  circumspection,  and  propriety  of 
conduct,  which  becometh  saints ;  in  instructing  them  how  to  apply 
those  general  principles  and  rules  to  particular  cases  and  occur- 
rences, and  giving  them  their  best  advice  under  every  circumstance. 
It  consists  in  presiding  in  their  assemblies  for  worship  or  otherwise ; 
in  examining  and  admitting  applicants  for  baptism  and  church-mem- 
bership ;  in  watching  over  and  guarding  the  church  against  errors 
and  dangers.  It  consists  in  conducting  the  moral  discipline  of  the 
church;  in  admonishing,  and  warning,  and  reproving,  with  all 
gravity  and  authority,  those  who  neglect  or  oppose  any  of  the  rules, 
ordinances,  and  commandments  of  Christ;  and  expelling  from  the 
church  the  scandalous,  and  in  receiving  again  the  truly  penitent."* 

These  individual  churches  are  confederated  or  united  for  co-opera- 
tion. The  Church  of  God,  therefore,  has  within  her  bounds,  at  pre- 
sent, three  Elderships,  viz. :  the  East  Pennsylvania,  the  Ohio,  and  the 
West  Pennsylvania  Elderships.  Each  Eldership  holds  an  annual 
meeting,  consisting  of  all  the  teaching  elders  within  its  bounds,  and 
a  delegation  from  the  churches,  or  rather  from  the  stations  and  cir- 
cuits, of  an  equal  number  of  ruling  elders.  Co-operation  and  not 
legislation  is  the  main  object  of  these  meetings:  and  this  is,  on  the 
itinerant  and  stationary  plan,  combined.  Thus  it  was  originally. 
Whilst  some  were  stationed,  others  itinerated,  in  given  districts; 
whilst  others  again  missionated,  or  travelled  at  large.  This  plan  the 
Church  of  God  finds  to  be  the  most  rational,  scriptural,  and  eflicient, 
and  therefore,  she  has  adopted  and  pursues  the  same.  Every  station 
and  circuit  is  required  to  support  its  own  preacher  or  preachers  for 
the  time  of  their  service  among  them,  and  to  aid  in  supporting  the 
preachers  at  large,  &c. 

The   Church   of  God   has   one   religious   newspaper    under   her 

*  Vide  "  Brief  View  of  the  Formation,  Government,  and  Discipline  of  the  Church  of 
God,"  by  John  Wincbrcnner,  V.  D.  M. 


CHURCH  OF  GOD.  183 

patronage  :  "  The  Gospel  Publisher,"  published  at  Harrisburg,  Penn- 
sylvania; Bishop  George  M'Cartney,  editor. 

STATISTICS. 

In  the  East  Pennsylvania  Eldership  there  are  at  present: 

Licensed  and  ordained  ministers, 50 

Organized  churches, 70 

Regular  preaching  places,  about 125 

Probable  number  of  church  members,         .         .         .  6000 

In  the  Ohio  Eldership  there  are  : 

Licensed  and  ordained  ministers, 23 

Probable  number  of  organized  churches,     -         -         .  -    35 

Probable  number  of  other  appointments,         -         -         -  85 

Probable  number  of  church  members,         -         -         .  3000 

In  the  West  Pennsylvania  Eldership  there  are  : 

Licensed  and  ordained  ministers, 10 

Probable  number  of  churches, 20 

Probable  number  of  regular  preaching  places,         -         -  50 

Probable  number  of  church  members,         -         .         -  1000 

RECAPITULATION. 

Aggregate  number  of  licensed  and  ordained  ministers,   -        -        83 
Aggregate  number  of  organized  churches,         ...  125 

Aggregate  number  of  preaching  places,         ....       260 
Aggregate  number  of  church  members,    -        -        -        -       10,000 


CONGEEGATIOIN^ALISTS. 

BY  THE  REV.  E.  W.  ANDREWS, 

PASTOR  OF  THE  BROADWAY  TABERNACLE,  NEW  YORK. 


The  origin  of  the  Congregationalists,  as  a  modern  sect,  is  com- 
monly ascribed  to  Robert  Browne,  who  organized  a  church  in 
England,  in  1583.  But  it  appears  probable  that  there  were  churches 
formed  upon  congregational  principles  in  the  reigns  of  Edward  VI. 
and  Queen  Mary,  although  it  is  impossible  to  speak  with  any  cer- 
tainty respecting  them.  It  is  well  known  that  Cranmer,  the  chief 
promoter  of  the  Reformation  in  England,  admitted  the  right  of  the 
churches  to  choose  their  own  pastors,  and  the  equality  of  the  clergy ; 
and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that,  in  the  Bible  published  by  him,  the  word 
ecclesia  is  always  rendered  congregation.  Some  of  the  bishops  went 
further,  and  advanced  opinions  which  would  now  be  regarded  as 
amongst  the  distinctive  principles  of  the  Congregationalists.  But  the 
right  of  any  individual  to  judge  for  himself  what  the  scriptures  taught 
in  matters  of  religion  was  not  recognised.  The  government  insisted 
upon  an  entire  conformity  to  the  established  church,  both  in  doctrines, 
and  in  rites  and  ceremonies.  The  Reformation  advanced  slowly ;  for 
its  progress  was  controlled  by  subtle  statesmen,  who  sought  the 
reasons  of  any  innovation,  not  in  the  word  of  God,  but  in  the  calcu- 
lations of  state  policy.  Many  of  the  leading  early  reformers  were 
greatly  dissatisfied  at  the  slow  progress  of  the  Reformation,  and 
would  gladly  have  introduced  a  more  simple  and  scriptural  form  of 
worship.  Even  Edward  VI.,  popular  as  he  deservedly  was  with  the 
Protestant  party,  did  not  escape  censure  for  the  indulgence  he  showed 
to  Popish  superstitions.  It  was  evident  in  this  reign,  that  a  portion 
of  the  Protestants  in  England  were  far  in  advance  of  the  standard  set 
up  by  the  king  and  the  prelates  ;  and  that  the  distance  between  them 
was  daily  widening.  But  the  dividing  line  between  the  supporters  of 
the  hierarchy  and  the  non-conformists  was  not  distinctly  drawn,  until 
the  Acts  of  Supremacy  and  Uniformity  passed,  in  the  early  part  of 
Elizabeth's  reign.     From  this  period,  there  was  litlle  hope  of  pcrma- 


CONG  REG  ATIONALISTS.  |g5 

nent  reconciliation  between  the  two  parties,  although  it  was  not  until 
about  the  year  15G5  that  separate  assemblies  were  held.  It  is  from 
this  time  that  the  Puritans  are  to  be  regarded  as  a  distinct  party. 
The  first  open  attempt  to  suppress  these  assemblies  seems  to  have 
been  made  two  years  after,  when  a  congregation  was  arrested  at 
Plumbers'  Hall,  and  thirty  of  them  confined  in  Bridewell  for  more 
than  a  year. 

Without  enumerating  all  the  points  of  difference  between  the  pre- 
lates and  the  Puritans,  it  may  perhaps  be  doubted  whether  an  abro- 
gation of  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  complained  of  as  superstitious, 
would  not  have  allayed  the  storm  that  was  rising  against  the  Esta- 
blishment, and  prevented,  for  many  years  at  least,  the  separation  that 
afterwards  took  place.  However  this  might  have  been,  the  attempt 
to  enforce  tfiese  ceremonies  led  the  Puritans  to  examine  more  closely, 
than  they  had  hitherto  done,  the  ground  of  that  authority  so  arbi- 
trarily exercised  over  them.  The  dogmatic  Cartwright  assailed 
Episcopacy  with  great  boldness,  and  asserted  the  Presbyterian  to  be 
the  only  scriptural  form  of  church  government.  The  cruelty  and  in- 
tolerance of  the  bishops  had  produced  a  directly  opposite  efiiect  from 
what  they  had  intended.  Instead  of  coercing  the  nonconformists  into 
submission,  a  spirit  of  resistance  was  aroused  ;  and,  as  is  well  said  by 
Hallam,  "  the  battle  was  no  longer  to  be  fought  for  a  tippet  and  a 
surplice,  but  for  the  whole  ecclesiastical  hierarchy,  interwoven  as  it 
was  with  the  temporal  constitution  of  England." 

The  first  church  formed  upon  Congregational  principles,  of  whose 
existence  we  have  any  accurate  knowledge,  was  that  established  by 
Robert  Browne ;  but  it  was  soon  broken  up,  and  Browne,  with  many 
of  his  congregation,  fled  to  Holland.  He  subsequently  returned  to 
England,  and  is  said  by  some  historians  to  have  renounced  the  prin- 
ciples he  had  so  earnestly  maintained.  In  the  latter  part  of  his  life, 
he  seems  to  have  been  openly  immoral  and  dissolute.  The  church 
planted  by  him  in  Holland,  after  his  departure,  fell  into  dissensions, 
and  soon  perished.  The  character  of  Browne  is  thus  drawn  by  Ban- 
croft :  "  The  most  noisy  advocate  of  the  new  system  was  Browne ; 
a  man  of  rashness,  possessing  neither  true  courage  nor  constancy ; 
zealous,  but  fickle ;  dogmatical,  but  shallow.  He  has  acquired  his- 
torical notoriety,  because  his  hot-headed  indiscretion  urged  him  to 
undertake  the  defence  of  separation.  . .  .  The  principles,  of  which  the 
intrepid  assertion  had  .alone  given  him  distinction,  lay  deeply  rooted 
in  the  public  mind ;  and  as  they  did  not  draw  life  from  his  support, 
they  did  not  suffer  from  his  apostacy." 

The  opinions  of  Browne  respecting  church  polity  are  the  same  in 

13 


IS6 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


many  respects  as  those  now  held  by  the  Congregationahsts  of  New 
England.  He  maintained,*  "that  each  church,  or  society  of  Chris- 
tians meeting  in  one  place,  was  a  body  corporate,  having  full  power 
within  itself  to  admit  and  exclude  members ;  to  choose  and  ordain 
officers;  and  when  the  good  of  the  society  required  it,  to  depose 
them,  without  being  accountable  to  classis,  convocations,  synods, 
councils,  or  any  jurisdiction  whatever."  He  denied  the  supremacy 
of  the  queen ;  and  the  claim  of  the  Establishment  to  be  a  scriptural 
church.  He  declared  the  scriptures  to  be  the  only  guide  in  all  mat- 
ters of  faith  and  discipline.  The  labours  of  a  pastor  were  to  be  con- 
fined to  a  single  church,  and  beyond  its  bounds  he  possessed  no 
authority  to  administer  the  ordinances.  One  church  could  exercise 
no  jurisdiction  over  another,  except  so  far  as  to  advise  or  reprove  it, 
or  to  withdraw  its  fellowship  from  such  as  walked  disorderly.  Five 
orders,  or  offices,  w'ere  recognised  in  the  church :  those  of  pastor, 
teacher,  elder,  deacon,  and  widow ;  but  he  did  not  allow  the 
priesthood  to  be  a  distinct  order  from  the  laity.  How  far  these 
views  have  been  since  modified,  will  appear  hereafter. 

Such  are  the  outlines  of  a  system  promulgated  by  Browne,  in 
tracts  published  by  him  in  1680  and  in  1682.  The  separating  line, 
between  the  conforming  and  the  non-conforming  Puritans,  now  be- 
came brotid  and  distinct.  Tlie  former,  recognising  the  Church  of 
England  as  a  true  church,  and  unwilling  to  separate  themselves  from 
the  Establishment,  demanded  only  that  her  discipline  should  be 
further  reformed,  and  her  bishops  ranked  as  the  head  of  the  presby- 
ters. Neither  by  the  supporters  of  the  hierarchy,  nor  amongst  this 
class  of  the  Puritans,  was  the  great  doctrine  of  liberty  of  conscience 
recognised.  A  different  standard  of  uniformity  was  indeed  set  up 
by  each ;  but  the  principle  of  ecclesiastical  tyranny  was  as  plainly  to 
be  seen  in  the  implicit  obedience  required  to  the  decrees  of  synods, 
as  in  the  oath  of  supremacy.  The  non-conforming  Puritans  would 
enter  into  no  compromise  with  the  Establishment.  They  desired  its 
total  overthrow,  with  all  its  cumbrous  and  complex  machinery,  its 
ceremonies  and  its  forms;  and  to  build  upon  its  ruins  churches  after 
the  simple,  pure  model  of  the  apostolic  days. 

The  first  martyrs  to  these  opinions  were  two  clergymen,  Thacker 
and  Cokking,  who  were  executed  in  1583;  ostensibly  for  denying  the 
queen's  supremacy,  but  in  fact  for  dispersing  Browne's  tracts.  Ten 
years  afterward,  Henry  Barrow  and  John  Greenwood  were  put  to 
death  for  non-conformity.     Barrow  was  somewhat  distinguished  by 

*  I  abbreviate  from  Punchard's  Hist.  Cong.  p.  247. 


CONGREGATIONALISTS.  I87 

his  publications  in  defence  of  his  sentiments ;  and  from  him  his  fol- 
lowers were  sometimes  called  Barrowists.  Percy,  an  intimate  friend 
of  Barrow  and  Greenwood,  was  executed  soon  after. 

In  1592  an  act  was  passed,  aimed  at  the  separatists,  by  which  it 
was  enacted  that  whoever,  over  the  age  of  sixteen,  should  refuse  to 
attend  upon  common  prayer  in  some  church  or  chapel,  for  the  space 
of  one  ftionth,  should  be  imprisoned,  and  if  still  refusing  to  conform, 
should  be  banished  the  realm.  This  law,  cruel  and  oppressive  as  it 
was,  was  yet  a  relief  to  the  separatists,  who  had  long  languished  in 
prison,  and  who  now,  as  banished  exiles,  might  hope  to  find  in  other 
lands  that  religious  freedom  which  was  denied  them  in  their  own. 
How  many  left  England  at  this  time  is  unknown,  most  of  those  thus 
banished  went  to  Holland ;  but  even  by  the  Dutch,  who  at  that  time 
understood  and  practised,  far  better  than  any  other  people,  the  prin- 
ciples of  religious  toleration,  they  were  treated  with  little  favour. 
The  cause  of  this  ill-reception  seems  to  have  been  the  slanders  spread 
abroad  respecting  them  by  the  English  prelates,  by  which  the  Dutch 
were  made  to  believe  that  they  were  factious,  quarrelsome,  and  ene- 
mies to  all  forms  of  government.  A  better  acquaintance  soon  re- 
moved these  bad  impressions,  and  churches  were  planted  by  the  exiles 
in  Amsterdam,  Leyden,  and  several  other  cities,  which  continued  to 
flourish  more  than  a  hundred  years.  In  the  discussion  which  took 
place  in  Parliament  on  the  passage  of  this  act,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh 
estimated  the  number  of  Brownists  in  England  at  twenty  thousand,  a 
number,  probably,  short  of  the  truth. 

The  separatists  who  remained  in  England  were,  in  common  with 
the  great  body  of  the  Puritans,  much  more  kindly  treated,  and  allowed 
greater  liberty  of  conscience  during  the  last  years  of  the  queen's  life. 
The  prelates,  ignorant  of  the  religious  opinions  of  James,  her  succes- 
sor, were  unwilling,  by  fresh  acts  of  severity,  to  irritate  and  exas- 
perate their  non-conforming  brethren.  James  had  been  educated  in 
the  Presbyterian  faith,  and  the  Puritans  fondly  hoped  that,  upon  his 
accession  to  the  throne,  free  permission  would  be  given  them  to  wor- 
ship God  as  they  pleased.  But  their  hopes  were  bitterly  disappointed. 
Won  by  the  fulsome  flatteries  of  the  bishops,  and  made  to  believe  that 
the  demands  of  the  Puritans  were  alike  inconsistent  with  the  preser- 
vation of  the  hierarchy,  and  the  undisturbed  exercise  of  the  royal 
prerogatives,  James  was  even  more  oppressive  than  his  predecessor. 
At  a  convocation  held  in  1604,  of  which  the  bigoted  Bancroft  was  pre- 
sident, new  canons  were  drawn  up,  by  which  conformity  was  rigidly 
enforced.  Excommunication,  with  all  its  civil  penalties  and  disabilities, 
was  pronounced  against  any  one  who  should  dare  to  deny  the  divine 


188 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


authority  of  the  established  church,  the  perfect  conformity  of  all  its 
rites  and  ceremonies  to  the  scriptures,  or  the  lawfulness  of  its  govern- 
ment; or  who  should  separate  from  its  communion,  and  assert  that 
any  other  assembly  or  congregation  was  a  true  or  lawful  church. 
To  these  canons,  by  a  royal  proclamation,  dated  in  July,  1604,  all 
were  required  to  conform ;  the  Puritan  ministers  before  the  last  day 
of  November,  *'  or  else  to  dispose  of  themselves  and  families  sdme  other 
way."  During  this  year  between  three  and  four  hundred  Puritan 
ministers  were  silenced  or  exiled,  and  for  many  years  few  summers 
passed  by  in  which  numbers  did  not  seek  safety  in  flight. 

It  is  at  this  period  that  v/e  first  meet  the  name  of  John  Robinson, 
who  has,  not  inappropriately,  been  called  the  father  of  modern  Con- 
gregationalism. Of  his  early  life  little  is  known.  Probably  he  was  at 
first  a  conforming  Puritan.  We  first  hear  of  him  among  the  separa- 
tists, as  the  pastor  of  a  church  which  had  been  formed  in  the  north 
of  England  the  year  previous  to  Elizabeth's  death.  Harassed  by 
the  bishops,  and  seeing  no  prospect  of  peace  at  home,  he  and  his  con- 
gregation determined  to  leave  their  native  land,  and  fly  to  Holland. 
But  it  was  not  without  hazard  and  suffering  that  they  were  able  to 
leave  their  own  country  behind  them  and  escape.  The  first  attempt 
was  unsuccessful  through  the  treachery  of  the  captain  of  their  vessel, 
who  betrayed  their  plans  to  their  enemies,  and  the  whole  company 
was  imprisoned  for  a  month.  Upon  the  second  attempt  a  part  of  the 
church  reached  Amsterdam  in  safety.  Mr.  Robinson  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  church,  made  another  unsuccessful  attempt,  in  the 
spring  of  1608,  which  is  thus  graphically  described  by  Bancroft: 
"  An  unfrequented  heath  in  Lincolnshire  vi'as  the  place  of  secret 
meeting.  As  if  it  had  been  a  crime  to  escape  from  persecution,  the 
embarkation  was  to  be  made  under  the  shelter  of  darkness.  After 
having  encountered  a  night  storm,  just  as  a  boat  was  bearing  a  part 
of  the  emigrants  to  their  ship,  a  company  of  horsemen  appeared  in 
pursuit,  and  seized  upon  the  helpless  women  and  children,  who  had 
not  yet  ventured  on  the  surf.  Painful  it  was  to  see  the  heavy  case  of 
these  poor  women  in  distress ;  what  weeping  and  crying  on  every 
side.  But  when  they  were  apprehended,  it  seemed  impossible  to 
punish  and  imprison  wives  and  children,  for  no  other  crime  than  that 
they  would  go  with  their  husbands  and  fathers.  They  could  not  be 
sent  home,  for  they  had  no  home  to  go  to  !  so  that,  at  last,  the  magis- 
trates were  *  glad  to  be  rid  of  them  on  any  terms,'  *  though  in  the 
mean  time  they,  poor  souls,  endured  misery  enough.'  Such  was  the 
flight  of  Robinson  and  Brewster,  and  their  followers,  from  the  land 
of  their  fathers." 


CONGREGATIONALISTS.  189 

Mr.  Robinson  and  his  congregation,  upon  their  arrival  in  Holland, 
first  joined  themselves  to  the  church  at  Amsterdam;  but  owing  to  the 
dissensions  that  had  broken  out  amongst  its  members,  at  the  end  of  a 
year,  they  removed  to  Leyden,  Amongst  the  companions  of  Mr. 
Robinson  were  several,  who  afterwards  played  distinguished  parts  in 
the  settlement  of  New  England.  Brewster  and  Bradford,  Carver  and 
Winslow,  are  names  which  can  never  be  obliterated  from  the  page  of 
our  history,  or  forgotten  by  their  grateful  descendants.  Some  of  them 
were  men  of  fortune  and  family ;  yet  so  poor  were  they  at  this  time, 
that  Brewster  became  a  printer,  Bradford  a  silk-dyer,  and  many  of 
the  others  learned  mechanical  trades.  But  the  church  rapidly  in- 
creased by  new  immigrations  from  England,  and  it  soon  numbered 
three  hundred  communicants. 

During  the  ten  years  that  succeeded,  Mr.  Robinson  published 
several  controversial  works,  mostly  in  explanation,  or  defence,  of  his 
peculiar  views.  He  also  engaged  in  a  public  dispute  with  Episcopius, 
the  champion  of  the  Arminians,  at  the  request  of  the  Calvinistic  pro- 
fessors in  the  University  of  Leyden.  If  we  may  rely  upon  Gov. 
Bradford,  the  Arminians  had  little  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  result. 

The  principles  of  the  church  at  Leyden  are  thus  summed  up  in 
Belknap's  Life  of  Robinson,  so  far  as  regards  church  government, 
and  the  sacraments.  In  their  doctrinal  creed  they  were  strictl}^  Cal- 
vinistic. 

1.  That  no  church  ought  to  consist  of  more  members  than  can 
conveniently  meet  together  for  worship  and  discipline. 

2.  That  any  church  of  Chi'ist  is  to  consist  only  of  such  as  appear 
to  believe  in,  and  obey  him. 

3.  That  any  competent  number  of  such  have  a  right,  when  con- 
science obliges  them,  to  form  themselves  into  a  distinct  church. 

4.  That  this  incorporation  is  by  some  contract  or  covenant,  ex- 
press or  implied. 

5.  That,  being  thus  incorporated,  they  have  a  right  to  choose  their 
own  officers. 

6.  That  these  officers  are  pastors  or  teaching  elders,  ruling  elders, 
and  deacons. 

7.  That  elders  being  chosen,  and  ordained,  have  no  power  to  rule 
the  church,  but  by  consent  of  the  brethren. 

8.  That  all  elders,  and  all  churches,  are  equal  in  respect  of  powers 
and  privileges. 

9.  With  respect  to  ordinances,  they  hold  that  baptism  is  to  be  ad- 
ministered to  visible  believers  and  their  infant  children  ;  but  they  ad- 
mitted only  the  children   of  communicants  to  baptism.     That  the 


190 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Lord's  Supper  is  to  be  received  sitting  at  the  table.  (Whilst  they 
were  in  Holland  they  received  it  every  Lord's  day.)  That  ecclesi- 
astical censures  were  wholly  spiritual,  and  not  to  be  accompanied 
with  teinporal  penalties. 

10.  They  adnnittcd  no  holy  days  but  the  Christian  sabbath,  though 
they  had  occasionally  days  of  fasting  and  thanksgiving;  and  finally, 
they  renounced  all  right  of  human  invention  or  imposition  in  religious 
matters. 

Mr.  Robinson's  opinions  respecting  the  Church  of  England  seem 
about  this  time  to  have  undergone  some  change.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  his  ministry  among  the  separatists,  in  common  with  Browne, 
he  denounced  that  church  as  essentially  antichristian,  and  would 
neither  regard  her  members  as  brethren,  nor  hear  her  ministers  preach. 
How  far  his  opinions  were  modified  is  amatter  of  some  doubt.  Baylis 
says  of  him,  "  that  he  ruined  the  rigid  separatists,  allowing  the  law- 
fulness of  communicating  with  the  Church  of  England,  in  the  word 
and  prayers,  though  not  in  the  sacraments  and  discipline ;  that  he 
was  the  principal  overthrovver  of  the  Brownists,  and  became  the 
author  of  independency."  Gov.  Winslow  says,  "  Mr.  Robinson  was 
always  against  a  separation  from  any  of  the  churches  of  Christ,  hold- 
ing communion  with  the  reformed  churches  both  in  Scotland,  France, 
and  the  Netherlands;  that  the  church  at  Leyden  made  no  schism  or 
separation  from  the  reformed  churches  but,  as  occasion  afforded,  held 
communion  with  them."  Yet  it  does  not  appear  that  Mr.  Robinson 
was  ever  willing  to  admit,  that  the  Church  of  England,  as  a  national 
establishment,  was  a  Christian  church,  although  he  communed  with 
its  individual  members. 

In  the  year  1617,  Mr.  Robinson  and  his  church  began  to  think  of  a 
removal  to  America.  The  reasons,  that  mainly  induced  them  to  take 
this  step,  were  the  dissoluteness  of  manners  that  prevailed  in  Holland, 
and  the  consequent  danger  of  contamination  to  which  their  children 
were  exposed.  They  hoped  that,  on  the  wild  shores  of  North  x-Vme- 
rica,  they  might  be  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of  the  natives,  and 
at  the  same  time  build  up  a  state,  where  they  might  worship  God 
with  none  to  molest  or  make  them  afraid.  After  some  discussion  as 
to  the  place  where  they  should  settle,  Virginia  was  fixed  upon.  Two 
of  their  number  vs'erc  accordingly  sent  to  treat  with  the  Virginia 
company.  But  the  company,  though  desirous  that  they  should  settle 
upon  their  territory,  could  not  assure  them  of  liberty  of  conscience. 
A  connivance,  if  they  carried  themselves  peaceably,  was  promised  by 
the  archbishop,  but  an  open  toleration  was  refused.  After  much  ne- 
gotiation, a  patent  was  at  last  obtained  in  1G19  ;  and  by  a  contract 


CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


191 


with  some  merchants  in  London,  sufficient  pecuniary  resources  were 
obtained  to  enable  them  to  undertake  the  voyage. 

The  vessels  not  being  sufficiently  large  to  carry  the  whole  congre- 
gation, Mr.  Robinson  remained  with  the  majority  at  Leyden,  and 
Elder  Brewster  accompanied  the  emigrants.  At  their  departure  Mr. 
Robinson  preached  a  sermon,  which  showed  a  spirit  of  mildness  and 
tolerance  truly  wonderful  in  that  age,  and  which  many,  who  claim  to 
be  the  ministers  of  God,  would  do  well  to  imitate  in  this.  "  Brethren, 
we  are  quickly  to  part  from  one  another,  and  whether  I  may  ever 
live  to  see  your  faces  on  earth  any  more,  the  God  of  heaven  onlv 
knows ;  but  whether  the  Lord  hath  appointed  that  or  not,  I  charge 
you,  before  God  and  his  blessed  angels,  that  you  follow  me  no  further 
than  you  have  seen  me  follow  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  God  reveal 
any  thing  to  you  by  any  other  instrument  of  his,  be  as  ready  to  re- 
ceive it  as  ever  you  were  to  receive  any  truth  by  my  ministry;  for  I 
am  fully  persuaded,  I  am  very  confident,  that  the  Lord  has  more 
truth  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  his  holy  Word.  For  my  part,  I  cannot 
sufficiently  bewail  the  condition  of  the  reformed  churches,  who  are 
come  to  a  period  in  religion,  and  will  go  at  present  no  further  than 
the  instruments  of  their  reformation.  The  Lutherans  cannot  be  drawn 
to  go  beyond  what  Luther  saw.  Whatever  part  of  his  will  our  good 
God  has  revealed  to  Calvin,  they  will  rather  die  than  embrace  it ; 
and  the  Calvinists  you  see  stick  fast  where  they  were  left  by  that 
great  man  of  God,  who  yet  saw  not  all  things. 

"This  is  a  misery  much  to  be  lamented,  for  though  they  were 
burning  and  shining  lights  in  their  times,  yet  they  penetrated  not  into 
the  whole  counsel  of  God ;  but  were  they  now  living  would  be  as  ready 
to  embrace  further  light,  as  that  which  they  first  received.  I  beseech 
you  to  remember  that  it  is  an  article  of  your  church  covenant,  that 
you  shall  be  ready  to  receive  whatever  truth  shall  be  made  known  to 
you,  from  the  written  word  of  God.  Remember  that,  and  every  other 
article  of  your  sacred  covenant.  But  I  must  here  withal  exhort  you 
to  take  heed  what  you  receive  as  truth.  Examine  it,  consider  it,  and 
compare  it  v^^ith  other  scriptures  of  truth,  before  you  receive  it,  for 
it  is  not  possible  that  the  Christian  world  should  come  so  lately  out  of 
such  thick  anti-christian  darkness,  and  that  perfection  of  knowledge 
should  break  forth  at  once.  I  must  advise  you  to  abandon,  avoid, 
and  shake  off  the  name  of  Brownists:  it  is  a  mere  nickname,  and  a 
hand  for  the  making  religion,  and  the  friends  of  religion,  odious  to 
the  Christian  world.  Unto  this  end  I  shall  be  extremely  glad  if  some 
godly  minister  would  go  with  you,  or  come  to  you  before  you  can 
have  any  company.     For  there  will  be  no  difference  between  the  un- 


102 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


conformable  ministers  and  you,  when  you  come  to  the  practice  of 
evano-elical  ordinances  out  of  the  kingdom;  and  I  would  wish  you  by 
all  means  to  close  with  the  godly  people  of  England ;  study  union 
with  them  in  all  things,  wherever  you  can  have  it  without  sin,  rather 
than  in  the  least  measure  to  eflect  a  division  or  separation  from 
them." 

After  leaving  Holland,  Elder  Brewster,  and  that  portion  of  the 
church  which  accompanied  him,  set  sail  for  America;  but  because  of 
the  unseaworthiness  of  one  of  their  vessels,  were  obliged  to  turn  back 
to  Plymouth.  Again  they  set  sail,  and  again  returned.  Leaving  the 
discouraged  and  disaffected  behind,  the  remainder,  in  all  a  hundred 
souls,  in  a  single  ship,  for  the  last  time,  set  forth  to  find  a  new  home 
in  the  solitudes  of  the  wilderness. 

The  church  planted  by  these  exiles  at  Plymouth,  was  the  first 
church  organized  in  New  England.  To  repeat  the  story  of  their 
privations  and  sufferings  would  only  be  to  repeat  what  every  one  is 
already  familiar  with.  For  ten  years  they  struggled  on  with  unabated 
hope,  strong  in  their  confidence  of  the  protection  of  Heaven.  In  1629 
a  new  settlement  was  made  at  Salem.  These  emigrants  were  Puri- 
tans, but  had  never  been  ranked  amongst  the  separatists.  Their  prin- 
ciples of  church  government  were  essentially  the  same  with  those  of 
the  church  at  Plymouth,  and  a  harmonious  intercourse  soon  com- 
menced between  the  two  settlements,  which  was  never  interrupted. 
Very  soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  emigrants  at  Salem,  a  day  was 
appointed  for  the  organization  of  a  church.  The  day  was  spent  in 
fasting  and  prayer,  and  thirty  persons  gave  their  assent  to  a  confes- 
sion of  faith  and  covenant.  A  day  was  also  set  apart  for  the  trial 
and  choice  of  a  pastor  and  teacher.  Says  Bradford :  "  The  forenoon 
they  spent  in  prayer  and  teaching;  the  afternoon  about  the  trial  and 
election,  choosing  Mr.  Skelton  pastor,  and  Mr.  Higginson  teacher; 
and  they  accepting,  Mr.  Higginson,  with  three  or  four  more  of  the 
gravest  members  of  the  church,  lay  their  hands  on  Mr.  Skelton,  with 
solemn  prayer.  Then  Mr.  Skelton  did  the  like  upon  Mr.  Higginson ; 
and  another  day  is  appointed  for  the  choice  of  elders."  By  invitation, 
a  delegation  from  Plymouth  was  present  at  the  ceremony.  It  should 
perhaps  be  stated  here,  that  both  Mr.  Skelton  and  Mr.  Higginson 
had  been  previously  ordained  by  bishops  of  the  church  of  England. 

The  settlers  at  Salem  expressly  denied  themselves  to  be  separatists; 
but  it  seems  to  have  been  rather  a  denial  of  their  name,  than  of  their 
principles.  "  The  Nev/  England  Puritans,"  says  Hutchinson,  *'  when 
at  full  liberty  went  the  full  length,  which  the  separatists  did  in  Eng- 
land." So  Bradford  in  his  History  of  Massachusetts  says,  "  That  Mr. 


CONG  REG  ATIONALISTS.  193 

Skelton,  and  Mr.  Endicott,  were  entirely  in  sentiment  with  tl^e  Ply- 
mouth church,  as  to  the  errors  and  corruptions  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, and  to  the  propriety  of  a  separation  from  it.  They  were  agreed 
as  to  the  real  independence  of  the  churches,  and  the  perfect  equality 
of  their  ministers  or  pastors."  Between  the  church  of  Plymouth,  and 
the  churches  subsequently  formed  at  Boston  and  Dorchester,  there  at 
all  times  existed  a  strong  friendship;  and  the  Rev.  John  Colton  in 
1633  addressed  his  friends  at  Boston,  "to  take  council  with  their 
Christian  brethren  of  Plymouth,  and  do  nothing  to  injure  or  ofiend 
them." 

But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  to  Mr.  Robinson  and  his  church, 
at  Leyden  in  the  old  world,  and  at  Plymouth  in  the  new,  we  owe  the 
first  modern  developements  of  the  principles  of  the  Congregational 
polity.  To  their  example  and  success  were,  no  doubt,  owing  all  the 
subsequent  religious  settlements  of  New  England.  That  all  their 
distinctive  opinions  respecting  church  government  should  have  been 
adopted  by  those  who  at  first  divided  them,  is  an  honourable  testimony 
to  the  correctness  of  their  logic ;  and  a  proper  reward  of  that  firm- 
ness of  purpose,  which  led  them,  years  before,  to  separate  themselves 
from  the  rest  of  their  Puritan  brethren.  All  the  early  emigrants  were 
Congregationalists  in  discipline.  To  them  the  Scriptures  were  a  per- 
fect pattern  in  government  and  worship,  as  well  as  in  faith  and 
doctrine,  and  to  the  New  Testament  they  looked  for  the  model  after 
which  every  church  was  to  be  formed. 

For  several  years  after  the  landing  of  the  Plymouth*  exiles,  Elder 
Brewster  performed  all  the  duties  of  a  pastor,  except  the  administra- 
tion of  the  sacraments,  but  steadily  refused  to  be  ordained.  In  1625 
Mr.  Robinson  died,  and  after  his  death,  the  church  at  Leyden  was 
dissolved,  a  part  going  to  Amsterdam,  and  a  part  afterwards  joining 
their  friends  at  Plymouth.  At  the  end  of  ten  years  the  colony  con- 
tained only  three  hundred  souls,  and  its  growth  was  slow  compared 
with  the  growth  of  its  sister  settlements. 

In  1630  a  church  was  organized  in  Charlestown.  Hutchinson  thus 
describes  the  proceedings:  "At  Charlestown  the  governor,  deputy 
governor,  and  the  minister,  Mr.  Wilson,  on  the  30th  day  of  July,  the 
fast  day,  entered  into  a  church  covenant ;  two  days  after,  they  allowed 
fiv^e  more  to  join  them  ;  and  so  others,  from  time  to  time.  At  length 
they  in  form  chose  Mr.  Wilson  for  their  minister,  and  ordained  him ; 
but  all  joined  in  a  protestation,  that  it  was  not  a  renouncing  of  the 
ministry  he  received  in  England,  but  that  it  was  a  confirmation  in 
consequence  of  the  election."  Similar  modes  of  organization  seem 
to  have  followed  in  the  other  colonies,  and  distinct  churches  were 


]  94  HISTORY  OF  THE 

formed  in  each,  one  after  another.  It  docs  not  appear,  however,  that 
there  was  any  imiform  plan  of  church  government,  until  Mr.  Colton's 
arrival  in  1G33.  To  him  was  owing  the  introduction  of  some  general 
plans  embracing  all  the  churches,  '*  which  from  that  time  took  the 
name  of  Congregational." 

In  1632  a  new  church  was  formed  at  Duxbury,  by  colonization 
from  the  church  at  Plymouth ;  and  others  were  soon  afterwards 
formed  at  Marshfield,  Eastham,  and  other  places  in  the  neiglJl^our- 
hood.  In  the  same  manner  Connecticut  was  settled  in  1635,  by  colo- 
nies from  Massachusetts  Bay. 

To  give  in  detail  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  separate  plania- 
lions  is  impossible  in  the  limits  to  which  this  outline  is  necessarily 
confined ;  and  I  shall  therefore  confine  myself  to  those  events  in  which 
colonies  generally  were  interested. 

For  near  a  hundred  years  after  the  planting  of  the  colonies,  it  is 
impossible  to  separate  their  ecclesiastical  from  their  political  history. 
A  history  of  the  churches  is  a  history  of  the  plantations.  Without 
intending  it,  and  indeed  with  principles  in  their  full  developemcnt  es- 
sentially hostile  to  any  connexion  between  the  state  and  the  church, 
the  Pilgrims  so  blended  together  religious  and  political  institutions, 
that  both  religious  and  political  liberty  grew  sickly  and  feeble  from 
the  unnatural  union. 

Impelled  solely  in  their  emigration  by  pious  considerations,  civil 
freedom  had  a  subordinate  place  in  their  esteem.  First  of  all,  they 
wished  liberty  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own 
consciences.  The  form  of  their  government,  and  their  rights  under 
it,  were  but  a  secondary  matter.  But  the  forms  of  church  government, 
which  they  considered  scriptural,  were  democratic,  and  their  political 
institutions  naturally  took  the  same  form.  There  were  few  at  first 
to  he  found  who  were  not  members  of  some  church ;  and  therefore 
the  laws  relating  to  ecclesiastical  matters  were,  in  effect,  binding  upon 
the  whole  cotnmunity.  To  deprive  all  but  church  members  of  the 
privileges  of  freemen,  would  in  our  day  be  most  arbitrary  and  oppres- 
sive ;  yet  it  can  scarcely  be  deemed  to  have  been  so  at  that  time, 
when  ninety-nine  out  of  one  hundred  were  ranked  in  that  class. 
From  this  preponderance  of  one  class  and  one  interest,  is  to  be  traced 
that  intolerant  spirit,  which  showed  itself  in  the  restrictions  of  suffrage, 
and  the  persecutions  of  the  Anabaptists  and  Quakers.  The  errors  of 
our  pilgrim  fathers  consisted,  not  in  the  original  character  of  the  insti- 
tutions they  founded,  but  in  their  refusal  so  to  modify  them,  so  as  to 
meet  the  changing  circumstances  of  the  times.  Where  all  are  of  one 
mind,  there  can  be  no  oppression.     It  is  only  where  the  partisans  of 


CONGREGATION  ALISTS.  195 

new  opinions  appear,  that  tolerance  can  be  exercised.  The  Puritans 
of  New  England  were  intolerant,  because  they  did  not  see,  that  the 
colonists  of  1660  were  not  the  emigrants  of  1630;  they  united  the 
state  and  the  church,  because  they  forgot  that  the  church  had  ceased 
to  be  the  state. 

It  is  by  keeping  these  facts  in  mind  that  we  are  able  satisfactorily 
to  explain  those  transactions  which  are  seemingly  inexplicable :  their 
dislike  to  the  interference  of  the  General  Court  in  religious  matters, 
and  their  admission  of  tha  right  of  the  civil  magistrate  to  exercise 
coercive  power  when  churches  grew  schismatical ;  their  intrepid  as- 
sertion of  the  principles  of  political  liberty  in  their  relations  with 
Great  Britain,  and  their  arbitrary  proceedings  towards  Roger  Wil- 
liams and  his  followers. 

For  many  years  the  ministers  depended  upon  the  voluntary  contri- 
butions of  their  hearers  for  their  support.  It  was  not  until  1655  that 
any  legislative  proceedings  were  had  in  respect  to  their  maintenance. 
It  was  at  first  ordered,  that  if  any  should  refuse  to  pay,  the  magistrate 
should  use  such  means  as  should  put  them  upon  their  duty.  But  this 
failing  of  its  intended  effect,  it  was  soon  after  ordered,  that  the  ministers 
should  be  supported  by  a  tax  assessed  upon  the  congregations. 

Among  the  remarkable  events  of  this  early  period  were  the  trial 
and  banishment  of  Roger  Williams.  There  seems  to  have  been  in 
the  mind  of  this  extraordinary  man  a  strange  confusion  of  opinions, 
which  manifested  itself  both  in  his  language  and  his  actions.  Whilst 
to  him  is  due  the  glory  of  having  first  promulgated  the  great  principle, 
that  there  should  be  a  general  and  unlimited  toleration  for  all  religions ; 
and  that  to  punish  men  for  matters  of  conscience  was  persecution: 
yet  at  the  same  time  he  held,  that  it  was  not  lawful  for  good  men  to 
join  in  family  prayer  with  those  they  judged  unregenerate,  or  at  the 
communion  table  with  those  who  did  not  perfectly  agree  with  them  in 
their  religious  sentiments.  He  was  banished,  much  to  the  discontent  o 
the  people  of  Salem,  with  whom  he  was  very  popular,  and  where  he 
had  made  many  converts.  He  retired  to  Providence,  which  was 
without  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts,  and  there  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  a  state  in  which  unlimited  toleration  prevailed. 

A  dispute  that  arose  at  this  time  in  consequence  of  the  teachings 
of  Mr.  Williams,  strongly  marks  the  spirit  of  the  times.  One  of  his 
followers,  in  the  ardour  of  his  zeal,  cut  from  the  king's  colours 
the  cross.  For  this  he  was  reprimanded  and  turned  out  of  his  office; 
but  the  public  mind  being  divided  as  to  the  propriety  of  his  conduct, 
and  several  pamphlets  having  been  written  on  the  subject,  the  matter 


190  inSTOKY  OF  THE 

was  at  last  settled  by  a  compromise :  the  cross  being  retained  in  the 
banners  of  castles  and  ships,  but  omitted  in  those  of  the  trained  bands, 
or  militia. 

In  1G37  began  the  famous  ecclesiastical  controversy  respecting 
Antinomianism.  Mrs.  Hutchinson,  the  promulgator  and  chief  de- 
fender of  Anlinomian  tenets,  seems  to  have  maintained,  according  to 
the  summary  of  her  opinions  in  Neal,  "  that  believers  in  Christ  are 
personally  united  with  the  spirit  of  God ;  that  commands  to  work  out 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling  belong  to  none  but  such  as  are 
under  the  covenant  of  works  ;  that  sanctification  is  not  sufficient  evi- 
dence of  a  good  state;  and  that  immediate  revelations  about  future 
events  are  to  be  believed  as  equally  infallible  with  the  scriptures." 
These  opinions  soon  became  the  absorbing  topics  of  discussion,  and 
divided  the  whole  colony  into  two  parties,  such  as  were  for  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  and  such  as  were  for  a  covenant  of  grace.  As  the 
quarrel  continued  to  rage  with  constantly  increasing  violence,  a  synod 
was  called,  which  met  at  Newtown.  This  was  the  first  synod  con- 
vened in  New  England.  It  was  composed  of  the  ministers  and  mes- 
sengers or  delegates  of  the  several  churches.  There  were  also  pre- 
sent certain  magistrates  "  who  were  allowed  not  only  to  hear,  but  to 
speak  if  they  had  a  mind."  The  synod  unanimously  condemned  Mrs. 
Hutchinson's  opinions.  But  slie  and  her  followers,  not  being  satisfied 
with  this  decision,  and  continuing  to  promulgate,  with  new  zeal,  their 
sentiments,  recourse  was  had  to  the  civil  power,  and  she  was  banish- 
ed to  Rhode  Island.  She  subsequently  retired  to  the  territory  of  New 
Amsterdam,  where  she  perished  by  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  Mr. 
Wheelwright,  a  clergyman  of  Boston  who  had  embraced  her  opinions, 
subsequently  renounced  them,  and  her  party,  at  least  in  name,  became 
extinct.  * 

In  1G38  was  founded  Harvard  College.  The  origin  of  this  institu- 
tion was  the  need  which  our  ancestors  felt  of  a  body  of  men  edu- 
cated in  the  country,  who  might  fill  the  places  of  those  who  had  been 
educated  in  England.  Nothing  marks  more  strongly  the  value 
which  they  had  placed  upon  learning,  and  the  esteem  with  which 
they  regarded  learned  men,  than  their  early  eflbrts  and  sacrifices  to 
sustain  this  college,  and  to  establish  common  schools  in  all  the  plan- 
tations. Reference  was  no  doubt  at  first  had,  mainly,  to  the  educa- 
tion of  clergymen,  as  was  the  case  in  the  foundation  of  Yale  College ; 
and  a  large  proportion  of  the  early  graduates  of  both  these  institutions, 
became  pastors  in  the  various  colonies.  As  early  as  1G46,  common 
schools  were  established  by  law,  and  provision  was  made  for  their 


CONGREGATIONAL!  STS. 


197 


support  in  all  the  towns  within  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts. 
No  provision  was  made  in  Plymouth  till  some  years  after,  but  the 
children  were  taught  by  teachers  employed  by  the  parents. 

In  1642,  in  answer  to  an  application  made  from  Virginia,  to  the 
General  Court,  for  ministers  of  the  gospel,  three  ministers  were  sent; 
but  the  legislature  of  that  colony  immediately  passing  an  act  that  no 
clergymen  be  permitted  to  officiate,  under  the  penalty  of  banishment, 
but  one  ordained  by  some  bishop  in  England,  and  who  should  sub- 
scribe to  the  constitutions  of  the  established  church,  they  were  obliged 
to  return.  This  law  shows  that  the  clergymen  of  Virginia  were  no 
more  inclined  to  tolerate  dissenters  than  the  New  England  Puritans. 
Indeed  the  former  seem  to  have  been  wiser  in  their  intolerance,  for 
they  passed  precautionary  laws  against  the  Puritans  before  there 
were  any  in  their  colony.  But  the  congregation  collected  by  these 
ministers  continued  to  flourish  for  a  number  of  years,  although  under 
circumstances  of  great  discouragement.  The  pastor  and  teachers 
were  banished,  some  of  the  members  imprisoned,  and  many  disarmed, 
which,  says  an  old  writer,  "  was  very  harsh  in  such  a  country,  where 
the  heathen  lie  around  them."* 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Pilgrims  were  equally  intolerant  to  the 
Episcopalians,  who  were  not  allowed  publicly  to  observe  their  forms 
of  worship.  Probably,  in  both  colonies,  religious  bigotry  was  made 
more  cruel  by  their  dislike  of  each  other's  political  opinions :  Virginia 
adhering  to  the  king,  and  New  England  to  the  Parliament. 

About  this  time  Elder  Brewster  died,  at  Plymouth.  No  man  in 
her  early  history  deserves  to  hold  a  higher  place  in  the  grateful  re- 
collections of  the  people  of  New  England.  In  early  life  he  had  been 
secretary  to  Davison,  Queen  ElizabetlFs  minister  to  Scotland  and 
Holland,  in  which  capacity  he  very  much  distinguished  himself.  He 
inherited  considerable  wealth,  but  spent  it  freely  to  supply  the  wants 
of  his  poor  persecuted  companions.  In  common  with  them,  he  suf- 
fered the  severest  privations,  at  Leyden  and  at  Plymouth ;  yet,  says 
Baylis,  "  He  possessed  that  happy  elasticity  of  mind,  which  could  ac- 
commodate itself  with  cheerfulness  to  all  circumstances.  Destitute 
of  meat,  of  fish,  and  of  bread,  over  his  simple  meal  of  clams,  would 
he  return  thanks  to  the  Lord,  that  could  suck  up  the  abundance  of  the 
seas,  and  of  the  treasures  hid  in  the  sands." 

The  restrictions  which  were  placed  on  the  rights  of  suffrage  caused 
much  discontent  in  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay.  A  petition  was 
presented  to  the  General  Court,  complaining  that  so  many  of  the 

•  Hawk's  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Virginia. 


198 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


citizens  were  debarred  from  having  a  vote  in  the  elections,  and  from 
holding  office ;  and  also  that  so  many  "  good  people,  members  of  the 
Church  of  England,"  are  prohibited  the  Lord's  supper,  because  they 
will  not  subscribe  the  church's  covenant,  and  yet  "  are  compelled  on 
Lord's  day  to  appear  at  the  congregation."  They  prayed  for  liberty 
to  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  not  scandalous  in  their 
lives  and  conversation,  to  be  received  into  the  churches;  or  else 
"that  liberty  be  granted  them  to  settle  themselves  in  a  church  way, 
according  to  the  Reformation  in  England  and  Scotland ;"  with  a 
threat  of  an  appeal  to  the  Parliament  if  their  petition  should  be  refused. 
The  General  Court  immediately  ordered  the  petitioners  to  be  fined 
and  imprisoned ;  and  the  people  sustained  the  court  by  electing  their 
president,  Mr.  Winthrop,  governor  every  year  after  as  long  as  he 
lived.  This  severity,  which  no  one  can  justify,  seems  to  have  been 
mainly  owing  to  the  threat  of  the  petitioners,  the  Pilgrims  being  ex- 
ceedingly jealous  of  any  appeals  to  England,  which  might  authorize 
the  Parliament  to  interfere  in  the  ecclesiastical  matters  of  the 
colonies. 

In  1648,  the  second  synod  was  held,  in  pursuance  of  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  General  Court.  This  assumption  of  a  right  on  the 
part  of  the  Court  to  call  these  assemblies,  was  much  complained  of  by 
the  deputies  of  the  congregations,  who  were  apprehensive  lest  the 
magistrates  should  regard  this  as  a  precedent  for  the  exercise  of 
their  power  in  more  important  matters.  But  when  it  was  represented 
that  it  was  a  request  and  not  a  command  of  the  General  Court,  and 
that  the  decisions  of  the  synod  were  not  judicial,  but  merely  advisory, 
the  deputies  consented  to  meet. 

At  this  synod  an  unanimous  vote  was  passed  in  these  words; 
"  This  synod  having  perused  and  considered  the  Confession  of  Faith 
published  by  the  late  reverend  assembly  in  England,  do  judge  it  to  be 
very  holy,  orthodox,  and  judicious  in  all  matters  of  faith,  and  do, 
therefore,  fully  and  freely  consent  thereto,  for  the  substance  thereof; 
only  in  those  things  which  have  respect  unto  church  government  and 
discipline,  we  refer  ourselves  to  the  platform  of  church  discipline 
agreed  upon  by  this  present  assembly."  The  platform  here  referred 
to  is  the  one  generally  known  as  the  Cambridge  Platform.  This  in- 
strument, to  which  I  shall  more  particularly  refer  hereafter,  was  in 
some  sort  regarded  as  the  federal  constitution  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  It  never  was  established  at  Plymouth,  by  act  of  govern- 
ment, but  was  generally  conformed  to  in  practice.  Previous  to  this 
synod  the  churches  of  New  England  had  never  agreed  upon  any  uni- 
form scheme  of  discipline. 


1 


CONGREGATION  ALISTS.  199 

Soon  after  the  dissolution  of  tiiis  synod  the  Anabaptists  appeared  in 
Massachusetts,  who  were  followed,  after  a  brief  interval,  by  the  Qua- 
kers. The  former  were  banished  from  Massachusetts,  and  a  law  was 
passed  by  the  General  Court,  forbidding  any  one  to  advocate  their 
principles  under  the  penalty  of  banishment.  Mr.  Dunstar,  who  had 
embraced  these  opinions,  resigned  his  office  as  President  of  Harvard 
College.  It  seems  a  little  singular  that  Mr.  Chauncey  should  have 
been  chosen  to  succeed  him,  entertaining,  as  he  did,  the  same  opinions 
in  substance  as  Mr.  Dunstar.  The  Baptists  were  more  favourably 
received  in  the  colony  of  Plymouth,  where  they  settled  the  town  of 
Swanzey. 

The  Quakers  first  appeared  in  1656;  two  women  from  Barbadoes, 
who  on  their  arrival,  says  Neal,  "  were  put  in  prison,  and  examined 
by  proper  persons  for  tokens  of  witchcraft."  They  were  sent  back 
to  Barbadoes,  but  others  soon  arrived.  On  being  ordered  to  quit  the 
jurisdiction,  they  refused,  and  the  irritated  magistrate  proceeded  to 
great  severities.  Some  were  whipped,  some  fined  and  imprisoned,  and 
others  banished.  Nothing  daunted  by  their  sufferings,  those  who  had 
been  banished  returned.  A  law  was  at  last  passed,  punishing  all 
who  should  thus  return,  with  death.  This  law  was  carried  by  one 
vote  in  the  Court  of  Deputies,  but  it  never  received  the  approbation 
of  the  people.     Under  its  provisions  three  Quakers  were  executed. 

For  these  barbarous  proceedings  no  valid  apology  ever  has  been, 
or  ever  can  be,  offered.  The  most  that  can  be  said  is,  that  they  erred 
with  others.  King  Charles,  in  a  letter  to  Massachusetts,  says :  "  We 
cannot  be  understood  hereby  to  direct,  or  wish,  that  any  indulgence 
should  be  shown  to  those  persons  commonly  called  Quakers."  Nor 
were  the  principles  of  religious  toleration  better  appreciated,  or  prac- 
tised, in  other  countries.  But  to  this  remark  Rhode  Island  forms  a 
most  honourable  exception.  In  Connecticut,  and  New  Haven,  also, 
the  Quakers  suffered  but  little.  By  degrees  these  sanguinary  laws  of 
Massachusetts  fell  into  disuse. 

In  1661,  arose  the  debates  concerning  the  right  of  the  grandchil- 
dren of  church  members  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  The  dispute 
began  in  Connecticut,  several  years  before,  in  one  of  the  churches  at 
Hartford.  It  originated  in  the  same  cause,  that  has  been  already 
spoken  of,  the  exclusion  of  all  but  church  members  from  the  privi- 
leges of  freemen.  This  exclusion,  little  complained  of  at  first,  when 
few  were  to  be  found  out  of  the  pale  of  the  churches,  became  re- 
garded as  a  heavy  grievance,  when  the  number  of  those,  thus  ex- 
cluded, was  greatly  increased  by  the  arrival  of  new  emigrants  no 
longer  actuated  by  religious  considerations.     It  was  therefore  de- 


200  HISTORY  OF  THE 

manded,  that  all,  who  were  not  openly  unworthy,  should  be  admitted 
to  the  church  without  being  required  to  profess  a  change  of  heart; 
and  also  all  baptized  persons,  and  all  who  had  been  members  of 
churches  elsewhere.  As  a  step  to  the  accomplishment  of  these  ends, 
it  was  cUiimcd,  that  all  the  children  of  those  who  had  been  baptized, 
upon  owning  the  covenant,  should  themselves  be  baptized.  It  was 
apparent,  that  to  yield  to  these  demands,  would  be  destructive  to 
vital  piety  in  the  churches,  and  they  were  therefore  strenuously  op- 
posed. 

The  colonies  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  contrary  to  the 
advice  of  the  colony  of  New  Haven,  called  a  council,  which  met  in 
1C57.  In  reply  to  a  question  respecting  the  subjects  of  baptism,  it 
was  decided  by  the  council,  that  those  who,  being  grown  up  to- years 
of  discretion,  of  blameless  life,  and  understanding  the  grounds  of  reli- 
gion, should  own  the  covenant  made  with  their  parents,  by  entering 
thereinto  in  their  own  proper  persons,  should  have  the  ordinance  of 
baptism  administered  to  their  children. 

This  decision  not  being  regarded  as  satisfactory,  and  the  disputes 
raging  more  fiercely  than  ever :  a  synod  was  called  at  Boston,  to 
which  the  same  questions  were  propounded  that  had  been  previously 
discussed  in  the  council.  The  answer  respecting  the  proper  subjects 
of  baptism,  was  in  substance  the  same  ;  and  it  was  held,  that  all  bap- 
tized persons  were  to  be  considered  members  of  the  church,  and  if 
not  openly  dissolute,  admitted  to  all  its  privileges,  except  partaking  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.  This  decision  of  the  synod  was  strenuously  op- 
posed by  ]Mr.  Chauncey,  President  of  Harvard  College,  Increase 
Mather,  and  others  of  the  most  distinguished  ministers  in  the  colo- 
nies. It  was  justly  judged  by  them,  that  to  admit  unregenerate  per- 
sons into  the  pale  of  the  church,  would  be  most  pernicious  to  the 
interests  of  true  religion. 

The  result  seemed  to  justify  their  fears.  In  Hartford,  in  one  month, 
192  persons  took  the  covenant,  comprising  almost  all  the  young 
people  in  the  congregation.  The  number  of  those  in  full  communion 
was  small.*  "  Correct  moral  deportment,  WMth  a  profession  of  correct 
doctrinal  opinions,  and  a  desire  for  regeneration,  came  to  be  regarded 
as  the  only  qualifications  for  admission  to  the  communion.  This  in- 
novation, though  not  as  yet  publicly  advocated  by  any,  there  is  con- 
clusive proof,  had  become  quite  extensive  in  practice,  previously  to 
1679.  The  churches  soon  came  to  consist,  in  many  places,  very 
considerably  of  unregenerate  persons  ;  of  those  who  regarded  them- 

•  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge,  article  Congregationalista. 


\ 
CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


201 


selves,  and  were  regarded  by  otliers,  as  unregenerate.  Of  all  these 
things  the  consequence  was,  that  within  thirty  years  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  eighteenth  century,  a  large  proportion  of  the  clergy 
throughout  the  country  were  either  only  speculatively  correct,  or  to 
some  extent  actually  erroneous  in  their  religious  opinions — maintain- 
ing regularly  the  forms  of  religion,  but  in  some  instances  having 
well-nigh  lost,  and  in  others,  it  is  to  be  feared,  having  never  felt,  its 
power." 

One  of  the  warmest  defenders  of  the  Half-way  Covenant,  as  it  was 
called,  was  Mr.  Stoddard,  minister  at  Northampton,  M'ho  carried  on 
a  public  controversy  respecting  it,  with  Increase  Mather,  of  Boston. 
He  maintained,  that  it  was  the  duty  of  unconverted  persons  to  come 
to  the  Lord's  Supper,  "though  they  knew  that  they  had  no  true 
goodness,  or  gospel  holinessj"  His  grandson,  President  Edwards,  at 
first  adopted  his  opinions,  but  subsequently  renounced  them ;  and 
wrote  with  great  ability  to  disprove  them.  The  Half-way  Covenant 
continued  to  be  used  for  many  years ;  but  after  a  bitter  experience  of 
the  pernicious  consequences  attending  it,  it  was  laid  aside  in  all  the 
orthodox  Congregational  churches. 

After  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.  many  of  the  ejected  ministers 
sought  a  refuge  in  New  England.  For  the  twenty  years  previous, 
there  had  been  but  little  emigration  to  the  colonies,  the  Parliament 
tolerating  at  home  all  sects  but  the  Episcopalians. 

The  persecutions  against  the  Quakers  still  continuing,  though  with 
much  less  severity  than  at  first,  a  letter  was  written  in  1669,  by  Dr. 
Goodwin,  and  Dr.  Owen,  and  others  of  the  leading  Independents  in 
England,  to  Massachusetts,  recommending  them  "  to  put  an  end  to 
the  sufferings  and  confinement  of  the  persons  censured,  and  to 
restore  them  to  their  former  liberty ;  and  to  allow  them  to  practise 
the  principles  of  their  dissent,  if  unaccompanied  with  a  disturbance 
of  the  public  peace."  The  tolerant  counsels  of  this  letter  were  not 
inTimediately  complied  with,  but  the  severity  of  the  laws  was  gra- 
dually mitigated. 

In  1658  a  Confession  of  Faith  was  adopted  by  the  English  Con- 
gregational churches,  at  a  convention  held  in  the  Savoy  which,  with 
a  few  variations,  was  the  same  as  that  agreed  to  by  the  Westminster 
Assembly.  This  confession  was  approved  of  by  a  synod  convened 
at  Boston,  in  1680,  and  is  to  this  day  considered  as  a  correct  exposi- 
tion of  the  opinions  of  the  Congregationalists. 

New  articles  of  discipline  were  adopted  by  the  churches  of  Con- 
necticut, at  an  assembly  of  ministers  and  delegates  held  at  Saybrook, 
in  1708.     The  Saybrook  Platform  differs  from  the  Cambridge  Plat- 

14 


202  HISTORY  OF  THE 

form  chiefly  in  llie  provision  that  it  makes  respecting  councils  and 
associations.  This  synod  was  held  in  pursuance  of  an  Act  of  the 
Legislature,  ordering  it  to  draw  up  a  form  of  ecclesiastical  disci- 
pline. The  expenses  of  the  ministers  and  delegates  were  to  be  paid 
from  the  public  treasury. 

The  system  agreed  upon  by  the  synod  was  presented  to  the  Legis- 
lature, at  their  next  session,  by  whom  it  was  approved  in  the  follow- 
ing terms :  "  This  Assembly  do  declare  their  great  approbation  of 
such  an  happy  agreement ;  and  do  ordain,  that  all  the  churches 
within  this  government  that  are,  or  shall  be,  thus  united  in  doctrine, 
worship,  and  discipline,  be,  and  for  the  future  shall  be,  owned,  and 
acknowledged,  and  established  by  law  ;  provided  always,  that  no- 
thing herein  shall  be  intended  or  construed  to  hinder  or  prevent  any 
society  or  church  that  is,  or  shall  be,  allowed  by  the  laws  of  this 
government,  who  soberly  differ  or  dissent  from  the  United  Churches, 
hereby  established,  from  exercising  worship  and  discipline  in  their 
own  way,  according  to  their  consciences."  The  synod  also  gave 
their  assent  to  the  Confession  of  Faith  adopted  by  the  synod  at  Bos- 
ton, 1680. 

About  the  year  1740,  New  England  was  blessed  with  a  powerful 
revival,  which  embraced  all  the  colonies.  Some  extravagances, 
which  attended  it  in  Connecticut,  gave  rise  to  an  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, by  which  ministers  were  forbidden  to  preach  out  of  their  own 
parishes,  unless  expressly  invited  by  a  clergyman  and  the  major 
part  of  his  church ;  and  if  any  evangelist  preached,  without  being 
requested  to  do  so  by  the  inhabitants,  he  was  to  be  sent  as  a  vagrant 
out  of  the  limits  of  the  colony.  Two  parties  arose  among  the  people 
and  in  the  Legislature,  frequently  called  the  old  and  the  new  lights, 
who  bestowed  on  each  other  the  epithets  of  cold,  dead  preachers, 
formalists,  and  Arminians,  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  enthusiasts  and 
fanatics,  on  the  other.  Much  opposition  was  manifested  to  the 
interference  of  the  Legislature,  as  being  contrary  to  the  liberty  of 
conscience. 

As  early  as  1750  the  principles  of  the  Unitarians  had  been  exten- 
sively adopted  by  members  of  the  Congregational  churches.  There  was 
not,  however,  between  such,  and  those  who  held  fast  to  the  faith  of 
their  fathers,  an  open  separation,  until  some  years  later.  In  1785 
several  churches  in  Boston  ceased  from  their  confessions  of  faith, 
and  many  others  followed  in  their  footsteps.  Harvard  College  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Unitarians,  and  is  now  under  their  control.  But 
the  Congregational  form  of  church  govdmment  is  still  retained  by 
the  Unitarian  churches. 


CONGREGATIONALISTS.  203 

During  the  French,  and  still  more  during  the  revolutionary  war, 
religion  suffered  much,  great  laxity  of  morals  prevailed,  and  very 
many  w^ere  avowed  infidels.  But  the  disastrous  result  of  the  French 
revolution  opened  the  eyes  of  many  to  the  insufficiency  of  human 
reason,  as  a  guide  in  religion,  and  to  the  importance  of  Christianity, 
as  the  safeguard  and  preservative  of  all  governments,  especially  of 
republics. 

Great  efforts  were  also  made  by  the  clergy  to  prevent  the  further 
progress  of  infidel  principles ;  and  a  revival  of  religion  which  com- 
menced in  Connecticut,  and  spread  throughout  New  England,  was 
followed  by  the  happiest  consequences.  At  the  present  day,  probably 
in  no  portion  of  the  world,  will  fewer  infidels,  or  openly  immoral  men 
be  found,  than  in  the  New  England  states. 

The  connexion  that  existed  between  the  Congregational  system  of 
church  polity,  and  the  civil  power,  was  severed  in  most  of  the  colonies 
by  the  revolution.  In  none  of  the  new  constitutions  was  there  any 
provision  made  for  the  support  of  any  particular  form  of  worship  by 
law.  It  will  be  useful  to  glance  at  some  of  the  early  laws  of  New 
England,  both  because  they  have  been  much  misrepresented  and  mis- 
understood, and  because  they  may  serve  us  as  landmarks,  by  which 
we  may  judge  of  our  progress  in  religious  freedom. 

Most  of  the  religious,  and  many  of  the  political  disputes,  which 
arose  in  the  early  history  of  New  England,  are  to  be  traced  to  the 
unfortunate  connexion  that  existed  between  the  churches  and  the  civil 
authorities.  The  manner  in  which  the  connexion  grew  up,  has  been 
already  alluded  to.  Both  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  all  the 
citizens  were  obliged  by  law  to  support  public  worship  and  church 
rates  were  collected  in  the  same  way  as  town  rates.  But  to  this  there 
was  one  exception  :  the  salaries  of  the  Boston  ministers,  down  to  1700, 
were  paid  by  voluntary  contributions,  collected  after  divine  service, 
and  given  to  them  by  the  deacons  every  Monday  morning.  Every 
church  first  chose  its  own  pastor,  and,  if  the  majority  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  concurred,  he  was  supported  by  an  assessment  upon 
the  inhabitants.  If  the  town  did  not  concur,  a  council  was  held  of 
the  elders,  or  messengers  of  the  three,  or  five  neighbouring  churches, 
and  if  they  approved  of  him,  whom  the  churches  had  chosen,  he  was 
appointed  their  minister.  Before  a  church  could  be  gathered,  it  was 
necessary  that  the  consent  of  the  magistrates  should  be  obtained,  and 
if  a  minister  preached  to  such  a  church,  he  was  liable  to  a  penalty. 
If  the  councils  called  to  settle  disputes  did  not  agree,  or  if  the  con- 
tending parties  were  contumacious,  "  it  was  a  common  thing  for  the 
civil  magistrate  to  interfere,  and  put  an  end  to  the  dispute."    In  Con- 


20<k 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


necticut  the  interference  of  the  Assembly  in  religious  matters  was 
frequent. 

All  persons  were  obliged,  under  a  penalty  of  five  shillings  for  every 
nef'lect,  to  attend  public  worship  on  Sunday  and  other  days  set  apart 
to  devotional  exercises.  It  was  not,  however,  obligatory  on  any  one 
to  attend  the  Congregational  churches.  Every  one  was  allowed  to 
worship  peacefully  in  his  own  way,  by  applying  to  the  General  Court, 
and  declaring  his  wishes.  Church  censures  were  declared  invalid  to 
depose,  or  degrade  any  man  from  any  civil  office,  authority,  or  dignity, 
which  he  should  sustain  in  the  colony. 

In  a  declaration  of  the  General  Court,  it  is  said  :  "  That  the  civil 
magistrate  had  power  and  liberty  to  see  the  peace  ordinances  and 
rules  of  Christ  observed  in  every  church  according  to  his  word,  and 
also  to  deal  with  every  church  member  in  a  way  of  civil  justice." 
So  in  Halbard's  Survey  of  the  Cambridge  Platform:  "  Church  govern- 
ment and  civil  government  may  very  well  stand  together,  it  being 
the  duty  of  the  magistrate  to  take  care  of  matters  of  religion." 

The  Congregational  form  of  church  government,  although  not  in 
name,  yet  in  eflect,  was  the  established  ecclesiastical  system  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  of  New  England  generally.  In  the  former  colony,  no  other 
form  was  tolerated  for  the  first  fifty  years,  and  towns  were  required  to 
settle  ministers  of  that  denomination.  The  law  afterwards  became 
more  favourable  to  the  Quakers,  Anabaptists,  and  Episcopalians.  But 
at  first,  polls  were  alone  exempted,  w^iile  the  estate  was  taxed  for  the 
support  of  the  Congregational  clergy. 

It  is  evident  to  every  thinking  man,  that  any  connexion  between 
the  state  and  the  church,  is  utterly  hostile  to  the  genius  of  Congrega- 
tionalism. Indeed,  the  term  church,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  used, 
when  we  speak  of  the  Church  of  England,  or  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
is  wholly  inapplicable  here.  Any  body  of  men,  uniting  together  for 
religious  purposes,  constitutes  a  church,  perfect  and  complete  in  all 
its  parts.  It  is  therefore  that  we  speak  of  the  Congregational  churches, 
as  we  speak  of  the  United  States ;  each  having  an  independent  exis- 
tence, and  still  sovereign,  except  so  far  as  it  has  given  up  its  rights  by 
the  act  of  union.  That  there  may  be  a  union  between  the  state  and 
church,  the  latter  like  the  former  must  be  an  organized  body,  har- 
monious in  its  parts,  and  pervaded  by  a  principle  which  is.  the  law  of 
its  being,  imperative,  permanent,  and  universal.  Such  can  never  be 
the  case  with  the  Congregational  churches ;  for  there  is  no  common 
law,  other  than  the  scriptures,  to  which  they  are  obedient.  Between 
the  states  and  such  a  multitude  of  isolated  independent  communities 
there  can  be  no  union  ;  and  that  anv  connexion  ever  existed  between 


CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


205 


them  was  owing  to  that  peculiar  combination  of  circumstances,  which 
for  many  years  made  them  one  ;  a  unity,  rather  than  a  union  of  dis- 
tinct bodies. 

In  1801  a  plan  of  union  was  adopted  between  the  General  Assem- 
bly, of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  the  General  Association  of  Con- 
necticut, with  a  view  "  to  promote  union  and  harmony  in  those  new 
settlements  which  are  composed  of  inhabitants  from  those  bodies." 
By  this  plan,  a  Congregational  church,  if  they  settled  a  Presbyterian 
minister,  might  still  conduct  their  discipline  according  to  Congrega- 
tional principles ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  a  Presbyterian  church  with 
a  Congregational  minister  retained  its  peculiar  discipline.  Under 
these  regulations  many  new  churches  were  formed,  which  after  a 
time  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  General  Assembly. 

In  1837  this  plan  of  union  was  abrogated  by  that  body,  as  uncon- 
stitutional ;  and  several  synods,  which  had  been  attached  to  it  in 
consequence  of  the  plan,  were  declared  to  be  out  of  the  ecclesiastical 
connexion. 

The  principles  of  the  modern  Congregationalists,  as  has  been 
already  said,  differ  but  little  from  those  held  by  John  Robinson  and 
the  church  at  Leyden.  The  foundation  and  fundamental  principles 
of  their  church  polity  is  this :  that  a  church  is  a  company  of  pious 
persons,  who  voluntarily  unite  together  for  the  worship  of  God. 
From  this  definition,  as  a  starting-point,  their  whole  system  may 
logically  be  deduced.  It  is  a  voluntary  union  in  this, — that  every 
individual  exercises  his  own  judgment  respecting  the  church  with 
which  he  shall  connect  himself,  acting  in  obedience  to  that  law  of 
God  which  commands  all  his  children  to  become  members  of  some 
visible  church.  Being,  then,  in  a  sense,  self-created,  each  church  is 
entirely  independent  of  every  other,  except  so  far  as  it  is  bound  by 
those  laws  of  Christian  intercourse  which  govern  societies  equally 
with  individuals.  It  has  the  power  to  elect  its  own  officers,  to  admit 
and  to  exclude  members ;  in  short,  to  do  all  those  acts  which  are 
recognised  in  the  scriptures  as  coming  within  the  province  of  a 
Christian  church. 

To  the  scriptures  the  Congregationalists  appeal,  as  their  only 
guide  in  all  matters  both  of  faith  and  polity.  They  believe  that  this 
system  of  church  government  is  taught  in  the  sacred  writings,  and 
sanctioned  by  the  usage  of  the  apostles  and  the  early  Christians. 
Creeds  and  confessions  of  faith,  though  used  as  formularies,  are 
never  to  be  regarded  as  tests  of  orthodoxy.  They  are  merely  com- 
pendiums  of  all  the  essential  doctrines  to  which  every  one  is  expected 


206  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  subscribe :  convenient  guides  in  the  examination  of  candidates,  but 
not  standards  of  religious  truth.  In  this  light  are  the  various  confes- 
sions of  faith,  which  at  different  times  iiave  been  adopted  by  synods, 
to  be  regarded.  No  one  of  them  has  any  further  authority  than  as 
being  the  expression  of  the  opinions  of  good  and  wise  men.  They 
have  no  claim  to  infallibility.  By  the  Bible  they  are  to  be  measured, 
and  no  doctrine  which  cannot  be  found  in  it  is  to  be  received,  how- 
ever endeared  to  us  by  its  associations,  or  venerable  by  its  antiquity. 
This  strict  adherence  to  the  scriptures,  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  must  necessarily  prevent  many  of  those  erroneous  opinions, 
and  that  credulous  reliance  upon  tradition,  which  are  too  apt  to  cha- 
racterize those  who  follow  the  Bible  only  at  second  hand. 

Probably  no  part  of  the  Congregational  polity  has  been  so  much 
misunderstood,  as  the  union  which  exists  between  the  individual 
churches.  The  idea  of  a  central  legislative  and  judicial  power, 
which  marks  all  other  ecclesiastical  systems,  is  here  unknown. 
Councils  and  synods  are  merely  advisory  bodies,  composed  of  dele- 
gates from  the  various  churches,  within  certain  local  limits.  They 
are,  so  to  speak,  a  kind  of  congress,  where  the  representatives  of 
independent  churches  meet,  to  consult  with  each  other  respecting 
matters  of  general  interest.  But  they  become  parties  to  no  articles 
of  union,  which  make  the  decisions  of  their  representatives,  thus  con- 
vened, of  binding  authority.  Each  church  is  at  liberty  to  accept  or 
reject  their  decisions.  As  the  judgments  of  impartial,  wise,  and 
good  men,  they  will  deservedly  have  great  influence  with  all  who  are 
unprejudiced;  but  they  are  mere  recommendations,  not  laws. 

These  councils  are  sometimes  mutual,  sometimes  ex  parte,  and 
sometimes  standing,  or  permanent.  A  mutual  council,  as  the  term 
denotes,  is  one  called  by  the  consent  of  both  parties ;  an  ex  parte 
council,  one  which  either  party  in  the  dispute  may  call,  without  the 
concurrence  of  the  other.  These  councils  are  usually  composed  of 
the  pastor  and  a  lay  delegate  from  each  of  the  neighbouring 
churches;  the  disputing  parties,  by  letters  missive,  designating  the 
churches  whose  counsel  they  desire,  and  each  of  the  churches  thus 
addressed  electing  its  own  delegate. 

Standing,  or  permanent  councils  are  almost  entirely  confined  to 
Connecticut.  By  the  articles  of  discipline  adopted  at  Saybrook,  all  the 
churches  are  consociated  for  mutual  assistance  in  their  ecclesiastical 
concerns.  The  pastors  and  churches  of  a  county  usually  form  one  or 
more  consociations;  and  all  cases,  which  cannot  be  determined  with- 
out the  aid  of  a  council,  are  brought  before  this  body.     Mutual  and 


CONGREGATIONALISTS.  207 

ex  parte  councils  have  therefore,  in  great  measure,  gone  into  disuse  in 
that  state. 

It  has  been  a  question  somewhat  controverted,  whether  the  deci- 
sions of  the  consociations  are  final.  In  practice,  however,  they  have 
generally  been  so  regarded.  Some  advantages  are  doubtless  possessed 
by  this  system  over  the  others,  especially  as  offering  a  speedy  termina- 
tion to  disputes ;  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  consistency  demands 
that  every  church  should  be  its  own  judge  in  the  last  resort. 

If  a  church  should  refuse  to  follow  the  advice  of  a  council,  and  the 
case  should  be  such  as  to  warrant  it,  the  other  churches  would  with- 
draw their  fellowship  from  it.  Such  a  step  would  only  be  justifiable 
when  its  offences  are  such  as  no  longer  to  permit  the  other  churches 
to  recognise  it  as  a  Christian  church. 

Difficult  as  it  may  seem  in  theory,  for  so  many  independent  sove- 
reignties to  preserve  uniformity  in  doctrine  and  harmony  in  action : 
yet  it  is  believed  that  no  religious  denomination,  for  the  last  two  hun- 
dred years,  has  swerved  less  from  the  principles  of  its  early  defenders, 
or  maintained  more  perfect  harmony  amongst  its  members.  This,  no 
doubt,  in  a  great  measure,  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the  constant  appeal  to 
the  Bible  as  the  guide  in  all  matters  of  controversy. 

The  only  church  oiiicers  now  recognised  by  the  Congregationalists 
are  pastors  and  deacons.  In  this  respect  they  differ  from  the  early 
churches,  who  admitted  five  orders,  pastors,  teachers,  ruling  elders, 
deacons,  and  deaconesses.  The  office  of  deaconess  was  soon  dropped. 
Those  of  teacher,  and  ruling  elder,  were  longer  retained.  According 
to  Cotton  Mather,  the  churches  were  nearly  "  destitute  of  such  helps 
in  government"  about  the  year  1700.  The  office  of  elder  went  into 
disuse  in  the  church  at  Plymouth  in  1745. 

In  general,  the  ordination  of  a  pastor  was  by  the  imposition  of  the 
hands  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry ;  but,  in  a  few  instances,  by  the 
imposition  of  the  hands  of  some  of  the  lay  brethren.  One  instance  is 
mentioned,  as  having  taken  place  at  Taunton  in  1G40,.  where  the  ordi- 
nation was  performed  by  a  schoolmaster  and  a  husbandman,  although 
two  clergymen  were  present.  "  This,"  says  Hutchinson,  "  at  this  day 
would  be  generally  disapproved  of  and  discountenanced,  although  it 
might  not  be  considered  as  invalid."  Other  instances  are  mentioned 
by  the  early  historians  of  New  England.  The  Cambridge  Platform 
holds  the  following  language :  "  This  ordination  we  account  nothing 
else  but  the  solemn  putting  a  man  into  his  place  and  office,  whereto 
he  had  a  right  before  by  election,  being  like  the  installation  of  a  ma- 
gistrate in  the  commonwealth  ordination ;  therefore  it  is  not  to  go  be- 


208  HISTORY  OF  THE 

fore,  but  to  follow,  election.  The  essence  and  substance  of  the  out- 
ward calling  of  an  ordinary  officer  in  the  church  does  not  consist  in 
his  ordination,  but  in  his  voluntary  and  free  election  by  the  church, 
and  his  accepting  of  that  election.  Ordination  does  not  constitute  an 
officer,  nor  give  him  the  essentials  of  his  office.  In  such  churches, 
where  there  are  elders,  imposition  of  hands  in  ordination  is  to  be  per- 
formed by  the  elders.-  In  such  churches,  where  there  are  no  elders, 
imposition  of  hands  may  be  performed  by  some  of  the  brethren,  or- 
derly chosen  by  the  church  thereto." 

At  the  present  day  lay  ordination,  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
would  be  regarded,  by  the  great  majority  of  Congregationalists,  as 
highly  improper,  and  probably,  by  some,  as  invalid. 

Deacons  are  chosen  by  votes  of  the  church.  The  practice  in  their 
ordination  has  not  been  entirely  uniform.*  One  instance  is  men- 
tioned where  they  were  ordained  without  the  imposition  of  hands. 
But,  in  general,  the  practice  seems  to  have  been  that  the  pastor  and 
elder  both  laid  on  hands;  the  pastor  then  prayed,  and  gave  the 
charge,  and  the  elder  prayed.  At  present,  ordination  by  imposition 
of  hands  is  the  custom  in  the  majority  of  churches.  The  ministers  of 
the  neighbouring  congregations  are  not  invited  to  assist  in  the  cere- 
mony, as  the  office  of  deacon  is  purely  local,  and  does  not  extend 
beyond  the  particular  church  for  which  he  is  chosen. 

The  common  practice  in  the  dismission  of  a  pastor  is  to  call  a  mu- 
tual council.  Should  either  the  pastor  or  the  congregation  refuse  to 
join  in  a  mutual  council  the  other  party  might  then  call  a  council  ex 
parte. 

In  all  the  states,  where  Congregationalists  are  found,  there  exists 
some  union  or  association  of  ministers,  embracing  all  within  certain 
local  limits.  These  meetings  are  usually  held  at  intervals  of  several 
weeks.  The  object  of  these  meetings  is  personal  improvement,  and 
assistance  by  mutual  counsel  and  advice. 

The  power  of  licensing  ministers,  is  now  generally  entrusted  to  the 
associations  of  pastors.  For  many  years  after  the  settlement  of  the 
country,  there  was  no  regular  way  of  introducing  candidates  into  the 
ministry.  "  When  they  had  finished  their  collegiate  studies,"  says 
Trumbull,  "  if  they  imagined  themselves  qualified,  and  could  find 
some  friendly  gentleman  in  the  ministry  to  introduce  them,  they  began 
to  preach  without  an  examination,  or  recommendation  from  any  body 
of  ministers  or  churches.    If  they  studied  a  time  with  any  particular  mi- 

*  Thatcher's  History  of  Plymouth. 


CONGREGATIONALISTS.  209 

nister  or  ministers,  after  they  had  received  the  honours  of  college,  that 
minister,  or  those  ministers,  introduced  them  into  the  pulpit  at  plea- 
sure, without  the  general  consent  and  approbation  of  their  brethren." 
To  remedy  the  evils  necessarily  resulting  from  such  laxity,  the  pre- 
sent system  was  adopted,  and  no  one  is  now  regarded  as  duly  autho- 
rized to  preach  until  he  has  undergone  an  examination  by  some  as- 
sociation, and  is  recommended  by  it  to  the  churches  as  properly 
qualified. 

The  organization  of  the  churches  as  it  exists  in  Connecticut,  under 
the  Saybrook  Platform,  has  been  already  spoken  of.  A  similar  sys- 
tem, in  most  respects,  has  been  adopted  by  the  Congregationalists  in 
other  states. 

In  Massachusetts,  a  general  association  was  formed  in  1803,  which 
now  includes  twenty-two  distinct  associations,  and  nearly  all  the 
Trinitarian  clergy  of  the  denomination  in  the  state. 

In  Vermont,  a  general  convention  of  the  Congregational  ministers, 
and  churches,  is  held  yearly,  to  which  every  association,  presbytery, 
county  conference,  or  consociation,  sends  two  delegates.  This  body 
held  its  first  session  in  1796. 

In  New  Hampshire,  a  pastoral  convention  was  formed  in  1747,  in- 
cluding "  those  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  ministers  of  that 
state,  who  own  or  acknowledge  the  Westminster  Assembly's  Shorter 
Catechism  as  containing  essentially  their  views  of  Christian  doc- 
trine." This  organization  continued  until  1809,  when  a  general  as- 
sociation was  formed,  which  held  its  first  meeting  the  same  year.    ■ 

The  ecclesiastical  system  of  Maine  is  different  from  that  of  the 
other  New  England  states  in  this,  that  it  has  no  general  association, 
or  convention,  of  ministers.  Each  county,  or  other  convenient  dis- 
trict, has  its  own  conference,  which  is  expressly  forbid  the  exercise 
of  any  authority  or  control  over  the  churches.  In  1823,  a  general 
conference  was  formed,  to  which  delegates  are  sent  from  each  county 
conference  ;  but  "  no  ecclesiastical  power  or  authority  shall  ever  be 
assumed  by  it,  or  by  the  delegates  to  it." 

In  Rhode  Island,  an  evangelical  association  of  ministers  was  formed 
in  1808.  The  next  year  the  name  was  changed  to  that  of  the  "Evan- 
gelical Consociation,"  by  which  it  is  now  known.  It  has  merely  an 
advisory  jurisdiction  over  the  churches. 

In  Michigan,  a  general  association  was  formed  in  1842.  By  its 
articles  of  union,  no  judicial  authority  can  be  exercised  over  the  mi- 
nisters, or  churches,  belonging  to  it.  Its  prospects  are  thought  to  be 
highly  encouraging. 


210  HISTORY  OF  THE 

In  New  York*,  many  churches,  originally  founded  by  Congrega- 
tionalists,  and  after  the  Congregational  model,  have,  from  a  desire  of 
harmony,  and  a  more  perfect  union  with  their  brother  Christians,  of 
the  same  doctrinal  faith,  adopted  wholly  or  in  part  the  Presbyterian 
discipline.  In  1834,  those  churches  who  had  retained  the  Congrega- 
tional discipline  formed  a  general  association,  in  which  both  churches 
and  ministers  are  represented  :  lay  delegates  representing  the  former. 
The  number  of  churches  and  ministers  connected  with  this  body,  is 
annually  increasing. 

The  number  of  Congregationalists  in  each  state  of  the  Union,  the 
writer  has  not  been  able  to  ascertain. 

In  1841,  the  number  of  churches  reported  to  the  general  associa- 
tion of  Connecticut,  was  246,  and  the  number  of  pastors  211.  In 
Vermont,  there  are  about  200  ministers ;  in  New  Hampshire,  about 
150;  in  Rhode  Island,  16;  in  New  York,  150. 

By  the  census  of  1840,  the  number  of  Congregational  ministers  is 
rated  at  1150;  of  congregations,  1300,  and  of  members,  160,000. 
There  have  been  founded  in  New  England  eight  colleges,  and  four 
theological  seminaries.  All  these  institutions  are  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

So  far  as  the  political  and  social  blessings  of  a  people  flow  from 
their  religious  institutions,  no  greater  praise  can  be  demanded  for  the 
religious  principles  and  polity  of  the  Pilgrims,  than  that  they  be 
judged  of  by  their  fruits.  The  harmony  between  their  ecclesiastical 
and  political  forms  of  government  is  apparent ;  nor  is  it  too  much  to 
say,  that  the  republicanism  of  the  church  was  the  father  of  the  re- 
publicanism of  the  state.  The  English  prelates  were  not  far  wrong, 
when  they  censured  the  Puritans  as  cherishing  principles  which,  in 
their  developement,  would  overthrow  both  hierarchal,  and  regal  des- 
potism. "  In  New  England  the  war  of  the  Revolution  commenced."* 
In  New  England  was  devised,  and  carried  into  effect,  that  system  of 
school  education,  which  has  made  her  people  more  generally  intelli- 
gent than  the  people  of  any  other  portion  of  our  continent.  In  New 
England,  at  the  present  day,  is  to  be  found  less  immorality,  vice,  and 
unbelief,  than  exists  in  any  other  country  of  equal  extent  upon  the 
globe.  When  we  recollect,  that  for  near  two  hundred  years  after  its 
settlement,  there  was  scarcely  a  single  church  of  any  other  deno- 
mination within  its  limits,  "  to  Congregationalists  and  to  Congrega- 
tional principles  it  must  chiefly  be  ascribed,  that  New  England  is 
what  it  is." 

•  Daniel  Webster. 


CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


211 


Those  who  desire  more  particular  information  of  the  principles  of 
the  Congregatioaalists,  are  referred  to  "  Punchard  on  Congregation- 
alism," the  second  edition  of  which  has  just  been  published.  It  is  a 
full,  impartial,  and  able  work.  A  history  of  Congregationalism  by 
the  same  author  will,  when  completed,  be  a  very  valuable  addition 
to  our  stock  of  historical  knowledge.  Much  information  will  also 
be  found  in  Dr.  Bacon's  "  Church  Manual,"  Mr.  Mitchell's  "  Guide," 
Dr.  Hawes'  '« Tribute  to  the  Pilgrims,"  and  Prof.  Upham's  "  Ratio 
Disciplinae." 


CUMBEELAND  PRESB YTEHIANS. 

BY  RICHARD  BEARD,  D.  D. 

PRESIDENT  OF  CUMBERLAND  COLLEGE,  AT  PRINCETON,  KENTUCKY. 

Near  the  close  of  the  last  century  a  great  revival  of  religion  oc- 
curred in  the  western  country.  The  first  indications  of  it  appeared 
in  May,  A.  D.  1797,  in  Kentucky,  in  Gaspar  River  Congregation, 
under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  James  McGready.  Mr.  McGready 
was  a  pupil  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  McMillan,  the  founder  of  Jefferson  Col- 
lege. After  having  completed  his  course  of  studies,  preparatory  to 
the  ministry,  he  spent  some  time  in  North  Carolina,  where  he  preached 
the  gospel  with  great  power  and  success.  In  1796  he  removed  from 
North  Carolina  and  settled  in  Kentucky,  in  charge  of  the  congrega- 
tions of  Gaspar  river,  Red  river,  and  Muddy  river.  Soon  after  his 
settlement  in  these  congregations,  in  consequence  of  what  he  con- 
sidered the  deplorable  state  of  religious  feeling  and  practice  among 
the  people  of  his  charge,  he  proposed  to  them  the  following  preamble 
and  covenant : 

"  When  we  consider  the  reward  and  promises  of  a  compassionate 
God  to  the  poor  lost  family  of  Adam,  we  find  the  strongest  cntou- 
ragement  for  Christians  to  pray  in  faith,  to  ask  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
for  the  conversion  of  their  fellow-men.  None  ever  went  to  Christ 
when  on  earth,  with  the  case  of  their  friends,  that  were  denied;  and 
although  the  days  of  his  humiliation  are  ended,  yet,  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  his  people,  he  has  left  it  on  record,  that  where  two  or  three 
agree  on  earth  to  ask  in  prayer  believing,  it  shall  be  done.  Again, 
'Whatsoever  you  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do, 
that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  liie  Son.'  With  these  promises 
before  us,  wo  feel  encouraged  to  unite  our  supplications  to  a  prayer, — 
hearing  God  for  the  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  that  his  people  may  be 
quickened  and  comforted,  and  that  our  children  and  sinners,  generally, 
may  be  converted.  Therefore  we  bind  ourselves  to  observe  the  third 
Saturday  of  each  month,  for  one  year,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer 


CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIANS.  213 

for  the  conversion  of  sinners  in  Logan  county,  and  throughout  the 
world.  We  also  engage  to  spend  half  an  hour  every  Saturday  eve- 
ning, beginning  at  the  setting  of  the  sun,  and  half  an  hour  every 
Sabbath  morning  at  the  rising  of  the  sun,  in  pleading  with  God  to  re- 
vive his  work."* 

To  this  preamble  and  covenant  the  pastor  and  the  principal  mem- 
bers of  his  congregations  affixed  their  names.  Having  thus  solemnly 
pledged  themselves  to  God  and  to  each  other,  they  betook  themselves 
to  fervent  and  persevering  prayer.  In  May  following,  A.  D.  1797, 
appeared  the  beginnings  of  the  great  and  gracious  revival.  The  first 
cases  of  seriousness  and  conversion  occurred  in  the  Gaspar  river  con- 
gregation. In  September  1798,  the  congregations  of  Red  river  and 
Muddy  river  participated  to  some  extent  in  the  work.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  the  work  developed  itself  in  increasing  interest  and  power, 
but  was  still  confined  to  Mr.  McGready's  three  congregations.  In  1800 
it  extended  itself  into  what  was  then  called  the  Cumberland  country, 
and  manifested  itself  in  great  power  in  Shiloh  congregation,  which 
was  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  Hodge.  Large  meet- 
ings began  to  be  held  in  different  parts  of  Kentucky  and  the  Cumber- 
land country,  mainly  superintended  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  James  Mc- 
Gready,  Wm.  Hodge,  and  Wm.  McGee.  On  these  occasions  it  was 
customary  for  families  to  attend  from  a  distance  of  many  miles,  some- 
times twenty,  fifty,  and  even  a  hundred.  As  a  matter  of  convenience 
many  went  in  their  wagons,  carried  their  provisions,  and  lodged 
upon  the  ground,  either  in  their  wagons,  or  in  temporary  cloth  tents. 
This  was  the  origin  of  camp  meetings. 

The  original  and  most  efficient  promoters  of  the  revival  were  Pres- 
byterian ministers,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  population  of  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee,  were  emigrants  from  Virginia  and  the  Caro- 
linas,  and  were  under  the  influence  of  Presbyterian  partiaHties.  As  a 
matter  of  course,  the  revival  created  a  demand  for  an  increase  of 
Presbyterian  ministers."  The  calls  for  ministerial  labour  were  constant 
and  multiplying.  In  this  state  of  things  a  suggestion  was  made  to 
the  revival  ministers  by  the  Rev.  David  Rice,  (then  the  most  aged 
Presbyterian  minister  in  Kentucky,  and  considered  the  father  of  the 
church  in  the  West,)  that  they  should  select  from  the  churches  men 
of  piety  and  promise,  and  encourage  them  to  prepare  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  although  they  might  not  have,  and  might  not  be  able  to 
obtain,  that  amount  of  education  required  by  the  book  of  discipline. 
It  was  thought  that  the  wants  of  the  congregations  required  a  resort 

*  History  of  the  Cliristian  Church,  by  the  Rev.  James  Smith,  pp.  565,  566. 


214  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  the  use  of  extraordinary  means.  Accordingly,  three  men,  Alexander 
Anderson,  Finis  Ewing,  and  Samuel  King,  were  encouraged  to  pre- 
pare written  discourses,  and  present  themselves  before  the  Transyl- 
vania presbytery,  at  its  sessions  in  the  fall  of  1801.  They  were  men 
of  undaunted  piety,  and  of  very  respectable  intelligence,  and  had 
already  been  useful  in  promoting  the  revival.  When  their  case  was 
brought  before  the  presbytery,  the  measure  met  with  strong  opposi- 
tion. They  were  permitted,  however,  to  read  their  discourses  pri- 
vately to  Mr.  Rice,  who  reported  favourably;  and  they  were  then 
encouraged  to  catechize  and  exhort  in  the  vacant  congregations,  and 
prepare  discourses  to  be  read  at  the  next  sessions  of  the  presbytery. 
At  the  subsequent  meeting  of  the  presbytery,  Mr.  Anderson  was  re- 
ceived as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry;  the  others  were  rejected,  but 
continued  as  catechists  and  exhorters.  In  the  fall,  however,  of  1802, 
they  were  all  licensed  as  probationers  for  the  holy  ministry,  having 
adopted  the  confession  of  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  with  the 
exception  of  the  idea  of  fatality,  which  seemed  to  them  to  be  taught 
in  that  book  under  the  mysterious  doctrines  of  election  and  repro- 
bation. 

At  the  first  sessions  of  the  Kentucky  synod,  held  in  October  1802, 
the  Transylvania  presbytery  was  divided,  and  the  Cumberland  pres- 
bytery was  formed,  including  the  Green  river  and  Cumberland  coun- 
tries. This  presbytery  met  on  the  5th  day  of  April,  1803,  and  was 
composed  of  the  following  ministers:  Thomas  B.  Craighead,  T. 
Templin,  John  Bowman,  Samuel  Donnel,  James  Balch,  James  Mc- 
Gready,  Wm.  Hodge,  Wm.  McGee,  John  Rankin,  and  Samuel 
McAdam.  The  first  five  were  considered  opposers,  the  others  were 
promoters  of  the  revival.  In  the  course  of  the  year,  Mr.  Anderson 
and  Mr.  Ewing  were  ordained,  several  young  men  were  licensed  as 
probationers  for  the  ministry,  and  some  were  received  as  candidates. 
At  the  spring  meeting  of  the  presbytery  in  1804,  the  members  opposed 
to  the  revival  objected  to  Mr.  Ewing's  being  invited  to  a  seat,  on  the 
ground  of  illegality ;  but  the  objection  was  overruled  by  a  large  ma- 
jority.' In  June  of  this  year,  Mr.  King  was  ordained,  and  in  the 
course  of  the  year  a  few  licensings  occurred. 

At  the  sessions  of  the  Kentucky  synod  in  October,  1804,  a  letter 
of  remonstrance  against  the  proceedings  of  the  Cumberland  presby- 
tery was  presented,  signed  by  Tiiomas  B.  Craighead,  Samuel  Don- 
nel, and  James  Bowman.  After  some  discussion,  an  order  was 
passed,  "  That  the  parties,  both  complained  of  and  complaining,  be 
cited  to  appear  at  the  next  stated  session  of  the  synod,  with  all  the 


CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIANS.  215 

light  and  testimony  on  the  subject  that  can  be  afforded."*  In  June 
following,  Messrs.  Samuel  Hodge,  Thomas  Nelson,  and  William 
Dickey  were  ordained. 

At  the  session  of  the  Kentucky  synod  in  October,  1805,  none  of 
the  members  of  the  Cumberland  presbytery  were  present,  except 
Rev.  Messrs.  Samuel  Donnel  and  William  Dickey.  Their  book  of 
records,  however,  was  presented  by  Mr.  Donnel,  and  a  committee 
appointed  to  examine  it.  From  the  report  of  the  committee,  a  com- 
mission was  appointed  by  the  synod,  and  vested  with  full  synodical 
powers,  to  confer  with  the  presbytery,  and  adjudicate  upon  their 
proceedings.  The  commission  was  composed  of  the  following  mem- 
bers :  Rev.  Messrs.  John  Lyle,  John  P.  Campbell,  Archibald  Came- 
ron, Joseph  P.  Howe,  Samuel  Rennels,  Robert  Stuart,  Joshua  L. 
Wilson,  Thomas  Cleland,  and  Isaac  Tull,  and  Messrs.  William 
McDowell,  Robert  Brank,  James  Allin,  James  Henderson,  Richard 
Gaines,  and  Andrew  Wallace,  elders.  The  commission  met,  accord- 
ing to  appointment,  on  the  third  day  of  December,  1805,  at  Caspar 
river  meeting-house.  All  the  implicated  members  of  the  Cumberland 
presbytery  were  present :  Rev.  Messrs.  James  McGready,  William 
Hodge,  William  McGee,  John  Rankin,  and  Samuel  McAdam;  also, 
Rev.  Messrs.  Finis  Ewing,  Samuel  King,  Thomas  Nelson,  and 
Samuel  Hodge,  who  had  been  ordained  by  the  presbytery,  and 
Hugh  Kirkpatrick,  James  B.  Porter,  Robert  Bell,  David  Foster,  and 
Thomas  Caehoon,  who  had  been  licensed  as  probationers,  and  Robert 
Guthrie,  Samuel  K.  Blylhe,  and  Samuel  Donnel,  who  had  been  re- 
ceived as  candidates.  On  the  third  day  of  their  sessions  the  com- 
mission passed  the  following  resolution : 

"  On  motion,  resolved,  that  the  commission  of  synod  do  proceed 
to  examine  those  persons  irregularly  licensed,  and  those  irregularly 
ordained  by  the  Cumberland  presbytery,  and  judge  of  their  qualifica- 
tions for  the  gospel  ministry." 

To  this  requisition  the  members  of  the  presbytery  refused  to  sub- 
mit, alleging  that  "  they  had  the  exclusive  right  to  examine  and 
license  their  own  candidates,  and  that  the  synod  had  no  right  to  take 
them  out  of  their  hands." 

On  the  fourth  day  of  their  sessions,  the  commission  passed  an  addi- 
tional resolution,  "  adjuring  them  to  submit  to  the  authority  which  God 
had  established  in  his  church,  and  with  which  the  commission  was 
clothed."  After  consultation,  and  prayer  for  divine  direction,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  presbytery  still  refused.   The  commission  then  called  on  the 

*  History  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  the  Rev.  James  Smith,  p.  569. 


21(3  HISTORY  OF  THE 

young  men,  respecting  whose  advancement  to  the  ministry  the  diffi- 
culty had  originated,  to  submit  to  a  re-examination.  It  was  requested 
that  they  might  be  permitted  to  retire  and  ask  counsel  of  the  Most 
High.  To  this  request  objections  were  made,  but  it  was  at  length 
granted.  After  retirement  and  prayer  they  still  refused  to  submit  to 
a  re-examination,  assigning  as  their  reasons,  "  That  they  considered 
the  Cumberland  presbytery  a  regular  church  judicatory,  and  compe- 
tent to  judge  of  the  faith  and  ability  of  its  candidates ;  that  they 
themselves  had  not  been  charged  with  heresy  or  immorality,  and  if 
they  had,  the  presbytery  would  have  been  the  proper  judicature  to 
call  them  to  an  account."  Whereupon  the  commission  passed  a 
resolution,  prohibiting  all  those  who  had  been  licensed  and  ordained, 
in  what  they  considered  an  irregular  manner,  from  exhorting, 
preaching  the  gospel,  or  administering  the  ordinances  of  the  ciiurch, 
in  consequence  of  any  authority  which  they  had  derived  from  the 
Cumberland  presbytery,  until  they  submitted  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
commission  of  synod,  and  underwent  the  requisite  examination.  This 
resolution  was  considered  unconstitutional,  and  of  course  null  and 
void. 

As  soon  as  the  commission  dissolved,  the  members  of  the  Cumber- 
land presbytery,  who  had  been  friendly  to  the  revival,  formed  them- 
selves into  a  council,  for  the  purpose  of  trying  to  keep  themselves 
and  their  congregations  together  until  their  difficulties  could  be 
settled  by  the  proper  judicatures  of  the  church.  They  still  preached, 
administered  the  ordinances,  and  held  occasional  meetings  for  con- 
ference ;  but  transacted  no  presbyterial  business.  In  the  meantime, 
their  labours  were  abundantly  blessed  in  promoting  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  and  turning  the  western  wilderness  into  a  fruitful  field. 

In  the  spring  of  1807,  the  council  drew  up  an  able  and  very 
respectful  letter  of  remonstrance  to  the  General  Assembly.  To  this 
letter  the  assembly  replied,  "  That  as  the  council  had  not  come  regu- 
larly before  that  body  by  appeal,  they  did  not  consider  themselves 
called  on  judicially  to  decide  on  their  case." 

In  the  spring  of  1808,  the  council  sent  a  petition  to  the  General 
Assembly  praying  for  the  interference  of  that  body  in  their  behalf. 
The  assembly  replied  to  the  petition,  "  That,  as  the  matter  had  not 
been  brought  up  to  them  by  appeal  from  the  Synod  of  Kentucky, 
they  could  give  no  relief;  but  must  refer  the  petitioners  to  the  synod 
itself,  as  the  only  constitutional  body  competent  to  reverse  what  they 
had  done  wrong."*     They  were  encouraged,  however,  by  private 

*  Smith's  History  of  the  Christian  Church,  p.  628. 


CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIANS.  217 

intimations  from  the  General  Assembly,  that  in  process  of  time  they 
would  obtain  a  redress  of  their  grievances.  Owing  to  the  embar- 
rassed condition  of  the  council  in  the  spring  of  1809,  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  them  to  prosecute  an  appeal  to  the  assembly.  But  that  body 
was  addressed  by  the  Synod  of  Kentucky,  by  letter,  respecting  the 
difficulties,  the  result  of  which  was  a  resolution  equivalent  to  a  con- 
firmation of  all  the  proceedings  of  the  synod  in  relation  to  the  busi- 
ness. The  members  of  the  council  received  intelligence  of  this 
decision  with  astonishment  and  sorrow,  and  at  their  next  meeting, 
August,  1809,  a  large  majority  was  in  favour  of  an  immediate 
constitution  as  an  independent  presbytery.  But  some  hesitated,  and 
wished  to  make  a  last  effort  with  the  synod  for  a  reconciliation.  It 
was  unanimously  agreed,  therefore,  to  appoint  two  commissioners  to 
propose  terms  to  the  synod,  or  to  the  Transylvania  Presbytery,  to 
which  they  had  previously  been  attached  by  a  dissolution  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbytery.  This  commission  failed  to  effect  a  com- 
promise, and  the  result  was,  that  three  members  of  the  council.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Finis  Evving,  Samuel  King,  and  Samuel  McAdam,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1810,  constituted  the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  from  which  has 
grown  the  present  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  The  following 
is  the  record  of  their  constitution : 

"In  Dickson  County,  State  of  Tennessee,  at  the  Rev.  Samuel 
McAdam's,  this  4th  day  of  February,  1810: 

"  We,  Samuel  McAdam,  Finis  Ewing,  and  Samuel  King,  regu- 
larly ordained  ministers  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  against  whom 
no  charge  either  of  immorality  or  heresy  has  ever  been  exhibited 
before  any  judicature  of  the  church,  having  waited  in  vain  more  than 
four  years,  in  the  meantime  petitioning  the  General  Assembly,  for  a 
redress  of  grievances,  and  a  restoration  of  our  violated  rights,  have 
and  do  hereby  agree  and  determine,  to  constitute  ourselves  into  a 
presbytery,  known  by  the  name  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  on 
the  following  conditions : 

"  All  candidates  for  the  ministry,  who  may  hereafter  be  licensed  by 
this  presbytery,  and  all  the  licentiates  or  probationers  who  may  here- 
after be  ordained  by  this  presbytery,  shall  be  required,  before  such 
licensure  and  ordination,  to  receive  and  accept  the  Confession  of 
Faith  and  Discipline  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  except  the  idea  of 
fatality  that  seems  to  be  taught  under  the  mysterious  doctrine  of  pre- 
destination. It  is  to  be  understood,  however,  that  such  as^  can 
clearly  receive  the  Confession  of  Faith  without  an  exception,  will 
not  be  required  to  make  any.  Moreover,  all  licentiates,  before  they 
are  set  apart  to  the  whole  work  of  the  ministry,  or  ordained,  shall  be 

15 


218 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


required  to  undergo  an  examination  in  English  Grammar,  Geogra- 
phy, Astronomy,  Natural  and  Moral  Philosophy,  and  Church  His- 
tory. It  will  not  be  understood  that  examinations  in  Experimental 
Religion  and  Theology  will  be  omitted.  The  presbytery  may  also 
require  an  examination  on  any  part,  or  all,  of  the  above  branches  of 
knowledge  before  licensure,  if  they  deem  it  expedient." 

Three  years  after  the  constitution  of  the  presbytery,  the  number  of 
ministers  and  congregations  had  become  so  great,  that  it  was  divided 
into  three  presbyteries,  and  a  synod  was  formed.  The  first  sessions 
of  the  Cumberland  Synod  were  held  in  October,  1813.  At  this 
meeting  of  the  synod  a  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  Catechism,  and  Form  of  Church  Government,  in 
conformity  with  the  avowed  principles  of  the  body.  The  Confession 
of  Faith  and  Catechism  are  a  modification  of  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession, and  contain  substantially  the  following  doctrines : 

That  the  scriptures  are  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice ;  that  God  is  an  infinite,  eternal,  and  unchangeable  spirit,  exist- 
ing mysteriously  in  three  persons,  the  three  being  equal  in  power  and 
glory ;  that  God  is  the  Creator  and  Preserv^er  of  all  things ;  that  the 
decrees  of  God  extend  only  to  what  is  for  his  glory  ;  that  he  has  not 
decreed  the  existence  of  sin,  because  it  is  neither  for  his  glory  nor 
the  good  of  his  creatures ;  that  man  was  created  upright,  in  the 
image  of  God ;  but,  that  by  the  transgression  of  the  federal  head,  he 
has  become  totally  depraved,  so  much  so  that  he  can  do  no  good 
thing  without  the  aid  of  divine  grace.  That  Jesus  Christ  is  the  media- 
tor between  God  and  man;  and  that  he  is  both  God  and  man  in  one 
person ;  that  he  obeyed  the  law  perfectly,  and  died  on  the  cross  to 
make  satisfaction  for  sin ;  and  that,  in  the  expressive  language  of 
the  apostle,  he  tasted  death  for  every  man.     That  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
the  efficient  agent  in  our  conviction,  regeneration,  and  sanctification; 
that  repentance  and  faith  are  necessary  in  order  to  acceptance,  and 
that  both  are  inseparable  from  a  change  of  heart ;  that  justification  is 
by  faith  alone ;  that  sanctification  is   a  progressive  work,  and  not 
completed  till  death ;  that  those  who  believe  in  Christ,  and  are  rege- 
nerated by  his  Spirit,  will  never  fall  away  and  be  lost ;  that  there 
will  be  a  general  resurrection  and  judgment ;  and  that  the  righteous 
will  be  received  to  everlasting  happiness,  and  the  wicked  consigned 
to  everlasting  misery. 

Cumberland  Presbyterians  baptize  the  children  of  believing  parents, 
and  adult  persons  who  have  not  been  baptized  in  infancy,  upon  a  cre- 
dible profession  of  religion.  They  administer  baptism  by  afl'usion, 
and  sometimes,  when  the  subject  has  conscientious  preferences,  by 
immersion. 


CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIANS.  219 

The  government  of  the  church  is  strictly  presbyterial.  The 
lowest  judicature  is  a  church  or  congregational  session ;  the  next  a 
presbytery;  and,  for  some  years,  a  synod  was  the  highest.  At  the 
sessions  of  the  Cumberland  Synod  in  1828,  the  synod  was  divided 
into  four  synods,  and  preparatory  steps  were  taken  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  general  assembly.  The  first  sessions  of  the  assembly  were 
held  in  May,  1829,  at  Princeton,  Kentucky. 

Something  of  the  increase  and  extension  of  the  church  may  be 
learned  from  the  following  specifications. 
In  1822,  twelve  years  after  the  organization  of  the  first  pres- 
bytery, the  number  of  ordained  ministers  was  -         -         -  46 
The  number  of  reported  conversions  that  year,  through  the 

instrumentality  of  the  church,  was 2718 

Adult  baptisms, 575 

In  1826,  ordained  ministers,        ......  80 

Reported  conversions, 3305 

Adult  baptisms,    -         -         -         -         -         -         -         786 

In  1827,  ordained  ministers, ^-114 

Reported  conversions, 4006 

Adult  baptisms, 996 

In  1833,  the  General  Assembly  contained 

Synods, '-  6 

Presbyteries, 32 

Reported  conversions, 5977 

Adult  baptisms, 1150 

In  1834,  reported  conversions, 10688 

In  1843,  it  appeared  from  official  documents  that  the  General 
Assembly  had  under  its  supervision  13  synods  and  57  presbyteries. 
One  synod  embraces  the  republic  of  Texas. 

The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  has  under  its  patronage 
three  colleges.  The  oldest  is  Cumberland  College,  at  Princeton, 
Kentucky,  of  which  the  Rev.  Richard  Beard,  D.D.  is  president. 
Beverly  College,  at  Beverly,  Ohio ;  Rev.  J.  P.  Wethee,  president. 
A  new  college  at  Lebanon,  Tennessee ;  Rev.  F.  R.  Cassitt,  D.  D., 
president.  Two  weekly  religious  newspapers  are  published  under 
the  patronage  of  the  church :  the  Banner  of  Peace  and  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Advocate,  published  at  Lebanon,  Tennessee,  Rev.  F.  R. 
Cassitt,  D.  D.,  editor,  and  the  Union  Evangelist  and  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Observer,  published  at  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  Rev. 
Milton  Bird,  editor.  The  ministry  of  the  church  are  pious  and 
generally  intelligent  and  efficient  men,  and  great  exertions  are  now 
making  to  raise  still  higher  the  standard  of  intelligence  and  useful- 
ness. 


DUTCH  EEFORMED. 

BY  W.  C.  BROWNLEE,  D.  D., 

OF  THE  PROTESTANT  DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  NEW  YORK. 

In  presenting  this  brief  detail,  I  shall, 

I.  Give  a  sketch  of  the  history  of  our  church  ; 

II.   State  its  doctrines  ; 
III.  Its  governinent ; 
ly.  Its  form  of  worship  ; 

V.  Its  statistics. 

I.  The  Dutch  Reformed  Church  is  the  oldest  church  in  the  United 
States  which  adopts  the  Presbyterian  form  of  church  government. 
Its  history  begins  with  the  history  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  It 
is  a  branch  of  the  national  Church  of  Holland ;  and  is  formed  exactly 
on  its  primitive,  simple,  and  scriptural  model,  in  every  point. 

The  struggle  in  Holland  for  religion  and  liberty  was  severe  and 
protracted.  But,  by  wisdom  and  piety  in  the  cabinet,  and  by  a  suc- 
cession of  gallant  achievements  in  the  field,  against  the  arms  of  the 
bigoted  and  ferocious  Spaniard,  the  Dutch  by  divine  aid  secured  their 
national  independence  and  the  enjoyment  of  the  Protestant  religion. 
From  this  era  the  Dutch  became  a  great  and  powerful  nation.  Com- 
merce, literature  and  religion  flourished  to  an  extraordinary  degree. 
And  to  our  days,  Holland  has  been  pre-eminently  distinguished  for 
her  devotion  to  religion  and  literature.  Hence  her  primary  schools, 
her  academies,  her  universities,  and  parochial  churches,  and  hence 
the  number  of  her  learned  men,  and  her  pious  and  devoted  ministers 
in  the  national  church.  In  the  midst  of  her  extensive  commercial 
enterprises  she  did  not  lose  sight  of  the  Christian  duties  she  owed  to 
those  with  whom  she  traded.  Her  ships,  which  visited  all  lands, 
were  instrumental,  in  the  hands  of  her  pious  sons,  of  carrying  the 
glorious  gospel  to  many  countries.  The  East  Indies  and  the  adjacent 
islands,  the  West  Indian  Islands,  and  our  own  continent,  bear  lasting 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.        #  221 

proofs  of  this  in  the  existing  nnonuments  of  the  fruits  of  the  labours  of 
her  missionaries  and  pious  immigrants. 

The  Dutch  West  India  Company  were  the  first  who  carried  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  from  Holland  to  our  shores.  This  was  done 
in  answer  to  the  petitions  of  the  pious  immigrants  who  had  settled  in 
this  province,  then  called  New  Amsterdam.  And  as  the  members  of 
the  Dutch  West  India  Company  were  citizens  of  Amsterdam,  these 
petitions  were,  of  course,  put  into  the  hands  of  the  ministers  of  that 
city,  as  the  fittest  persons  to  select  good  and  suitable  pastors  for  the 
rising  churches  abroad.  By  these,  ministers  was  the  whole  manage- 
ment thereof  brought  before  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam ;  and  they 
promptly  undertook  the  important  charge  of  providing  an  able  minis- 
try for  America.  The  ministers,  thus  provided,  were  ordained  and 
sent  as  missionaries  to  these  shores,  by  that  classis,  with  the  consent 
and  approbation  of  the  Synod  of  North  Holland,  to  which  that  classis 
belonged.  And  under  their  paternal  and  fostering  care,  and  the 
labour  of  the  able  ministers  who  came  among  them,  these  churches 
grew  and  increased  in  number  and  strength  continually. 

This  minute  detail  was  necessary  to  throw  light  on  an  important 
matter,  out  of  which  arose  consequences,  in  future  of  the  deepest 
interest  to  our  church.  It  reveals  the  reason  why  the  Dutch  Ameri- 
can churches  were  brought  into  such  close  connexion  with  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam,  and  through  that  classis,  with  the  Synod  of  North 
Holland,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  all  the  other  classes  and  synods  of 
the  national  church.  And  it  shows  why,  in  process  of  time,  this  con- 
nexion brought  about  the  entire  dependence,  and  the  implicit  subordi- 
nation of  these  American  Dutch  churches  to  that  classis  and  that 
synod.  So  much  so,  that  they  claimed  the  entire  and  exclusive  right 
of  selecting,  ordaining  and  sending  ministers  to  these  churches.  They 
went  farther;  they  claimed  the  exclusive  power  of  deciding  all  eccle- 
siastical controversies  and  difficulties  which  might  arise  in  all  the 
Dutch  churches  in  the  provinces. 

This  was,  at  first,  casually,  and  by  a  silent  understanding,  vested 
in  that  classis,  by  the  young  and  weak  churches  here,  and  not  ob- 
jected to  by  the  other  synods  in  Holland,  or  by  the  older  and  more 
experienced  ministers.  This  dependence  was  not  at  first  anticipated  ; 
and  what  was  only  casually  allowed,  was  afterwards  claimed  by  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam  with  unyielding  obstinacy ;  and  it  was  main- 
tained successfully  by  a  party  here,  as  well  as  by  the  members  of  that 
classis  who  had  so  long  held  the  authority,  and  w^ho  deemed  that 
supervision  essential  to  the  well  being  of  the  churches  here.  It  is 
difficult  to  suppose  that  such  godly  ministers  as  belonged  to  the  Classis 


222 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


of  Amsterdam  could  wish  to  retain  the  reins  and  authority  so  stiff 
over  a  body  of  ministers,  and  over  so  many  churches,  whose  members 
were  so  far  removed  from  and  beyond  their  actual  cognizance  and 
supervision.    Besides,  it  was  a  matter  of  surprise  that  they  should  so 
long  submit  to  the  trouble,  and  take  on  them  the  painful  responsibility 
of  regulating  the  affairs  and  doings  of  those  churches,  whom  they 
could  not  call  before  them ;  and  of  trying  cases  in  the  absence  of  the 
accused,  and  without  the  benefit  of  witnesses,  unless  at  great  expense 
and  ruinous  loss  of  time  to  all  parties.     Besides,  had  even  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam  moved,  at  an  early  period,  the  North  Synod  of  Holland 
to  constitute  an  American  classis  subordinate  and  connected,  like  the 
other  classes  of  that  synod,  a  vast  amount  of  good  would  have  been 
gained,  and  an  immense  amount  of  evil  avoided.     Had  that  been 
done  at  an  early  day,  the  two  parties,  with  their  great  contentions, 
would  never  have  been  known,  and  the  painful  divisions  and  contro- 
versies would  have  been  spared  to  the  Reformed  Dutch  churches,  and 
their  reproach  among  the  other  denominations  and  their  Injury  utterly 
prevented.     And  had  the  ministers  here  united  to  maintain  this  happy- 
policy,  their  good-will  would  have  been  induced  to  yield  to  their  vas- 
salage.    But,  instead  of  this,  those  ministers  who  came  from  Holland 
cherished  their  home  attachments,  and  maintained  the  unbounded 
authority  of  the  old  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  who  had  sent  them  out,  and 
had  loaded  them  with  so  many  favours,  to  superintend  their  churches 
and  to  decide  on  their  appeals.     They  used  all  their  influence  to  pre- 
serve that  connexion  with  the  old  classis  and  its  vassalage.     They 
represented  the  American  churches  as  very  weak  and  destitute,  and 
as  utterly  incapable  of  acting  independent   of  their   ecclesiastical 
fathers  in  Holland,  and  even  of  supplying  their  own  wants. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  there  was  the  greatest  cause  of  gratitude 
on  the  part  of  the  colonial  young  churches.  They  had  never  been 
weaned,  and  they  were  supported  chiefly  by  the  old  country,  not  only 
the  churches  here,  but  also  those  in  the  East  Indies,  and  in  the  West 
India  Isles.  They  had  kept  up  a  regular  and  cheering  correspon- 
dence; and  had  lavished  their  generous  charities  in  making  their 
missionaries  comfortable.  And  those  noble  deeds  the  Dutch  classis 
had  also  extended  to  the  German  missions,  and  especially  to  the  Ger- 
man churches  in  Pennsylvania.  For,  through  the  same  classis,  were 
ministers  sent  from  Germany  to  supply  the  Dutch  settlers  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. And  what  is  most  praiseworthy,  a  fund  was  formed,  and  put  at 
the  disposal  of  the  classis,  to  defray  the  expense  of  the  German  mis- 
sionaries for  their  journey  to  Holland  and  their  voyage  to  America. 
The  Dutch  churches  here,  however,  paid  the  expenses  of  their  own 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


223 


ministers,  and  thus  left  the  whole  fund  at  the  disposal  of  the  classis 
for  the  benefit  of  the  German  churches  and  missionaries. 

All  these  circumstances  combined  to  keep  up  here  a  strong  party 
of  ministers,  who  were  natives  of  Holland,  in  favour  of  this  depen- 
dence on  Holland,  and  also  to  the  continuance  of  their  vassalaare  to 
the  Classis  of  Amsterdam. 

These  composed  the  Conferentie  party,  who  afterwards  carried  out 
their  peculiar  principles  so  far;  they  advocated  the  unlimited  power 
of  the  fathers  in  Amsterdam  over  these  churches  ;  they  clothed  them 
with  something  bordering  on  infallibility.  Some  of  them  ventured 
even  to  maintain  that  they  were  the  only  legitimate  source  of  minis- 
terial power  and  authority,  and  insinuated  that  no  ordination  was 
valid,  except  it  had  been  performed  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  or 
had,  at  least,  its  solemn  approbation. 

Such  were  the  claims  of  the  Conferentie  party :  and  they  were 
maintained  by  them,  in  the  face  of  but  a  very  feeble  opposition,  until 
the  year  1737.* 

That  feeble  opposition  came  from  those  who  afterwards  assumed 
the  name  of  the  Coetus  party.  They  were  willing  to  yield  a  just 
tribute  of  gratitude,  and  a  definite  submission  to  the  church  in  father- 
land. But  they  had  deeply  felt  the  inconvenience  and  serious  diffi- 
culties, not  to  say  degradations,  of  being  placed  in  this  implicit 
subordination  and  entire  control,  so  inconsistent  with  the  Christian 
liberty  of  presbytery.  They  had  been  deeply  affected  with  the  evils 
growing  out  of  the  mortifying  necessity  of  sending  all  the  cases  of 
ecclesiastical  controversy,  and  difficulties  in  discipline,  to  Holland, 
to  be  adjudicated  there,  where  none  of  the  parties  could  be  on  the 
spot  to  give  testimony,  or  plead  their  own  cause.     And  it  was  no 

*  In  the  violent  contentions  of  those  days,  this  principle  was,  in  no  few  instances,  car- 
ried out  into  actual  practice.  But  it  is  due  to  truth  to  say,  that  the  case  of  Dominie 
"  Niewenhyt,"  has  not  been  correctly  stated  by  Smith,  in  his  "  History  of  New  York;" 
and  by  Dr.  Romeyn,  in  his  "  Historical  Sketch,"  published  in  the  Christian's  Magazine ; 
and  by  Dr.  Gunn,  in  his  "  Life  of  Dr.  Livingston." 

Dr.  Dewitt  has,  by  his  researches  in  the  documents  preserved  in  the  Dutch,  enabled 
me  to  correct  their  errors.  This  "  Niowenhyt"  at  Albany,  was  in  fact.  Dominie  "Nic- 
wenhuysen,"  of  the  church  of  New  York.  Nicholas  Van  Rensselaer  came  over  under 
the  auspices  of  the  popish  Duke  of  York,  and  was  suspected,  at  the  time,  of  coming  into 
this  new  province  to  further  the  cause  of  Popery.  But  Dominie  N.  took  this  fair  and 
justifiable  ground,  tliat  "  although  Van  Rensselaer,  having  the  license  and  ordination 
from  the  English  bishop  of  Salisbury,  was  truly  invested  with  the  office  of  the  Christian 
ministry  :  yet,  nevertheless,  this  gave  him  no  claim,  nor  qualification  whatever,  to  settle 
as  a  pastor  in  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church."  Hence  he  resisted  Van  Rensselaer's  set- 
tlement in  the  Dutch  Church  in  Albany,  although  he  was  summoned  to  answer  for  jiis 
conduct,  before  the  Erasttaa  governor  and  council. 


224 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


small  n-round  of  complaint,  that  parents  must  be  subjected  to  the  pain- 
ll)l  separation,  for  years,  from  their  sons  sent  to  Holland  for  educa- 
tion for  the  ministry  ;  not  to  mention  the  burden  of  expense  to  which 
they  were  also  subjected,  by  sending  abroad  those  who  were  educated 
here,  to  be  ordained  in  Holland  to  the  holy  ministry.  In  a  word, 
the  Conferentie  party  maintained  the  high  importance  of  Holland 
education,  and  ventured  to  uphold  the  exclusive  validity  of  Holland 
license,  and  Holland  ordination.  The  Ccetus  party  advocated  the 
necessity  of  a  home  education,  a  home  license,  and  a  home  ordina- 
tion. These,  they  said,  were  cfjually  good  for  them,  and  equally 
valid  for  every  purpose,  as  those  in  fatherland. 

This  may  be  considered  the  first  period  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  in  this  land.  It  extends  from  the  first  organization  of  the 
church,  unto  the  year  16G4,  when  the  province  was  invaded  and 
seized  by  a  British  army,  and  placed  under  the  government  of  the 
Duke  of  York  and  Albany,  who  was  afterwards  James  II.,  and  who 
abdicated  the  British  throne. 

During  this  period,  the  church  of  New  Amsterdam,  now  New 
York,  was  established;  also,  the  church  in  Albany,  in  Flatbush,  in 
New  Utrecht,  in  Flatlands,  and  Esopus,  now  Kingston.  The  colle- 
giate church  of  Nev^^  York  was  organized  as  early,  it  is  believed,  as 
10 ID.  This  is  so  stated  in  a  manuscript  of  the  late  Dr.  Livingston, 
on  traditionary  documents.  And  in  another,  he  stated  that  a  docu- 
ment is  still  extant,  containing  the  names  of  members  of  that  church, 
in  1622.*  In  the  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  Dutch  Church  by  Dr. 
Romeyn,f  it  is  conjectured  that  the  collegiate  church  was  organized 
first.  But  Dr.  Livingston,  in  one  of  his  manuscripts,  has  said  that  "  in 
Albany  they  had  ministers  as  early  as  any  in  New  York,  if  not  be- 
fore them."  The  autlientic  records,  now  in  possession  of  the  colle- 
giate church,  commence  in  the  year  163U,  and  in  them  we  find  the 
acts  of  the  Consistory,  and  bating  some  omissions,  a  list  of  ministers, 
elders,  and  deacons,  with  the  members,  together  with  the  baptisms, 
and  marriages,  from  that  period.  And  these  records  have  been  con- 
tinued down  to  this  day. 

The  first  minister  in  New  York  was  the  Rev.  Everardus  Bogardus, 
whose  descendants  are  among  us  at  this  day.  It  would  appear  that 
he  had  been  a  pastor  for  a  long  period ;  but  we  can  find  no  correct 
date  of  his  arrival  here,  nor  the  length  of  the  time  of  his  ministry. 
There  is  a  tradition,  among  his  descendants,  that  he  became  blind, 
and  returned  to  Holland.     This  may  in  part  be  true ;  for  I  am  in- 

*  Dr.  Gunn's  Life  of  Dr.  Livingston,  pp.  79»  81. 
+  In  tlie  Christian's  Magazine. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  225 

debted  to  my  colleague  Dr.  Dewitt  for  the  fact,  that  in  returning  to 
Holland,  in  the  same  ship  with  Gov.  Kiest,  he  was  shipwrecked  and 
lost  with  the  rest.  We  find  the  names  of  only  two  Dominies  between 
him  and  the  capture  of  the  city  in  1664 :  these  were  I.  and  S.  Mega- 
polensis.  The  latter  was  a  practising  physician,  as  well  as  a  minister. 

The  first  place  of  worship,  erected  by  the  colony,  in  the  New  Ne- 
therlands, has  generally  been  supposed  to  be  that  small  edifice  which 
stood  close  down  on  the  water's  edge,  and  within  the  fort  of  New 
Amsterdam,  and  on  the  place  now  called  the  Battery.  But  I  am  in- 
debted to  my  colleague  Dr.  Knox,  and  the  distinguished  antiquarian 
Mr.  Rapelje,  for  the  fact,  that  the  first  church  of  Christ  w  as  reared 
on  a  spot  near  the  lower  end  of  Stone  Street.  That  in  the  fort  was 
the  second,  and  was  erected  in  1642.  This  M^as,  in  process  of  time, 
transferred  to  the  site  on  which  the  late  Garden  Street  Church  stood. 
The  church  erected  by  Gov.  Stuyvesant,  on  his  farm,  or  as  it  is  styled 
in  Dutch,  his  Bowery,  was  probably  the  next.  But  no  true  dates  can 
be  discovered,  or  correct  list  of  his  chaplains.  The  celebrated  Henry 
Solyns  was  one  of  them ;  he  also  ministered  in  the  Dutch  Church  in 
Brooklyn.* 

The  second  period  of  the  Dutch  Church  extends  from  the  surrender 
of  the  province  in  1664  to  1693.  The  condition  of  the  church  was 
now  materially  changed,  as  might  be  anticipated.  The  English  strove 
to  shear  it  of  its  glory  as  the  church  of  the  province,  and  the  grand 
branch  of  the  national  Church  of  Holland.  But  the  Dutch,  at  the 
surrender  in  1664,  and  more  fully  in  the  treaty  of  peace,  concluded 
in  1676,  had  taken  care  to  secure  their  spiritual  rights.  It  was  ex- 
pressly stipulated  that  the  rights  of  conscience,  with  regard  to  wor- 
ship and  discipline,  should  be  secured  to  the  Dutch  inhabitants.  It 
may  appear  strange  that  this  high  privilege  should  have  been  granted 
to  the  Dutch  here,  at  that  time,  when  a  furious  persecution  was  car- 
ried on  by  the  brother  of  James,  Charles  II.,  against  the  Scottish 
Covenanters,  and  their  nation.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered,  that 
James,  Duke  of  York  and  Albany,  was  a  decided  and  even  bigoted 
Roman  Catholic.  And  the  Papists  were  themselves,  at  that  time, 
under  severe  laws  and  penalties,  depriving  them  of  liberty  of  con- 
science. James  had  been  striving  to  obtain  toleration  for  others,  that 
he  might  obtain  it  for  those  of  his  own  creed.     Hence  he  had  taken 

*  Henry  Solyns  was  a  most  amiable,  learned,  and  accomplished  Dutchman.  He  re- 
tired to  Holland  early  in  life,  at  the  earnest  request  of  his  aged  father,  who  was  anxious 
to  embrace  him  before  he  died.  A  Latin  poem  by  him,  addressed  to  the  venerable  Cotton 
Mather,  on  the  appearance  of  his  great  work,  "  Magnalia  Americana,"  is  still  extant  in 
some  of  the  editions  of  tlie  learned  New  Englander's  work. 


226  HISTORY  OF  THE 

care  to  grant  the  rights  of  conscience  to  the  Dutch,  with  a  view  to 
open  the  way  for  the  Roman  Catholics.  His  bigotry  wrought  this 
one  good  result. 

Under  this  sacred  grant,  the  Dutch  Church  maintained  still  a  high 
ascendancy.  The  mass  of  the  population  belonged  to  her  ;  the  mem- 
bers were  among  the  most  wealthy  and  influential  individuals  in  the 
colony;  and  the  distinguished  Governor  Stuyvesant,  and  the  great 
officers  of  the  former  government,  were  elders  and  members  in  full 
communion.  She  was  not  only  the  predominant,  but,  beyond  any 
comparison,  the  most  respectable  church  in  the  whole  colony.  Owing 
to  this  influence,  and  the  mild  sway  of  the  British,  the  Dutch  Church 
still  kept  up  her  correspondence  with  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  ;  she 
still  owned  its  full  power  and  authority.  And  that  classis  and  the 
North  Synod  still  exercised  their  former  care  and  power  over  all  eccle- 
siastical matters,  here,  as  formerly. 

During  this  period,  we  must  notice  a  certain  assumption  of  power 
by  the  oldest  churches  of  New  York,  Albany,  and  Esopus,  now 
Kingston.  As  new  churches  sprung  up  in  the  vicinity  of  each  of 
these,  the  ministers  of  these  old  and  powerful  establishments  claimed 
^nd  exercised  a  superintending  power  over  all  these  country  churches. 
This,  by  some,  has  been  deemed  not  quite  consistent  with  the  strict 
course  of  Presbyterian  church  power.  But  it  was  exactly  similar  to 
what  occurred  in  the  days  of  the  Scottish  Reformer,  John  Knox. 
They  had  in  those  days  their  superintendents,*  who  visited  vacant 
churches,  and  formed  new  churches  ;  and  directed  preachers  on  their 
route  of  missionary  duty.  But  they  never  acted  as  diocesan  bishops 
over  other  officiating  pastors.  It  was  assumed  in  Scotland  and  in 
this  province,  to  meet  the  extraordinary  wants  of  a  people  calling 
loudly  for  pastors  to  break  the  bread  of  life  to  them.  These  wants 
the  old  Dominies  laboured  to  supply,  in  the  absence  of  a  sufficient 
number  of  pastors.  And  if  they  considered  it  an  infringement  on  their 
prerogatives  if  any  minister  ventured  to  officiate  in  these  churches 
without  their  approbation :  it  was  no  severer,  nor  a  more  improper 
rule  on  their  part,  than  the  salutary  rule  now  existing  with  the  strictest 
propriety  in  each  of  our  classes  ;  namely,  that  no  strange  minister, 
nor  itinerant  preacher,  shall  preach  in  any  of  our  vacant  churches, 
without  the  approbation  and  leave  of  a  committee  of  ministers,  ap- 
pointed as  a  species  of  superintendents.  Such  was  the  state  of  the 
Dutch  Church  at  this  period.     It  was  eminently  distinguished  by  its 

*  The  English  word  for  bishops  ;  I  mean  strictly  scriptural  bishop,  not  diocesan  bishops, 
— a  human  invention,  originated  by  human  power  in  the  church. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  227 

numbers,  wealth  and  piety ;  and  such  was  its  flourishing  condition 
until  1693. 

The  third  period  of  our  church  extends  from  1693  to  1737.  That 
jealousy  and  spirit  of  exclusiveness,  which  has  characterized  one 
branch  of  the  Reformed  churches,  now  began  to  put  itself  forward  in 
a  formidable  manner,  against  the  equal  rights  of  the  Dutch  Church 
and  other  denominations.  This  was  no  less  than  a  too  successful 
attempt,  by  English  influence,  to  place  the  Episcopal  Church  on  a 
civil  establishment.  These  plans  of  the  English  people  were  not  con- 
cealed. They  seemed  to  be  resolved  to  create  a  union  of  church  and 
state,  and  to  give  a  civil  establishment  to  Episcopacy  in  all  the  British 
provinces.  It  was  attempted,  mainly,  in  Virginia  and  New  York. 
That  sect  was  to  be  the  exclusive  church, — the  Church.  And  all 
the  citizens  were  to  be  taxed  for  its  support;  and  all  other  Christians 
were  gravely  pronounced  to  be  '*  dissenters,"  from  "  the  Church."* 

Previous  to  the  times  of  the  bigoted  Gov.  Fletcher,  a  delightful 
courtesy  and  Christian  intercourse  prevailed  between  the  Dutch 
Church  and  the  Episcopalian  Church.  It  is  refi'eshing  to  us,  who 
live  in  these  times,  which  may  be  called  the  terrapin  age  of  exclusive- 
ness and  bigotry,  to  recall  its  memory. 

It  is  a  fact,  that  the  first  rector  of  Trinity  Church,  in  New  York 
was  inducted  into  office,  December  1697,  in  the  Dutch  Church  in 
Garden  Street;  and  it  is  equally  a  fact,  that  the  distinguished  Dominie 
Henry  Solyns,  the  pastor  of  the  Dutch  Church,  and  Dominie  J.  P. 
Nucella,  of  Kingston,  did  actually  officiate  on  this  important  occa- 
sion !     And  that  Rev.  Rector,  Mr.  Vesey,  officiated  in  the  Garden 

*  Some  are  still  so  bigoted  as  to  allow  themselves  to  violate  the  feelings  of  their  fellow- 
Christians,  by  denominating  those  "dissenters,"  who  do  not  worship  in  their  church* 
This  might  have  received  some  countenance  on  the  part  of  those  who  enjoyed  the  palmy 
days  of  a  civil  establishment  here.  But,  inasmuch  as  we  obtained,  by  the  glorious  and 
successful  war  of  the  American  revolution,  this  extraordinary  boon,  along  with  our  civil 
liberties — namely,  a  full  and  complete  deliverance  from  a  civil  establishment  of  the  Epis- 
copal  Church :  we  cannot  possibly  conceive  any  reasonj  on  the  part  of  any  man,  who  has 
heard  of  the  said  revolution,  and  the  breaking  down  thereby  of  that  civil  establishment — 
why  we  should  be  called  dissenters  ! 

But,  we  only  state  historical  facts  when  we  say,  the  Episcopalians  are  the  dissenters. 
They  are  dissenters  from  the  famous  Reformed  Churches  of  France,  of  Holland,  of  Ger- 
many,  of  Switzerland,  of  Scotland;  and  all  their  other  Presbyterian  brethren  in  Ireland 
and  the  United  States.  They  are,  moreover,  dissenters  from  the  Waldenses,  Albigenses, 
and  the  ancient  British  Christians,  called  Culdees,  who  sustained  the  true  primitive 
apostolical  churches  in  England,  until  the  sixth  century ;  and  who  withstood  Popery  in 
Ireland  and  Scotland,  until  the  year  1172.  These  were,  strictly  speaking,  Presbyterians. 
See  the  History  of  the  Culdees,  by  Dr.  Jamieson,  jointly  with  Sir  Walter  Scott,  quarto, 
Edinburgh ;  and  the  History  of  the  Waldenses,  &c.,  by  John  Paul  Perrin;  also  by  Sir 
Samuel  Moreland ;  and  Sager's  Histoire  Generale  des  Eglises  Vaudoises. 


228  HISTORY  OF  the 

Street  Church,  alternately  with  the  Dutch,  until  Trinity  Church  was 
finished  ! 

In  1779,  this  minute  is  found  on  the  records  of  the  Trinity  Church: 
"  It  being  represented  that  the  old  Dutch  church  is  now  used  as  an 
hospital  for  his  majesty's  troops,  this  corporation,  impressed  with  a 
grateful  remembrance  of  the  former  kindness  of  the  members  of  that 
ancient  church,  do  offer  them  the  use  of  St.  George's  Church  to  that 
congregation  for  celebrating  divine  worship."  It  was  gratefully  ac- 
cepted, and  a  vote  of  thanks  was  kindly  offered  in  return,  for  the  use 
of  that  church.  I  delight  to  add,  that  Gov.  Burnet,  the  son'  of  the 
illustrious  historian,  and  Bishop  Burnet,  presented  an  organ  to  the 
Dutch  Church  in  Garden  Street.  It  was  destroyed  during  the  revo- 
lutionary war. 

How  different  were  those  sweet  and  palmy  days  of  true  Christian 
fellowship  and  delicious  charity,  from  our  iron  times,  when  bigots 
call  all  men  "dissenters,"  who  cannot  stoop  to  laud  "high  churchism," 
"  Puseyism,"  and  "  Popery  ;"  and  when  fanatics  gravely  profess  to 
leave  all  other  Christians  "  to  God's  uncovenanted  mercy,"  who  are 
under  the  ministry  of  Christ,  not  ordained  by  "a  diocesan  bishop:" 
an  officer  in  the  church,  whom  God  Almighty  never  ordained ! 

This  encroachment  of  intolerance  and  bigotry  was  originated,  os- 
tensibly, by  the  folly  of  Gov.  Fletcher.  His  project  was  brought 
forward  and  urged  with  the  unusual  intolerance  of  the  age.  He  was 
a  man  of  inordinate  warmth  and  boldness,  and  withal  a  bigoted  Epis- 
copalian, even  to  a  degree  of  fanaticism.  He  knew  no  other  church; 
with  him  no  man  merited  the  name  of  Christian,  who  was  not  of  his 
sect;  and  there  was  no  recognised  ministry  or  sacraments  but  of  his 
church.  He  was  a  thorough  disciple  of  Laud.  There  was  an  air  of 
bigotry  in  all  this  scheme.  The  Episcopalians  were  a  mere  handful, 
compared  to  the  great  masses  of  the  population,  and  they  were  chiefly 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  some  were  scattered  over  the  adjacent 
counties,  and  they  consisted  chiefly  of  the  officers  of  government, 
their  dependents,  and  the  military.  These  were  "  the  church."  And 
the  idea  of  establishing  these  into  a  church,  to  be  supported  by  taxes 
levied  on  the  mass  of  the  people,  was  so  unjust,  so  unreasonable,  and 
so  absurd,  that  no  one  but  Gov.  Fletcher  could  have  entertained 
it  soberly  for  a  single  moment.  Hence  the  house  of  assembly  resisted 
him,  and  declared  the  project  wicked  and  absurd.  Resistance  only 
warms  bigotry  and  rouses  fanaticism  into  ardour.  He  never  lost 
sight  of  his  project.  But  he  exercised  all  the  arts  of  Jesuitism  to 
carry  his  point:  some  of  the  members  he  flattered  and  cajoled  ;  some 
he  imposed  on  by  fallacious  promises ;  some  he  threatened  and  bullied 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  229 

into  compliance.  At  last,  the  assembly,  with  extreme  reluctance, 
yielded  to  his  plan,  and,  in  1693,  passed  an  act  establishing  the  Epis- 
copal Church  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  and  in  the  coun- 
ties of  West  Chester,  Richmond,  and  Queen's.  And  the  hand  of  the 
astute  Jesuit  was  visible  in  the  drawing  of  the  act,  and  in  the  cunning 
management  of  the  whole  affair.  The  inhabitants  of  these  counties 
and  the  city  were  instructed  to  choose  ten  vestrymen  and  two 
churchwardens.  The  Dutch  Church  and  Presbyterians  had  no  elder 
or  deacon  to  mingle  with  the  above  "  apostolic  number,"  and  these 
twelve  officials  of  Gov.  Fletcher  were  to  have  all  the  appointing 
power  of  the  ministry  who  were  to  officiate.  It  is  very  true,  the  act 
did  not  precisely  specify  that  the  clergy  should  be  of  the  Episcopal 
order,  and  no  other.  The  half  unwilling  and  long  reluctant  assembly, 
left  this  open.  There  was  even  an  "  explanatory  act"  got  up  some 
time  afterwards,  declaring  that  "  dissenting  ministers  might  be 
chosen."  But  this  was  quite  a  harmless  enactment,  to  which  the 
bigoted  governor  cheerfully  lent  his  signature.  For  he  was  certain 
that  all  was  safe,  and  that  no  dissenting  minister,  that  is,  no  "  unor- 
dained"  clergyman,  could  be  chosen  by  his  devoted  and  equally 
bigoted  vestrymen.  And  this  was,  in  fact,  the  case.  No  minister  of 
the  Dutch  or  Presbyterian  Church  was  ever  chosen  to  officiate. 

Thus,  from  1693  to  1776,  that  is,  for  eighty-three  years,  the  Dutch, 
English,  and  Scotch  Churches,  and  all  other  non-Episcopalian  inha- 
bitants of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  Queen's,  Richmond,  and 
West  Chester  counties,  were  placed  under  a  galling  yoke.  Besides 
supporting  their  own  ministers,  they  were  forced  by  an  unrighteous 
law  to  support,  by  taxes  levied  on  them,  the  small  sect  of  the  Episco- 
palians !  And  it  was  only  by  the  glorious  war  and  deliverance  of  the 
revolution,  that  the  people  were  set  free  from  the  union  of  church 
and  state ;  and  from  the  establishment  of  a  peculiar  sect  of  religion  in 
these  United  States. 

During  this  civil  establishment,  many  who  sought  the  "  loaves  and 
the  fishes,"  left  the  communion  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Dutch 
Churches,  and  went  into  the  favoured  society.  For,  in  every  reli- 
gious society  there  are  many  individuals,  who  are  ready  to  join  a 
dominaut  party,  where  they  can  enjoy  the  favour  of  the  rulers,  and 
be  in  the  way  of  appointments  to  office ;  and  also  be  freed  from 
the  expense  pressed  on  dissenters.  But  the  result,  on  the  whole,  was 
not  unfavourable  to  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  Dutch  Church.  She 
lost  only,  generally  speaking,  the  woi'ldly  men,  and  some  turbulent 
members  who  loved  not  the  pure  and  strict  discipline  of  the  church. 
In  this  period  the  doctrines  of  grace  were  faithfully  preached,  and 


iJ30 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


divine  ordinances  administered  in  purity.  The  ministry,  with  some 
few  exceptions,  were  learned,  exemplary,  and  indefatigable;  and  the 
great  body  of  the  population,  regular  and  moral,  and  attached  to  the 
church  of  their  Dutch  fathers,  which  had  been  so  long  preserved, 
without  interruption,  and  with  little  opposition. 

The  fourth  period  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  extends  from 
1737  to  1771.  It  opened  with  a  new  and  important  movement. 
Hitherto  the  ascendancy  of  the  Holland  courts  had  remained  unim- 
paired in  our  churches  here.  For,  although  many  were  obviously 
opposed  to  this  state  of  things,  and  the  opponents  were  daily  increas- 
ing: still  their  movements  were  secret,  and  their  opposition  spent  itself 
in  words.  Hence  no  decided  measure  had  been  resorted  to,  in  order 
to  remove  this  state  of  dependence  and  its  manifold  evils. 

In  1737,  the  first  movement  was  made  by  five  prominent  ministers, 
Messrs.  G.  Dubois,  Haeghoort,  B.  Freeman,  Van  Santford,  and  Cur- 
tenius.  They  did  not  venture  to  adopt  the  bold  measure  of  re- 
nouncing the  abject  dependence  on  the  parent  classis.  They  merely 
proposed  to  form  an  assembly  for  counsel  and  free  internal  intercourse, 
and  any  ecclesiastical  business,  not  inconsistent  with  this  dependence 
on  Holland.  This  they  called  a  coEtus.  A  plan  was  adopted,  and 
rules  formed  for  its  regulation ;  and  it  was  sent  down  to  the  churches 
for  their  concurrence.  On  the  27th  of  April,  1738,  the  day  appointed 
by  the  five  ministers  to  receive  the  reports  from  the  churches,  a  con- 
vocation of  ministers  and  elders  met  in  New  York.* 

The  several  reports  of  the  churches  induced  the  convention  to 
adopt  the  plan  without  opposition ;  and  it  was  sent  to  the  Classis  of 
Amsterdam  for  their  ratification.  This,  they  presumed  they  should 
promptly  obtain.  For  there  was  nothing  in  the  projected  coetus 
which  did,  in  fact,  really  curtail  any  of  the  power  of  that  classis. 
Yet  it  was  not  until  ten  years  after  this  that  they  received  an  an- 
swer, by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Van  Sinderin,  from  Holland ;  for  it  was  in  the 
month  of  May,  1747,  that  the  convention  was  summoned  to  receive 
the  answer  of  the  classis,  which,  though  a  long  delay,  gave  its  entire 

*  The  following  arc  the  names  of  these  eminent  men : — the  Rev.  G,  Dubois,  and  the 
elders,  Anthony  Rutgers,  and  Abraham  LefFerts;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Freeman,  and  the  elders, 
Peter  Nevius,  and  Dirk  Brinkcrliocf ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Van  Santford,  and  the  Elder  Goosen 
Adriance ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Haeghoort,  and  the  Elder  Van  Dyck ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Curtenius, 
of  Hackensack,  and  his  elder,  Mr.  Zabriskie;  the  Rev.  Thcodorus  J.  Frelinghuysen,  of 
Raritan,  (a  most  distinguished  man  of  God,  and  greatly  blessed  in  his  ministerial  labours; 
he  had  five  sons,  ministers  ;  and  two  daughters,  married  to  ministers,)  and  the  Elder  H. 
Fisher ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Erieksen,  and  the  Elder  J.  Zutvccn  ;  the  Rev.  3Ir.  Bolim,  of  Phila- 
delphia, with  the  elder,  Mr. Snyder  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Schuyler,  of  Schoharie,  with  the 

elder,  Mr. Spies. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  231 

approbation  and  concurrence.  On  the  appointed  day  only  six  minis- 
ters were  present.  These  having  received  the  act  of  the  classis,  did 
nothing  more  than  issue  their  call  of  the  first  meeting  of  the  coetus,  on 
the  second  Tuesday  of  September,  1747,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

On  the  day  appointed  the  representatives  of  the  churches  met  in 
ccetus ;  and,  although  the  plan  had  received  the  full  approbation  of  the 
mother  church,  still  there  was  a  most  decided  opposition  to  it.  This 
opposition  was  made  by  Dominie  Boel,  of  the  church  of  New  York, 
and  by  Mr.  Mancius  of  Kingston,  Mr.  Freyenmoet,  and  Mr.  Martse- 
lius.  Mr.  Frelinghuysen  could  not  prevail  with  his  church  to  accede 
to  the  ccetus ;  but  it  received  his  own  decided  support.  And  it  was 
soon  ascertained  that  those  who  opposed  the  whole  of  this  narrow 
and  inefficient  scheme,  were  correct ;  whatever  may  have  been  their 
avowed  motives.  It  effected  no  good  purpose  which  could  not  have 
been  done  without  it.  It  was  a  meeting  merely  for  fraternal  inter- 
course and  advice.  This  could  have  been  attained  without  a  formal 
coBtus.  It  gave  the  pastors  no  powers;  they  could  not  meet  as 
bishops,  who  had  each  their  church ;  they  had  no  power  to  ordain 
ministers ;  they  could  try  no  cases  requiring  ecclesiastical  investiga- 
tion ;  they  could  not  even  settle  ecclesiastical  disputes,  without  the 
usual  consent  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  Its  utter  unfitness  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  the  church  became  apparent  to  all,  except  those  in 
the  slavish  interests  of  fatherland.  Nothing  but  an  independent  classis 
could  do  this.  They  must  have  power  to  ordain ;  they  must  have 
their  own  court  to  try  cases.  The  church  was  suffering  exceedingly, 
said  those  who  had  got  a  ccetus,  but  wished  a  ccetus  clothed  with  the 
power  of  a  classis.  But  this  met  with  a  renewed,  fierce  opposition. 
"  Shall  loe  throw  off"  the  care  and  paternal  supervision  of  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam  1  Shall  we  venture  to  ordain  ministers  ?  Shall  we  set 
up  ourselves  as  judges  ?  Where  can  we  get  such  learned  ministers 
as  those  from  Holland  1  And  can  any  of  us  judge  of  their  fitness,  and 
learning,  and  piety  ?"  Such  was  the  feeling  and  declamation  of  the 
Conferentie  party. 

On  the  contrary,  the  Ccetus  party  appealed  to  their  brethren  on  the- 
necessity  of  having  youth  trained  here  for  the  ministry.  "  We  must 
have  academies  and  a  college.  The  English  language  is  advancing 
on  us:  we  must  have  a  ministry  to  preach  in  English,  or  our  youth 
will  abandon  us  in  a  body.  And  the  expense  of  sending  for  ministers 
is  becoming  oppressive ;  not  to  speak  of  the  great  expense  and  priva- 
tion sustained  by  us  who  are  parents,  in  sending  our  sons  to  Holland 
to  be  educated,  so  as  to  be  able  to  preach  in  Dutch.  And  you  all 
know,"  they  added,  "  how  many  years  have  sometimes  elapsed  be- 
tween the  time  of  a  call  sent  to  fatherland,  and  the  coming  of  a  pas- 


232  HISTORY  OF  the 

lor  ;  and  sometimes  churches  have  been  disappointed  entirely.  None 
liave  responded  to  their  call.  And  even,  in  certain  cases,  some 
ministers  have  come  out  who  were  not  only  unpopular,  but  abso- 
lutclv  disagreeable.  Is  it  not  unendurable,  that  the  churches  should 
have  no  choice  of  their  pastor?  Men,  accustomed  to  a  national 
church  and  its  high-handed  measures  have  come  among  us,  who 
have,  of  course,  view's  and  habits  entirely  different  from  those  of  our 
fellow-citizens  and  Christians  in  Holland.  Need  we  remind  you  of 
the  distractions  and  divisions  caused  by  these  obstinate  men,  who, 
instead  of  harmonizing  with  the  people,  and  winning  their  confidence, 
have  imprudently  opposed  them,  and  rendered  their  ministry  odious 
and  unsuccessful  l  Besides,  is  it  not  humiliating  and  de^radinsr  to 
these  churches,  and  to  us  all,  that  we  should  be  deprived  of  the 
power  of  ordaining  ministers  ?  And  we  must  send  abroad  for  minis- 
ters, as  if  none  here  were  fit  to  minister  in  holy  things !  It  is  an 
imputation  on  our  sons ;  it  is  an  imputation  on  us,  in  the  ministry 
here ;  as  if  they  were  unfit  for  the  holy  work,  and  as  if  ice  had  only 
half  of  the  ministerial  office !  We  declare  this  bondage  to  be  no 
longer  tolerable,  and  it  ought  no  longer  to  be  endured." 

Such  was  the  bold  language  now  used  by  the  Coctus  part}',  both 
ministers  and  laymen.  And  as  a  goodly  number  had,  by  the  permis- 
sion of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  been  ordained,  by  special  favour, 
all  these,  to  a  man,  took  a  bold  stand  against  this  dependence  on 
Holland.  They  never  felt  that  attachment  to  the  classis,  which 
bound  down,  in  slavish  attachment,  those  whom  it  had  sent  out 
hither.  They  had  no  prejudices;  they  saw  the  painful  grievances 
under  which  their  fathers  smarted ;  and  they  felt  the  power  of  the 
arguments  and  appeals,  so  urgently  pressed  by  all,  to  seek  an  inde- 
pendent ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  of  their  own.  They  spoke  out 
with  warmth  on  the  subject.  They  even  ventured  to  charge  the 
church  of  their  forefathers  with  injustice  to  the  ministry  here,  and 
actual  tyranny  over  them.  They  withheld  what  Christ,  the  King  of 
Zion,  never  authorized  them  to  withhold  from  the  true  ministry. 
They  demanded  of  her  to  do  them  and  herself  justice,  by  conveying 
to  them  all  the  powers  of  the  ministry,  which  she  had  received,  as  it 
respected  doctrine,  and  sacraments,  and  discipline. 

All  these  appeals  made  a  most  powerful  impression  on  the  people. 
Many  churches  came  over  to  their  measures ;  and  even  a  few  of  the 
European  ministers  candidly  acceded.  And  they  no  longer  con- 
cealed their  fixed  determination  to  commence  a  system  of  measures 
to  withdraw  these  American  churches  from  this  abject  subordination 
to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  and  the  Synod  of  North  Holland. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  333 

This  plan  was  matured  in  1754.  In  the  ccEtus  of  the  preceding 
year  a  motion  had  been  eniertained  to  amend  the  plan  of  the  coetus, 
by  converting  it  into  a  regular  classis,  with  all  its  proper  powers. 
A  plan  was  drafted  for  this  purpose ;  adopted  with  great  unanimity 
by  those  present;  and  formally  transmitted  to  the  churches  for  their 
concurrence. 

Upon  this  there  commenced  a  scene  of  animosity,  division,  and 
actual  violence,  compared  to  which,  all  the  former  wranglings  were 
utterly  nothing.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a  war  waged  for  fifteen 
years  with  unmitigated  fury !  The  Conferentie  party  met  and  or- 
ganized themselves  into  a  firm  body  of  opposition  in  1755.  They 
were  the  following : — Dominies  Ritzma  and  Deronde,  of  the  church 
of  New  York  ;  Curtenius,  Haeghoort,  Vanderlinde,  Van  Sinderin, 
Schuyler,  Rubel,  Kock,  Kerr,  Rysdyck,  and  Freyenmoet.  The 
CcEtus  party  embraced  all  the  rest,  whose  names  are  given  in  a  pre- 
ceding note,  with  the  exception  of  the  above  names.  These  formed 
two  hostile  bodies  resolutely  pitted  against  each  other,  and  appa- 
rently resolved  never  to  yield.  The  peace  of  neighbourhoods  was 
disturbed;  families  were  divided  ;  churches  torn  by  factions.  Houses 
of  worship  were  locked  up  by  one  faction  against  the  other.  Tumults 
and  disgraceful  scenes  frequently  occurred  on  the  holy  sabbath,  and 
at  the  doors  of  churciies.  Ministers  were  occasionally  assaulted  in  the 
very  pulpit;  and  sometimes  the  solemn  worship  of  God  was  disturbed 
and  actually  terminated  by  mob-violence.  In  these  scenes  the  Con- 
ferentie party  were  usually  noted  as  the  most  violent  and  outrageous. 
But,  on  both  sides,  a  furious  zeal  prompted  many  to  shameful  ex- 
cesses, and  a  most  painful  disgrace  of  the  Christian  name. 

The  more  moderate  and  prudent  deplored  these  evils  and  growing 
mischiefs,  but  they  could  find  no  remedy.  No  individual,  no  body  of 
Christian  men,  was  found  to  act  as  mediator.  The  two  parties 
would  listen  to  no  overtures.  Humble  Christians  wept  over  the 
revolting  scenes,  and  the  impending  ruin  of  their  church;  hope  de- 
serted their  fainting  hearts ;  and  many  of  them  retired,  from  such 
unhallowed  scenes,  to  the  bosom  of  a  peaceful  and  Christian  com- 
munion in  other  churches. 

The  Conferentie  party  called  in  the  aid  of  the  Holland  Church. 
They  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  in  1755;  a 
second  one  in  1756;  a  third  in  17G0;  a  fourth  in  1761.  In  these 
they  uttered  their  inflammatory  complaints,  that  the  American 
churches  were  attempting  to  throw  off  their  submission  to  their 
lawful  authority,  and  to  form  an  independent  body,  with  powers 
equal  to  those  of  the  mother  church !     And  in  reply  to  these,  too 

16 


234 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


many  of  the  ministers  of  that  classis  lent  their  aid  to  foment  fresh 
troubles,  and  defeat  the  efforts  of  the  church  to  become  independent 
of  them. 

When  this  violent  schism  took  place,  the  two  parties  of  Coetus  and 
Confercntie,  were  nearly  equal  in  point  of  numbers.  But  there  was 
a  marked  difference  in  their  character,  and  the  spirit  of  their  preach- 
ing. The  Conferentie  pastors  were  men  of  greater  learning,  but  they 
were  cold,  and  heavy,  and  spiritless.  Their  discourses  had  more  of 
the  air  of  a  professor's  lecture  from  the  chair,  than  of  a  popular  and 
heart-stirring  address  to  a  mixed  audience.  The  Coetus  party  were 
zealous,  ardent,  practical  in  their  popular  addresses,  and  indefatigable 
in  their  pastoral  duties.  Hence  they  soon  had  the  mass  of  the  pious 
people  with  them,  who  applauded  them  and  sustained  them  in  their 
trials  and  labours  of  love,  while  the  unsound  and  heartless  vehe- 
mently opposed  them.  The  anecdote  told  of  that  devoted  and  pious 
Dominie,  Dr.  Meyer,  of  Esopus,  now  Kingston,  will  illustrate  this. 
He  had  one  sabbath  preached  the  holy  doctrine  of  regeneration  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  its  true  nature,  and  its  necessity,  and  he  had  closed 
with  a  heart-searching;  examination  of  the  souls  of  his  audience,  oriv- 
ing  marks  of  its  existence  in  them,  and  the  evidences  of  their  not 
having  the  new  birth.  When  he  came  down  from  the  pulpit,  one  of 
the  elders  refused  to  give  him,  as  usual,  the  right  hand  of  fraternal 
recognition  and  approbation,  as  is  the  delightful  custom  in  our  church. 
"  Ah  !  Dominie,"  cried  he,  "  I  cannot  give  you  my  hand  of  approba- 
tion ;  1  cannot  stand  that,  flesh  and  blood  cannot  endure  that  doc- 
trine !"  *•  True,  very  true,"  said  Dr.  Meyer, — "  therefore  is  it  the 
more  manifestly  Christ's  holy  doctrine  ;  and  therefore  do  I  cease  not 
to  preach  it."  Many  such  scenes  occurred  in  those  days  of  dissen- 
sion in  the  churches. 

During  this  period,  another  painful  source  of  difficulties  occurred, 
which  caused  to  our  church  the  loss  of  many  most  valuable  families. 
I  allude  to  the  introduction  of  preaching  in  English  in  the  churches. 
The  English  had  been,  for  a  century,  the  language  of  the  government, 
its  officers,  and  influential  men.  It  was  evident  to  the  great  mass  of 
the  Dutch  youth,  that  it  must,  in  the  issue,  be  the  language  of  the 
country.  Causes  were  tried  in  English — all  the  pleadings  were  in 
English.  The  youth  mingled  with  increasing  multitudes  of  youth, 
who  spoke  nothing  but  English ;  and  the  best  education  in  the  city, 
and  in  the  neighbouring  colleges,  was  all  conducted  in  English. 
Hence  the  youth  of  both  sexes  laboured  to  be  master  of  English.  In 
the  progress  of  years,  the  great  body  of  the  youth  could  not  under- 
stand a  sermon  in  Dutch.     They  demanded  English  preaching.     All 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  335 

the  more  prudent,  and  all,  who  by  a  wise  forecast,  saw  the  utter  de- 
sertion of  the  Dutch  churches  by  the  youth,  in  the  course  of  another 
generation  at  least,  unless  English  preaching  were  introduced,  united 
their  efforts  with  the  youth,  and  urged  the  necessity  of  having  Eng- 
lish preaching  forthwith,  as  well  as  Dutch  preaching.  This  was  long 
and  keenly  resisted.  Those  whose  spirits  had  been  so  long  sharpened 
by  the  vehement  contentions  of  the  home  and  foreign  parties,  alluded 
to  by  us,  carried  an  unusual  warmth,  and  obstinate  pertinacity,  into 
this  new  conflict.  The  youth  and  their  friends  did  not,  perhaps,  use 
the  necessary  soothing  spirit  of  persuasion.  They  saw  the  justness  of 
this  requirement  so  clearly,  that  they  had  not  the  necessary  patience 
to  bear  with  the  venerable  men  who  clung  to  their  dear,  their  own 
native  tongue — the  language  of  dear  old  Holland — which  they  so 
tenderly  loved.  To  take  from  them  their  native  tongue  seemed  to 
them  as  being  driven  into  exile,  among  men  whose  tongue  was  to 
them  barbarous  !  It  was  a  hard  struggle.  But  the  venerable  con- 
sistory of  the  church  of  New  York  were  constrained  at  last  to  yield. 
For  they  loved  their  church,  they  loved  their  dear  children ;  and 
they  saw  many  of  them  already  gone  to  other  denominations,  where 
they  could  understand  the  speakers.  Yet,  even  this  compliance  made 
us  lose  a  goodly  number  of  the  old  people  and  younger  heads  of 
families.  And  they  were  without  any  reasonable  excuse.  For  they 
understood  the  English  as  well  as  the  Dutch.  But  they  left  their 
fathers'  church,  because  they  failed  in  their  effort  at  victory  !  And, 
hence,  not  a  few  made  this  remark,  as  they  retired  into  the  Episcopal 
Church, — "  Well,  since  we  must  have  English,  let  us  go  where  we 
shall  get  the  language  in  the  purest  form  !" 

This  was  not  the  first  movement  in  our  church  to  secure  English 
preaching.  My  colleague.  Dr.  Dewitt,  who  is  now  preparing  a  full 
history  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  has  drawn  my  attention  to  a 
fact  not  generally  known.  It  is  this  :  about  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  a  formal  request  was  sent  by  our  church,  to  Holland, 
for  a  Dominie  to  be  a  colleague  to  Dominie  Megapolensis,  who  should 
also  preach  to  the  people  in  English.  In  answer  to  this  was  Dominie 
Drisius  (in  Dutch,  Dries,)  sent  out.  He  arrived  in  1653.  He  had 
been  a  pastor  in  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  in  the  city  of  London. 
He  preached  in  Dutch,  in  English,  and  in  French.* 

*  This  excellent  and  indefatigable  pastor  officiated  frequently  on  the  north  side  of 
Staten  Island,  in  French,  in  a  church  formed  there,  in  that  French  settlement.  These 
were  Huguenots,  who  were  driven  from  France,  at  the  revoking  of  the  edict  of  Nantz, 
by  the  inhuman  tyrant  Louis  XIV.  These  eminent  sufferers  for  Christ's  cause  and 
crown,  afterwards  united  with  their  brethren,  the  Dutch,  and  formed  that  church  which 


iiSO 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


But  the  first  man  who  preached  exclusively  in  English,  in  tha  col- 
legiate church,  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  Laidlie.  He  was  a  native  of  the 
South  of  Scotland,  a  graduate  of  Edinburgh  University.  He  had 
been  a  pastor  of  the  Church  of  Flushing,  in  Zealand,  in  Holland. 
From  that  he  was  called  by  the  consistory,  and  he  arrived  and  en- 
tered on  his  ministry  in  1764.*  His  first  sermon  I  have  read  in 
manuscript.  His  text  was,  2  Cor.  v.  1 1  :  "  Knowing  the  terrors  of 
the  Lord,  we  persuade  men."  It  was  preached  to  an  immense  audi- 
ence. And  a  signal  revival  of  religion  soon  commenced  under  his 
zealous  ministration,  and  the  church  greatly  flourished.  I  have  heard 
some  of  the  aged  people  tell  this  anecdote  of  him.  On  a  certain  oc- 
casion, when  he  had,  in  a  prayer  meeting,  uttered  a  fervent  and 
heavenly  prayer,  the  aged  people  gathered  round  him,  and  said — 
"  Ah !  Dominie,  many  an  earnest  prayer  did  we  ofler  up  in  Dutch, 
for  your  coming  among  us ;  and,  truly,  the  Lord  has  answered  us  in 
Englisli,  and  has  sent  you  to  us  !" 

The  members  of  the  Coclus  party  had,  in  view  of  forming  an  inde- 
pendent ecclesiastical  constitution,  for  some  time  turned  their  earnest 
attention  to  the  establishment  of  a  seminary  for  the  education  of  the 
future  ministry,  at  home.  And  they  had  communicated  this  intention 
to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  The  late  Dr.  Livingston,  being  at  that 
time  in  Holland,  pursuing  his  studies,  had  entered  zealously  into  the 
plan  of  promoting  this  double  project.  He  had  gained  the  approba- 
tion of  many  of  the  principal  ministers  in  Holland,  to  the  purpose  of 
forming  an  ecclesiastical  constitution  in  America,  similar  to  that  of 
fatherland.  This  consent,  it  seems,  was  sought  and  gained,  in  order, 
if  possible,  to  induce  the  brethren  of  the  conferentie  to  unite  with 
them  in  the  enterprise  ;  for  they  would  do  nothing  without  that  con- 
sent. And  this  consent  of  the  enlightened  ministers  of  Holland  pre- 
scribed an  express  condition,  which  was  precisely  what  the  brethren 
of  the  coctus  wished  for,  and  anticipated.  It  was  expressly  required 
that  the  American  church  should  proceed  to  make  an  immediate  and 
adequate  provision  for  a  theological  professorate.  For  they  assured 
the  American  brethren  that  they  could  not  mamtain  any  relation  with 

continues  and  flourishes  there  to  this  day,  near  Port  Richmond.  And  the  numerous 
prominent  men  there,  still  bear  the  honoured  name  of  their  noble  progenitors,  the  Hu- 
guenots, who  suffered  the  loss  of  their  country,  their  property,  and  every  thing  but  their 
Christian  honour  and  religion  !     And  they  arc  dear  unto  us  for  their  fathers'  sake. 

*  Dr.  Laidlie  was  an  amiable  and  very  accomplished  gentleman,  a  devotedly  pious 
Christian,  a  popular,  evangelical,  and  zealous  preacher;  of  unusual  dignity,  and  com- 
manding eloquence  in  the  pulpit.  This  is  the  character  of  Dr.  Laidlie,  as  drawn  by 
his,  then,  young  colleague.  Dr.  Livingston.  Dr.  L.  died  in  1778,  at  Red  Hook,  in  his 
exile  from  his  church,  caused  by  the  British  army,  which  then  occupied  New  York. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  237 

a  church,  who  neglected  to  secure  a  thorough  education  for  the 
youth,  seeking  the  holy  ministry.  Yet  even  this  did  not  conciliate  the 
conferentie.  They  utterly  opposed  every  plan  which  would  cut  off 
their  dependence  on  Holland,  or  would  go  to  introduce  any  ministers 
but  those  educated  in  fatherland,  in  Dutch  ! 

Several  schemes  were  proposed.  One  was,  that  a  local  union 
should  be  formed  on  the  part  of  the  coetus  with  the  flourishing  Col- 
lege of  Princeton.  This  seemed  to  be  the  first  and  favourite  scheme 
of  Dr.  Livingston,  while  he  was  in  Holland,  in  consequence  of  a 
consultation  he  had  with  the  venerable  Dr.  Witherspoon,  at  that  time 
on  a  visit  to  Holland,  previously  to  his  coming  to  Princeton.  This 
was  opposed  by  the  ca3tus,  and  also  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam. 
Another  plan  was,  to  have  a  theological  professorship  in  King's  Col- 
lege, now  Columbia  College,  in  New  York.*  This  was  objected  to 
by  both  parties.  The  coetus,  speaking  the  sentiment  of  the  great  body 
of  the  people,  said,  "No,  we  shall  be  independent  of  Holland,  and  of 
every  other  body,  here.  We  must  have  a  college  and  a  theological 
school  of  our  own."  And  with  a  noble  and  pious  resolution,  they 
gained  their  grand  object.  A  college  was  founded  called  "  Queen's 
College,"  after  the  queen  of  King  George  III.,  a  High-Dutch  prin- 
cess, who,  it  was  understood,  would  kindly  patronize  it.  The  charter 
of  this  college  was  dated  in  1770;  and  it  Was  "instituted  for  the 
education  of  the  youth  in  the  learned  languages,  the  liberal  and  use- 
ful arts  and  sciences,  and  especially  in  divinity." 

This  noble  step  in  the  advancement  of  the  church,  which  ought  to 
have  been  hailed  by  every  friend  of  the  Dutch  Church,  was  the 
signal  for  a  fresh  outburst  of  the  war  of  opposition  on  the  part  of 
the  brethren  of  the  conferentie ;  and  to  such  an  extent  was  this 
unnatural  war  carried  on  in  the  bosom  of  the  church,  that  it  began 
to  excite  alarm  for  the  very  existence  of  the  Dutch  Church.  Reflect- 
ing and  pious  men  now  apprehended  that  she  must  soon  sink  into 
insignificance,  and  by  degrees  be  absorbed  by  the  surrounding 
denominations,  and  cease  to  exist  as  a  distinct  church  in  this  land ! 

The  churches  of  New  York  and  of  Albany  were  the  two  who 
kept  aloof  from  this  distressing  party  warfare,  and  were  styled 
neutrals.  Two  of  the  dominies  of  New  York,  namely,  Messrs.  De 
Ronde  and  Ritzema,  were  strong  partisans.  The  former  was  the 
most  ardent  in  opposing  English  preaching;  the  latter,  in  stoutly 
defending  the  principles  of  the  conferentie.     He   and   the  learned 

*  Those  who  have  looked  into  the  charter  of  this  venerable  college,  among  others  my 
colleague.  Dr.  Knox,  one  of  the  trustees,  are  of  opinion  that  the  Dutch  are  entitled  to  a 
professorate  in  this  college. 


238  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Dominic  Leydt,  of  New  Brunswick,  were  perhaps  the  ablest  writers 
on  this  long  and  vexed  question.  The  latter  was  a  masterly  writer 
in  defence  of  the  ccctus. 

The  fifth  period  in  the  history  of  our  church,  extending  from  1771 
to  1784,  opened  with  the  best  prospects.  It  was  like  the  bright 
rising  of  the  sun,  after  a  long,  dreary,  and  most  melancholy  winter. 
It  brought  peace,  harmony,  and  prosperity  to  the  churches,  in  the 
healing  of  the  division  between  the  ccctus  and  conferentie. 

The  fervent  prayers  of  God's  people  had  never  ceased  to  ascend 
to  heaven  for  this  object,  even  in  our  darkest  days ;  and  divine  Pro- 
vidence wrought  a  great  deliverance.  The  happy  instruments  were 
the  late  Dr.  Livingston  and  those  eminent  men  in  New  York  with 
whom  he  corresponded,  particularly  Abraham  Lott,  by  whom  he 
was  regularly  advised  of  the  state  of  affairs  going  on  here.  This 
great  and  good  man  of  God  felt  deeply  for  the  church,  and  was 
resolved  to  lose  no  opportuiiity  of  engaging  the  whole  influence  of 
his  friends  in  Holland,  to  put  an  end  to  these  most  unnatural  and 
painful  scenes.  He  was  convinced  that  the  brethren  of  the  con- 
ferentie would  yield  readily  to  what  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  would 
enjoin  on  them.  Hence  his  first  object  was  to  induce  the  North 
Synod  to  appoint  that  classis  the  standing  committee,  with  full 
powers  to  transact  the  affairs  of  the  American  church.  He  waited 
on  that  synod  at  its  meeting  at  Edam,  in  1769,  and,  through  the 
influence  of  prominent  members,  he  gained  his  point  without  any 
opposition. 

Having  thus  got  the  whole  power  into  the  hands  of  that  classis,  his 
next  object  was  to  prevail  with  the  classis  to  accede  to  the  plan  pro- 
posed by  the  coetus.  He  placed  before  them  the  arguments  employed 
for  years  by  those  brethren  here,  and  urged  on  them  the  necessity  of 
giving  the  church  here  the  power  to  ordain  as  well  as  educate  her 
own  ministry.  He  succeeded  completely.  For  such  were  the  can- 
dour, the  piety,  and  the  liberal  views  of  the  Holland  ministers,  when 
the  whole  matters  in  controversy  were  fairly  and  fully  set  before 
ihem,  that  they  no  longer  resisted  the  most  righteous  claims.  And 
by  the  kindness  of  God,  who  watches  over  his  church  and  moves  the 
hearts  of  all  men,  a  liberal  plan  was  arranged :  general  principles 
were  adopted  to  remove  the  existing  difficulties;  to  conciliate  the 
contending  parties ;  to  take  measures  to  provide  a  well-educated 
ministry ;  and  secure  the  necessary  and  unshackled  right  to  license 
and  ordain  their  own  niinisters. 

Having  finished  his  studies,  and  having  taken  the  degree  of  Doctor 
in  Divinity  after  a  rigid  examination,  Dr.  Livingston  returned  home 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


239 


in  1770,  and  accepted  the  call  presented  to  him  from  the  Collegiate 
Church.  He  lost  no  time  in  gradually  winning  over  influential  and 
good  men  to  the  plan  of  conciliation,  which  he  had  brought  with 
him.  In  1771  he  induced  the  consistory  of  his  church  to  call  a  con- 
vention. There  was  not  a  more  likely  mode  of  succeeding.  That 
consistory  and  church  had  unbounded  influence  with  all  the  pastors 
and  churches.  The  fraternal  call  was  promptly  responded  to,  and  in 
October,  1771,  the  convention  met  in  New  York.  It  was  a  full 
meeting,  and  it  displayed  a  kind  temper  and  evangelical  spirit. 
Ministers  and  elders  there  met  in  cordiality,  who  had  not  met  nor 
spoken  to  each  other  for  years  !  This  disappointed  the  enemy,  and 
filled  with  joy  the  hearts  of  God's  children.  The  Holy  Spirit  seemed 
to  pervade  the  assembly,  and  shed  peace  and  love  in  the  hearts  of 
all,  in  answer  to  the  fervent  prayers  offered  up.* 

The  first  business  was  to  appoint  a  large  committee  of  the  most 
distinguished  persons  to  mature  a  plan  of  union  and  church  govern- 
ment.    The  committee  was  a  most  judicious  one ;  it  consisted  of  six 


*  The  following  were  the  members  of  this  famous  convention : 


MINISTERS. 

John  N.  Livingston, 
Lamberlus  De  Ronde, 
Archibald  Laidlie, 

Eilardus  Westerlo, 
John  Leydt, 
Jo.  Casper  Rubbell, 
Ulpianus  Van  Sinderin, 
Warmuldus  Kuypers, 
Jacobus  R.  Hardenberg, 
Isaac  Rysdyck, 
Martinus  Schoonmaker, 
Samuel  Ver  Breyck, 


John  Schunema, 
William  Jackson, 
Hermanns  Meyer, 
Dirck  Romeyn, 
J.  M.  Van  Harlingen, 
J,  H.  Goetschius, 

Garrit  Leydecker, 
David  Morinus, 
Cornelius  Dubois, 

Benjamin  Vanderlinden, 


ELDERS. 

Is.  Roosevelt, 
Jacobus  Van  Santen, 
C.  Sebring, 
E.  Byvank, 
N.  Gansevoort, 
Hendrick  Fischer, 
Englebert  Lott, 
J.  Rapeljie, 
G.  De  Murray, 

C.  Vander  Meulen, 
Richard  Snedecker, 
John  Sickles, 
Rulof  Van  Houten, 
Jacobus  Elting, 
Adrian  Wynkoop, 

Abraham  Sickles, 

L.  Pawlin, 

Jacobus  Van  Arsdalen, 

Peter  Zabriskie, 

D.  Herring, 
Michael  Moor, 
G.  Tin  gens, 
A.  Zipkens, 
Adolphus  Meyer, 
Stephen  Zabriskie, 


New  York. 


Albany. 

New  Brunswick. 

King's  County,  Long  Island. 
« 

Hackensack. 

Raritan,  (Somerville.) 

Poughkeepsie  and  Fishkill. 

Gravesend  and  Haerlem. 

Toppan. 

Kingston. 

u 

Kaatskill  and  Cocksackie. 

Bergen  and  Staten  Island. 

Pompton. 

Marbletown  and  Mombachus. 

Millston  and  Shannock. 

Hackensack  and  Schralenberg 

English  Neighbourhood. 

Ackquakenonk. 

Freehold  and  Middletown. 

Haerlem. 

Paramus. 


240  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ministers  and  as  many  ciders.  Dr.  Livingston  and  Dr.  Westerlo, 
with  the  Elders  I.  Roosevelt  and  N.  Gansevoort,  were  appointed  to 
represent  the  two  great  churches  that  had  been  neutrals  in  the  vio- 
lent contest,  namely,  those  of  New  York  and  Albany ;  the  Rev,  Dr. 
Hardenberg,  Mr.  Ver  Breyck,  and  the  Elders  H.  Fischer  and  P. 
Zabriskie,  to  represent  the  Ccetus  party ;  and  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Rys- 
dyck  and  De  Ronde,  with  the  Elders  J.  Van  Santen  and  R.  Sne- 
decker,  to  represent  the  Confcrcntie  party. 

As  soon  as  this  committee  met,  Dr.  Livingston  laid  before  them 
the  plan  which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Holland,  and  which  he 
had  hitherto  shown  to  no  one.  The  scheme  embraced  three  import- 
ant objects :  First,  The  internal  arrangements,  church  government, 
and  all  the  usual  powers  of  a  classis.  Second,  The  measures  best 
calculated  to  heal  all  animosities  and  divisions.  Third,  The  con- 
ducting of  a  correspondence  with  the  parent  church  of  Holland.  It 
met  with  the  kindest  reception  in  the  committee.  After  a  few  addi- 
tions and  amendments  were  proposed,  it  was  adopted,  and  brought 
forward  to  the  convention.  Here  it  was  again  fully  discussed  with 
the  best  feelings.  The  members  on  each  side  seemed  to  vie  with  the 
other  in  applauding  it ;  and  finally  it  was  adopted  without  one  dis- 
senting vote!  It  now  only  needed  the  final  approbation  of  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam.  Accordingly,  it  was  transmitted  to  them. 
And  the  convention  adjourned,  to  meet  in  October,  1772,  to  receive 
their  final  answer.  That  answer  came,  conveying  to  their  dear 
American  brethren  the  fullest  and  most  perfect  approbation  of  the 
union,  and  all  the  measures  adopted,  and  concluded  with  their  fervent 
prayers  for  the  prosperity  of  the  American  church.  The  convention 
heard  the  letter  with  emotions  of  joy  and  gratitude,  and  it  was  with 
the  greatest  cordiality  signed  by  every  member  of  the  meeting,  while 
they  praised  God  for  the  happy  consummation  ! 

The  most  distinguished  promoters  of  the  union,  and  the  indepen- 
dence of  our  church,  were  these :  Dr.  Laidlie,  and  Dr.  Livingston  of 
New  York  ;  Dr.  Westerlo.  of  Albany ;  Dr.  Romeyn,  of  Schenectady ; 
Dr.  Hardenberg,  (afterwards  the  first  president  of  Queen's  College,) 
and  Mr.  Leydt,  of  New  Brunswick ;  Mr.  Breyck,  of  Tappan ;  and 
Mr.  Rysdyck,  of  Poughkeepsie.  This  distinguished  man  had  all 
along  been  a  keen  conferentie  partisan.  But  as  soon  as  he  heard  the 
wise  and  fraternal  plan  of  union,  he  cordially  gave  it  his  support,  and 
brought  his  friends  and  people  over  to  the  same  course. 

The  establishment  of  a  college  now  occupied  the  earnest  attention 
of  the  united  and  peaceful  church,  and  particularly  to  secure  a  theo- 
logical professor.     But  from  the  date  of  their  charter  to  the  close  of 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  241 

the  war  of  the  revolution,  Uttle  was  done  for  the  furtherance  of  an 
object  so  dear  to  the  church.  This  was  on  account  of  the  poverty  of 
the  country,  and  deplorable  calamities  of  the  war.  Besides,  many 
were  inclined  to  keep  the  theological  professorate  distinct  from  the 
college.  And  others  being  afraid  to  stir  up  old  animosities,  as  the 
college  was  the  child  of  the  Ccetus  party,  and  always  opposed  by  the 
other  pafrty,  sustained  them  in  this  timorous  policy.  Hence  the  con- 
vention in  1774,  in  urging  on  the  measitre  for  the  professorate,  kept 
the  new  college  out  of  view.  In  like  manner  the  convention,  as  such, 
that  met  in  1784,  took  no  decided  steps  to  organize  the  college.  But 
letters  having  been  received  from  Holland,  in  reply  to  their  petition 
for  a  suitable  professor,  with  strong  recommendations  from  the 
classis,  and  from  the  faculty  of  Utrecht,  in  favour  of  Dr.  Livingston, 
he  was  unanimously  elected  to  the  professorate,  and  entered  immedi- 
ately on  the  duties  thereof. 

In  this  distinguished  convention,  considerable  progress  was  made 
in  ecclesiastical  organization.  At  the  adoption  of  the  articles  of  union 
in  1771,  the  convention  of  which  Dr.  Livingston  was  president,  had 
before  them  the  entire  model  of  the  government  of  the  Church  of 
Holland.  Yet  for  some  particular  reasons,  they  simply  denominated 
their  conventions  "  the  particular  and  the  general  assembly."  But 
this  convention  of  1784,  resolved  to  distinguish  these  assemblies  by 
the  names  usually  given  to  such  judicatories.  At  first  "the  particular 
assembly,"  was  called  "  a  classis,"  and  "  the  general  assembly,"  a 
"  particular  synod." 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  of  the  revolution,  there  were 
about  eighty  churches  in  New  York  state :  these  were  divided  into 
three  particular  assemblies,  or  classes ;  in  New  Jersey  there  were 
forty  churches :  these  were  formed  into  two  classes.  These  met  twice 
in  the  year.  The  particular  synod  was  a  delegated  body,  consisting 
of  two  pastors  and  two  elders,  from  each  classis,  and  met  once  a 
year.  And  it  was  now  also  for  the  first  time  resolved. to  have  a  third 
assembly,  to  be  called  "  the  general  synod."  This  court  was  held  in 
1792.  It  consisted,  at  first,  of  all  the  ministers  of  the  church,  with 
an  elder  from  each  congregation,  and  it  met  each  third  year.  Some 
years  afterwards,  when  the  churches  had  multiplied  greatly,  it  was 
made  a  delegated  body,  each  classis  nominating  three  bishops  and 
three  elders  as  their  representatives;  the  nomination  to  be  confirmed 
by  each  of  two  particular  synods  to  which  the  classes  belonged.  And 
this  court  met,  and  still  meets  annually.* 

*  Dr.  Gunn's  Life  of  Dr.  Livingston,  p.  274. 


242  HISTORY  OF  THE 

In  1784,  the  trustees,  with  a  laudable  zeal,  made  an  attempt  to  re- 
suscitate the  college,  called  Queen's  College,  at  New  Brunswick.  It 
went  into  operation  under  the  superintendence  of  Ihe  venerable  Dr. 
Hardcnbcrg,  its  first  president,  who  was  as  eminent  as  a  ripe  scholar 
as  a  profound  theologian.  But  for  want  of  funds,  caused  by  the 
general  distress  pervading  this  young  nation,  just  come  out  of  the  war 
of  the  revolution ;  and  also  for  want  of  an  adequate  faculty  to  co- 
operate with  its  distinguished  president,  and  its  able  professor  of  the 
languages,  Dr.  Taylor ;  it  gradually  declined,  and  had  at  last  to  be 
suspended  for  a  season. 

In  1807,  the  efforts  of  these  devoted  and  persevering  friends  of 
literature  were  more  successful.  The  old  building  was  an  unsightly 
and  inconvenient  one  for  such  an  institution.  They  proceeded, 
with  the  greatest  industry  and  perseverance,  to  collect  funds  for  a 
suitable  building.  In  1800  they  laid  the  foundation  of  the  present 
beautiful  edifice,  on  a  commanding  eminence,  overlooking  the  city  of 
New  Brunswick.  The  original  cost  of  this  stately  erection  was  thirty 
thousand  dollars. 

One  thing  was  yet  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  college,  and  that 
was  attained  in  1807.  The  trustees  entered  into  a  covenant  with  the 
general  synod  of  the  Dutch  Church ;  uniting  their  mutual  interests  and 
funds,  giving  the  college  the  whole  influence  and  patronage  of  the 
church,  and  placing  the  theological  professorate  in  connexion  with  the 
college ;  but  yet,  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  college  is  not  made  by 
any  means,  a  sectarian  institution.  In  conformity  with  this  covenant, 
Dr.  Livingston,  the  synod's  theological  professor,  was  elected  profes- 
sor in  the  college,  and  officiated  as  the  active  president ;  the  governor 
of  the  state  being  then,  ex  ofKcio,  the  nominal  president.  But  in  1816, 
a  suspension  of  the  college  exercises  was  caused  by  the  exhaustion  of 
its  literary  funds.  This  suspension  continued  unto  1825.  Then  was  it 
revived  with  great  spirit,  and  with  a  full  faculty.*  And  it  continues  in 
successful  operation  to  this  day, — a  bright  star  among  the  other  bright 
stars  in  the  constellation  of  literature  in  our  happy  republic !  The 
theological  seminary  has  three  professorships  richly  endowed;  and 
filled,  at  present,  by  three  able  divines.   The  college  is  under  the  care 


*  With  unusual  pleasure  does  tlic  writer  of  this  look  back  on  that  organization.  To 
him  the  trustees  were  pleased  to  assign  the  chair  of  the  languages.  And  he  had  such 
men  as  these  as  his  colleagues  :  Professor  Adrain,  Prof.  VVoodhull,  Prof  Dr.  John  Dewitt ; 
and  the  venerable  and  beloved  president  Dr.  Milledoler  was  at  the  head  of  the  institution, 
including  our  college  and  the  theological  seminary.  Adrain  and  Dewitt,  followed  Wood- 
hull,  to  their  rest  in  heaven.  Two  of  us  survive,  but  in  different  spheres  of  duty  and 
service. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  243 

of  the  Hon.  A.  Bruyn  Hasbrouck,  LL.  D.,  the  president,  a  most  dis- 
tmguished  scholar  and  learned  civilian ;  assisted  by  a  full  complement 
of  able  professors  and  tutors.*  Since  its  late  organization,  the  college 
at  New  Brunswick,  hitherto  known  as  Queen's  College,  has  been 
named  Rutger's  College,  after  the  name  of  its  munificent  patron,  the 
late  Col.  Rutgers,  who  was  a  gallant  revolutionary  officer,  and  an 
eminent  man  of  God,  in  the  church. 

Thus  far  has  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  struggled  successfully 
through  all  her  difficulties  and  distressing  calamities.  What  a  pleasing 
contrast  there  is  between  her  present  flourishing  condition  and  that  of 
1769 !  Then,  was  she  distracted  and  rent  by  two  violent  contending 
parties ;  and  her  courts  and  sanctuaries  were  the  arena  of  unnatural 
and  unchristian  broils,  and  a  hissing,  and  a  by-word  among  the 
enemies  of  religion ;  while  all  good  men  deplored  her  impending  fate ! 
She  was,  moreover,  without  an  academy,  or  a  college  of  her  own ; 
and  subjected  to  a  dependence  on  a  foreign  nation  for  her  supply  of 
ministers.  Now,  "  peace  reigns  within  her  walls ;  and  prosperity  within 
her  palaces."  For  our  God  hath  looked  down  from  the  height  of  his 
sanctuary,  to  hear  the  groanings  of  his  people.  He  hath  regarded 
the  prayer  of  the  destitute.  The  Lord  hath  builded  up  our  Zion,  and 
he  hath  appeared  in  his  glory  among  her  children!  She  has,  now, 
her  academy  and  schools ;  her  college,  and  her  theological  seminary; 
blessed  with  accomplished,  pious,  and  efficient  teachers.  She  has 
her  foreign  and  domestic  missionary  societies :  her  Sabbath  School 
Union,  and  her  Education  Society ;  and  her  twelve  scholarships,  and 
her  Van  Benschooten  endowment  :f  to  bring  forward  the  pious  sons 
of  the  church  into  the  holy  ministry. 

During  the  last  forty  years  she  has  been  steadily  "  lengthening  her 
cords,  and  strengthening  her  stakes."  Very  many  new  churches 
have  been  planted  by  her  Home  Missionary  Board ;  particularly  in 
the  northern  and  the  western  parts  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  where  the  first  and  venerable  Collegiate 
Church,  which  once  stood  alone,  now  beholds  two  great  classes,  with 
their  numerous  and  flourishing  churches  under  their  care,  and  pros- 
pering, by  the  grace  of  God,  under  an  able,  devoted,  and  pious  minis- 
try. She  is  now  directing  her  earnest  and  successful  labours,  in 
planting  Dutch  Reformed  churches  in  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  Michigan. 
At  the  same  time  she  watches,  with  the  deepest  interest,  the  progress 

*  See  the  statistics  appended  to  this. 

t  The  Van  Benschooten  Fund  was  bequeathed  by  the  pious  and  venerable  Dominie 
Van  Benschooten,  It  amounts  to  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  it  is  designed  to  carry 
pious  youth  through  a  complete  scientific  course,  as  well  as  the  theological  studies. 


244  niSTORY  OF  the 

of  her  foreign  missionaries  in  the  far  East;  and  rejoices  in  their  suc- 
cessful efforts  in  bringing  the  heathen  tribes  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  hope  of  glory. 

Our  fiithers  brought  this  vine  from  Holland ;  and  they  planted  it 
here,  in  the  name  of  the  Most  High.  They  cultivated  it  with  their 
hands,  and  watered  it  with  their  tears !  Under  the  dew  of  heaven 
has  she  spread  her  fair  and  fruitful  branches  over  the  land.  We  sit 
under  her  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  eat  the  pleasant  fruits 
thereof!  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us,  whereof  we  are 
glad.  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord  our  God,  for  ever  and  ever  ! 
And  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory.     Amen. 

II.  THE  DOCTRINES  OF  THE  DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

The  doctrines  of  our  church  are  those  which,  in  common  with  all 
the  bra' ches  of  the  Reformed  Churches,  we  have  received  from  the 
reformers.  These  blcs  ed  doctrines  were  taught  the  cliurch  by  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  by  the  command  of  our  Lord,  the  only  king 
and  head  of  the  church.  They  are  contained  in  the  holy  scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  in  them  alone.  For,  in  concert 
with  the  church  of  God,  in  all  ages,  we  reject  traditions  and  exposi- 
tions of  the  fathers,  except  only  as  they  strictly  and  rigidly  agree 
with  the  Holy  Bible,  the  only  and  all-sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice. These  doctrines  we  hold  as  they  were  taught  by  Luther  and  Calvin, 
so  far  as  they  taught  as  Paul  and  the  other  inspired  writers  taught. 

We  receive  as  our  creed  the  Confession  of  Faith,  as  revised  in  the 
national  synod  of  the  Council  of  Dort,  in  the  years  1618  and  1019, 
consisting  of  thirty-seven  articles ;  with  the  Heidelberg  Catechism ; 
the  compend  of  the  Christian  religion ;  the  canons  of  the  Council  of 
Dort,  on  the  famous  five  points: — L  Predestination.  II.  Definite 
atonement  of  Christ.  IIL  &  IV.  Man's  entire  corruption  and  help- 
lessness, and  his  conversion  by  God's  grace  alone.  V.  Perseverance 
of  the  saints  in  grace. 

These  doctrines  have  been  received  as  their  creed  by  all  the  churches 
of  God,  whose  honoured  representatives  were  members  of  the  Council 
of  Dort,  namely:  1.  England  and  Scotland;  2.  The  Electoral  Palati- 
nate ;  3.  Hesse ;  4.  Switzerland ;  5.  The  French  Churches ;  6.  South 
Holland;  7.  North  Holland;  8.  Z<  aland;  9.  Province  of  Utrecht; 
10.  Fricsland;  II.  Groningcn ;  12.  Omland;  IS.Drent;  14.  The  Re- 
public and  Church  of  Bremen  ;  15.  The  Republic  and  Church  of  Em- 
den;  16.  Gelderland;  17.  Zutphcn;  18.  Wetteraw;  19.  The  Republic 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  345 

and  Church  of  Geneva;  20.  Transylvania;  and  21.  The  German 
Reformed  Church. 

These  doctrines,  usually  called  Calvinistic,  or  rather  the  doctrines 
of  the  Reformed  Church,  are  the  same  precisely  as  those  expressed 
in  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  with 
some  few  exceptions ;  such,  for  instance,  as  that  in  relation  to  church 
government,  which  is  characterized  by  diocesan  bishops.  With  us, 
and  all  other  churches,  each  pastor  who  presides  over  a  church,  is 
strictly,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  a  Christian  bishop.  For,  by 
the  testimony  of  Paul,  (Acts  xx.  5,  17,  and  28,)  every  presbyter  or 
teaching  elder,  is  a  bishop. 

We  refer  the  reader  for  further  particulars  in  reference  to  the 
Reformed  Churches  and  our  church,  as  one  of  them,  to  our  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,  catechism,  and  canons,  in  the  book  of  our  church. 
This,  we  repeat,  is  the  canonical  book  also  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church,  the  French  Church,  and  the  Swiss  Church.  These  are 
Usually  bound  up  with  our  psalms  and  hymns,  and  are  in  every  body's 
hands  who  chooses  to  examine  them. 

In  regard  to  our  "  liturgy,"  we  have  to  state  that  it  contains,  as 
every  one  sees,  prayers  carefully  adapted  to  persons  in  various  cir- 
cumstances, public  and  private.  But  these  are  designed,  now,  simply 
as  models,  not  as  regular  forms.  When  the  early  reformers,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  led  "  the  church"  out  of  the  long  captivity  of  modern 
Babylon,  they  found  their  people  extremely  ignorant.  Hence  they 
needed  helps.  They  were  children,  and  crippled  in  their  walk.  They 
needed  crutches  to  lean  on  in  their  early  helplessness.  But  now,- we 
consider  our  ministers,  elders,  deacons,  and  members  of  our  church, 
as  no  longer  little  and  lisping  children,  and  cripples  needing  crutches. 
These  crutches  we  throw  away,  and  we  walk  without  them !  This 
we  do  because  the  spirit  of  God  is  really  given  to  all  who  ask  of  him 
help  in  prayer.  But  we  have  no  desire  to  interfere  with  those  of  our 
reformed  brethren  who  deem  themselves,  as  yet,  incapable  of  doing 
without  these  helps  for  the  weak  ones  of  the  flock. 

The  only  part  of  our  liturgy  which  is  enjoined  to  be  read,  is  this : 
the  Form  of  Baptism,  in  order  to  preserve  the  uniformity  of  vows : 
together  with  the  short  prayer,  before  the  vows  taken  by  the  parents ; 
and  also  the  formula  of  the  holy  communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
This  the  minister  reads,  while  all  the  members,  carefully  and  devoutly 
follow  him,  with  the  form  open  before  them,  in  their  seats.  This  is 
the  amount,  and  the  proper  use  of  our  liturgy. 


246  HISTORY  OF  THE 


III.    ITS    CHURCH    GOVERNMENT. 

Our  form  of  government  is  that  which  has  been  adopted  by  all  the 
churches  of  the  Reformation  in  Holland,  France,  Switzerland,  Ger- 
many, Scotland,  with  the  exception  of  England, — which  is  governed 
by  diocesan  bishops, — and  of  the  famous  Puritans  of  Old  and  New 
England,  whose  form  is  that  of  independency.  We  refer  to  our 
form  in  our  Book  of  the  Church.  Our  primary  court  is  that  of  the 
consistory,  the  same  as  that  called  a  session  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  This  consists  of  the  three  distinct  offices :  ministers  or 
bishops,  elders,  and  deacons.  The  deacons  in  our  church  have  no 
right  to  preach.  We  adhere  strictly  to  the  scriptural  institution  of 
that  office,  as  detailed  in  Acts  vi.  They  have  the  care  of  the  poor; 
and  take  charge  of  the  alms  and  the  proper  distribution  of  them. 
Our  church  discountenances  the  office  of  trustees,  especially  of  a 
board  of  trustees,  whose  members  are  not  even  required  to  be  mem- 
bers of  the  church  in  full  communion.  The  most  general,  I  may  say 
the  universal,  practice  of  ecclesiastical  arrangement  with  us,  is  this: 
the  pastors  and  elders  meet  as  a  spiritual  court,  to  transact  spiritual 
concerns,  such  as  the  admission  of  members,  exercising  discipline, 
&c.  The  deacons  meet  statedly,  to  make  provision  for  the  poor  and 
make  distributions.  And  the  consistory,  composed  of  the  pastor, 
elders,  and  deacons,  meets  for  the  transaction  of  all  temporal  business 
relating  to  their  own  church.  On  important  occasions,  such  as  that 
of  calling  a  minister,  the  grand  consistory  is  called  together.  This 
is  composed  of  all  those  individuals  who  have  been  at  any  time 
elders  and  deacons  in  the  church. 

The  next  court  in  our  church  is  the  classis,  corresponding  pre- 
cisely to  the  presbytery  in  our  sister  churches.  This  is  composed  of 
a  minister  and  an  elder  from  each  distinct  church,  under  the  care  of 
the  classis. 

The  next  court  is  the  particular  synod.  Of  these  we  have  two, 
namely,  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  the  Synod  of  Albany,  or  the 
Southern  and  Northern  Synods.  These  consist  of  two  ministers  and 
two  elders  from  each  classis  within  its  bounds. 

The  highest  court,  from  which  there  is  no  appeal,  is  the  general 
synod.  This  also  is  a  representative  body.  It  is  composed  of  three 
ministers  and  three  elders  from  each  classis  throughout  the  entire 
church.  At  its  first  organization,  this  court  met  triennially ;  now  it 
meets  annually,  for  the  despatch  of  all  business  belonging  to  the 
church. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  247 

In  one  peculiar  feature  do  we  differ  from  our  Presbyterian  bre- 
thren in  the  United  States  and  Scotland.  In  the  different  branches 
of  these  most  eminently  distinguished  churches,  their  elders  are 
chosen  for  life.  With  us  they  are  chosen  to  serve  for  two  years  in 
succession.  And  if  they  do  their  duty  they  are  again  eligible,  after 
having  been  out  of  their  office  one  year.  If  they  have  not  fulfilled 
their  office  to  edification,  they  may  be  left  off  the  ticket ;  and  no 
offence  is  given  or  taken.  This,  we  believe,  has  most  essentially 
contributed  to  preserve  the  peace,  and  promote  the  edification  of  the 
church,  and  to  stir  up  good  men  to  increased  faithfulness  to  God  and 
the  church. 


IV.    THE    FORM    OF    WORSHIP. 

This  is  nearly  the  same  as  that  of  all  those  who  adopt  the  Presby- 
terian form  of  worship.  With  us,  the  ancient  and  time-honoured 
custom  and  mode  is  this:  the  minister  and  people,  who  are  mem- 
bers, upon  entering  the  church,  bow  down,  and  in  secret  worship  the 
King  of  Zion.  In  the  morning,  the  pastor  begins  the  solemnity  of 
the  day  by  reading  the  ten  commandments ;  and  in  the  other  ser- 
vices of  the  day,  by  reading  a  chapter  of  the  holy  scriptures.  The 
assembly  then  sing ;  then  there  is  the  solemn  benediction ;  then  a 
brief  address,  called  the  exordium  remotum,  containing  an  outline  of 
the  subject  to  be  discussed;*  then  prayer;  then  singing;  then  the 
sermon ;  then  a  prayer ;  then  a  collection  of  alms  for  the  poor ;  then 
singing,  and  the  benediction. 

Our  psalmody  is  that  which  has  been  carefully  prepared  by  a  com- 
mittee of  our  General  Synod.  It  consists  of  the  psalms  of  Watts, 
greatly  improved  and  enlarged,  and  two  books  of  hymns.  It  is  a 
rule  of  our  church  that  each  pastor  shall  lecture  on  a  section  of  our 
Heidelberg  Catechism,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  sabbath,  so  as  to  go 
through  the  whole  in  a  definite  time.  These  lectures  exhibit  an  entire 
system  of  pure  and  holy  doctrine  to  the  people,  in  a  regular  course. 
And  to  this  admirable  system  do  we  humbly  and  prayerfully  ascribe 
the  uniformity  and  strictness  of  adherence  to  pure  doctrine  in  our 
churches.  The  design  is  to  secure  doctrinal  preaching,  and  that  of 
the  entire  system,  to  our  people,  in  a  regular  course,  from  year  to 
year. 

*  This  has,  by  a  late  regulation,  been  left  discretionary,  and  by  many  it  is  dispensed 
with. 


248  IIISTOUY  OF  THE 


V.    THE   STATISTICS. 


The  annual  report  for  1813  presents  this  summary  of  the  church: 
There  are  twenty  classes;  two  particular  synods,  that  of  New  York, 
and  that  of  Albany,  under  one  general  synod,  the  highest  court  of 
appeal,  which  meets  annually.  There  are  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  churches,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  ministers,  and  twenty 
three  theological  students,  at  present. 

The  number  of  families,  as  reported,  is  21,569;  the  ascertained 
number  of  individuals  in  the  congregations,  96,302 :  total  in  commu- 
nion, 29,322.  The  increase  of  members  on  confession  of  their  faith, 
from  June,  1812,  to  June,  1843,  3202,  by  certificate,  1021 :  total  in- 
crease in  the  year,  4223.  Baptized  in  the  year :  infants,  2211,  adults, 
682.  Number  of  catechumens,  5664;  number  in  biblical  instruction, 
3988  ;  the  number  of  sabbath  schools,  209 ;  the  number  of  pupils  in 
these,  15,534. 

Our  college  and  theological  seminary  are  located  at  New  Bruns- 
wick, N.  J.  These  institutions  have  been  richly  endowed  by  the 
liberality  of  our  church.  The  two  institutions  are  so  far  connected 
that  the  theological  professors  render  certain  important  services  in 
the  college.  The  venerable  Dr.  Milledoler  lately  retired  from  these 
institutions,  after  having  rendered  for  a  series  of  years  most  valuable 
services,  as  professor  of  didactic  and  polemic  theology,  and  as  pre- 
sident of  the  college,  which  last  laborious  office  he  performed  gratui- 
tously, with  the  utmost  fidelity  and  great  success,  for  nearly  sixteen 
years.  Since  that,  the  Hon.  A.  Bruyn  Hasbrouck,  a  gentleman  of 
distinguished  taste  and  scholarship,  has  been  elected  president.  The 
college  is  now  in  very  successful  operation,  under  his  care,  and  that 
of  an  able  and  learned  faculty. 

In  the  theological  school,  there  are  three  professorships,  occupied 
by  distinguished  men,  who  instruct  the  youth  for  the  ministry  in  every 
branch  of  a  complete  theological  course.  At  the  close  of  the  theolo- 
gical year,  there  is  a  public  theological  commencement,  at  w'hich  the 
graduating  class  pronounce,  from  memory,  suitable  discourses.  This 
will  have  a  very  happy  tendency  to  encourage  our  youth  to  study, 
more  than  heretofore,  true  pulpit  eloquence,  and  tend  to  bring  back 
the  good  old  custom  of  pronouncing,  instead  of  reading,  discourses.* 

*  By  "  pronouncingf  discourses,"  \vc  do  not  mean  "  extemporaneous  preaching."  We 
mean  llic  writing  fully  out  of  discourses,  and  delivering  tiicm  from  memory  and  judg- 
ment. To  preach  "  extempore,"  and  without  laborious  preparation,  is  one  of  the  worst 
habits,  into  which  any  preacher  or  minister  can  fall. 


DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH.  249 

To  the  seminary  are  attached  twelve  scholarships,  for  the  aid  of 
eminently  gifted  youth,  whose  hard  lot  has  been  to  struggle  with  ad- 
versity. The  Van  Benschooten  Fund  of  $20,000  produces  a  con- 
siderable annual  revenue.  By  the  will  of  the  pious  donor,  the  proceeds 
are  applied  to  carry  youth  through  the  college  course,  as  well  as  the 
theological  course. 

For  farther  particulars,  I  refer  the  reader  to  the  following :  The 
Outline  of  the  History  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  by  the  late  Dr. 
Romeyn,  in  the  pages  of  the  Christian's  Magazine,  vol.  i. ;  to  the 
extended  Outline  of  the  History  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  in 
the  pages  of  the  Magazine  of  the  Dutch  Church,  vol.  ii. ;  Dr.  Gunn's 
Life  of  Dr.  Livingston  ;  The  History  of  New  York,  by  Judge  Smith  ; 
Dr.  .Taneway's  Abstract  of  the  History  of  Rutgers's  College ;  The 
Minutes  of  the  Particular  and  General  Synods  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  ;  The  Appendix  to  Dr.  Bradford's  Sermon  of  1813,  contain- 
ing the  Address  of  the  Committee  of  the  General  Synod  of  1807; 
The  Encycloptedia  of  Christian  Knowledge,  article  Dutch  Reformed 
Church ;  Watson's  Olden  Times ;  Olden  Times  in  New  York ; 
Benedict's  History  of  all  Religions ;  The  American  Quarterly  Re- 
gister, for  May,  1833,  and  February,  1834  ;  and,  finally.  Dr.  Dewitt's 
History  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  which  he  is  now  (1843)  pre- 
paring by  the  request  of  our  General  Synod. 


17 


DISCIPLES   OP   CHEIST. 


BY  THE  REV.  R.  RICHARDSON, 

OF  VIRGINIA. 


THEIR   RISE,   PROGRESS,  FAITH,    AND    PRACTICE. 

The  religious  society,  whose  members  prefer  to  be  known  by  the 
primitive  and  unsectarian  appellation  of  "  Disciples  of  Christ,"  or  by 
that  of  '*  Christians,"  the  title  first  given  to  the  followers  of  our  Lord 
at  Antioch,  A.  D.  41,  but  who  are  variously  designated  in  different 
sections,  as  "  Baptists,"  "  Reformed  Baptists,"  "  Reformers,"  or 
"  Campbellites,"  had  its  origin  in  an  effort  made,  a  few  years  since, 
to  effect  a  union  of  the  pious  of  all  parties,  by  the  ties  of  a  common 
Christianity. 

Thomas  Campbell,  who  had  been  long  a  minister  of  high  standing 
in  the  "  secession"  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  noi'th  of 
Ireland,  his  native  country,  and  who  had  been  at  all  times  charac- 
terized by  his  love  for  the  Bible,  and  for  godly  men  of  all  parties, 
without  respect  to  sectarian  differences,  having  visited  the  United 
States,  as  well  for  the  recovery  of  his  health,  which  had  become 
much  impaired,  as  with  a  view  to  a  permanent  location,  was,  after  a 
lapse  of  nearly  three  years,  followed  by  his  family,  under  the  charge 
of  his  eldest  son  Alexander,  then  a  young  man,  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  his  time  had  been  chiefly 
spent,  since  the  period  of  his  arrival,  in  supplying  with  ministerial 
labour  the  destitute  congregations  of  the  seceder  connexion. 

Continually  deploring,  however,  the  divided  and  distracted  condi- 
tion of  the  religious  community  at  large,  and  deeply  convinced  that 
its  divisions  were  unnecessary,  unscriptural,  and  most  injurious  to  the 
interests  of  religion  and  of  society :  he  at  length  formed  the  resolution 
to  make  a  public  effort  for  the  restoration  of  the  original  unity  of  the 
church.     Being  joined  in  this  resolution  by  his  son  Alexander,  whose 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  251 

views  of  religion  had  been  much  liberalized  and  extended  by  an  inti- 
macy with  Greville  Ewing  and  the  Independents  of  Glasgow,  in 
Scotland,  during  his  studies,  which  he  had  just  completed  at  the  uni- 
versity in  that  city ;  and  whose  talents,  learning,  and  energy  have, 
since  this  period,  so  widely  disseminated  the  principles  of  union  then 
adopted :  an  attempt  was  made,  in  the  first  instance,  to  obtain  the  co- 
operation of  the  people  and  ministers  with  whom  he  stood  associated. 
The  great  fundamental  point  urged  at  this  juncture  was,  that  in 
order  to  Christian  union,  and  the  full  influence  of  the  gospel,  it  was 
absolutely  necessary  that  the  Bible  alone  should  be  taken  as  the 
authorized  bond  of  union,  and  the  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice ; 
in  other  words,  that  the  revelations  of  God  should  be  made  to  displace 
from  their  position  all  human  creeds,  confessions  of  faith,  and  formu- 
laries of  doctrine  and  church  government,  as  being  not  only  unneces- 
sary, but  really  a  means  of  perpetuating  division.  Containing,  indeed, 
much  truth,  and  embracing,  for  the  most  part,  the  great  leading  facts 
and  doctrines  of  Christianity,  each  one,  it  was  argued,  superadded 
unfortunately  its  own  peculiar  theory  of  religion,  and  blended  with 
the  Christianity  common  to  all,  speculative  opinions  respecting  matters 
not  revealed,  which,  nevertheless,  were,  in  these  theological  systems, 
exalted  to  an  equal  authority  with  the  undoubted  facts  of  the  gospel. 
These  conflicting  opinions,  uncertain  for  want  of  clear  scriptural 
evidence,  were,  whether  true  or  false,  unimportant  in  themselves,  as 
contrasted  with  the  great  and  plainly  revealed  truths  of  Holy  Writ ; 
and,  as  derived  from  human  reason,  and  being  the  off*spring  of  human 
weakness,  were  regarded  as  constituting  essentially  human  religions, 
and  as  being  therefore  wholly  devoid  of  any  regenerating  or  saving 
efficacy.  It  was  conceived  to  have  been  a  small  matter  that  the 
Lutheran  Reformation  should  have  freed  the  church  from  the  religion 
of  the  priest,  if  she  persisted  in  substituting  for  it  the  religion  of  men, 
rather  than  the  religion  of  God,  as  God  himself  had  given  it.  For, 
while  it  was  admitted  that  the  various  formularies  of  religion  contained 
the  great  and  leading  points  of  Christianity,  and  the  pleasing  reflec- 
tion could  be  indulged  that  almost  all  parties  were  agreed  in  those,  as, 
for  instance,  briefly  summed  up  in  the  Nicene,  or  Apostles'  Creed :  it 
was  urged,  that  the  various  systems  of  human  opinions,  commingled 
with  these  truths,  had  so  diluted,  weakened,  and  even  perverted  them, 
as  to  have  deprived  them  in  a  great  measure  of  their  power  in  the 
salvation  of  the  world ;  so  that  the  gospel,  in  the  hands  of  Protes- 
tantism, had  become  a  vague,  contradictory,  incomprehensible  re- 
ligion, quite  unable  to  effect  the  conversion  of  the  world,  or  accomplish 
the  grand,  extensive,  and  blessed  results,  for  the  attainment  of  which, 


252  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  religion  of  Christ,  in  its  concentrated  purity,  was  so  admirably 
fitted.  It  was  therefore  proposed,  that  all  human  creeds,  as  being  in- 
complete if  they  contained  any  thing  less  than  the  Bible — unworthy 
of  credit,  if  they  contained  any  thing  more  upon  the  subject  of- religion, 
and  in  either  case,  as  highly  injurious  for  the  reasons  above  given, 
should  be  indiscriminately  repudiated  by  the  churches,  and  that  the 
Bible  itself,  and  more  especially  the  New  Testament,  as  containing 
the  clear  developement  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  should  be,  as  was 
undeniably  the  case  in  primitive  ages,  the  creed,  the  confession,  and 
the  guide  of  all. 

The  plea  that  human  creeds  and  discipline  were  necessary  to  pre- 
serve purity  of  doctrine  and  government  in  the  church,  was  totally 
rejected,  as  disproved  by  the  well  known  fact  that  they  had  failed  to 
do  this,  and  also  as  an  imputation  upon  the  divine  goodness  and 
wisdom,  implying  that  God  was  unwilling  to  give  a  sufficient  revela- 
tion, and  left  something  for  men  to  supply  ;  or  that  men  could  express 
the  truths  revealed,  in  better  words,  and  in  expressions  less  liable  to 
misconstruction,  than  those  selected  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  was  insisted,  that  the  Scriptures,  interpreted  in  con- 
formity with  the  fixed  laws  of  language,  could  convey  but  the  same 
ideas  to  all  unbiassed  minds  respecting  every  thing  necessary  to  sal- 
vation ;  and  that  if,  perchance,  difference  of  sentiment  should  arise, 
respecting  minor  and  incidental  matters,  these  inferences  or  opinions 
were  to  be  distinguished  from  faith,  and  were  neither  to  be  made  a 
term  of  communion,  nor  imposed  by  one  Christian  upon  another.  Or, 
to  express  the  whole  in  the  language  employed  by  Thos.  Campbell, 
"  Nothing  was  to  be  received  as  a  matter  of  faith  or  duty,  for  which 
there  could  not  be  produced  a  Tlius  saitk  the  Lord,  either  in  express 
terms,  or  by  approved  scripture  precedent." 

This  overture  for  a  religious  reformation  being  rejected  by  the 
seceders  as  a  body,  but  embraced  by  some  members:  an  application 
was  made  to  the  pious  of  all  the  parties  in  the  vicinity,  and  a  "  de- 
claration and  address"  drawn  up  and  printed,  in  which  all  were 
invited  to  form  a  union  upon  the  principles  above  stated.  A  conside- 
rable number  of  individuals  responded  to  this  appeal,  and  a  congre- 
gation was  immediately  organized  upon  Brush  Run,  in  Washington 
county,  on  the  7  th  of  September,  1810,*  where  a  house  of  worship 
was  erected,  and  where  ministerial  duties  were  performed  conjointly 
by  T.  Campbell  and  his  son  Alexander,  who  had  been  duly  ordained 
pastors  of  the  church. 

*  See  Supplement  to  this  article. 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST. 


253 


It  is  proper  to  remark  here,  that  the  members  of  this  congregation 
were  not  associated  together  in  a  loose  and  informal  manner,  at  its 
formation.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  deemed  absolutely  necessary 
that  every  one,  in  being  admitted,  should  give  some  proof  that  he  un- 
derstood the  nature  of  the  relation  he  assumed,  and  the  true  scriptural 
ground  of  salvation.  Each  applicant,  therefore,  was  required  to  give 
a  satisfactory  answer  to  the  question :  "  What  is  the  meritorious 
cause  of  the  sinner's  acceptance  with  God  ?"  Upon  expressing  an 
entire  reliance  upon  the  merits  of  Christ  alone  for  justification,  and 
evincing  a  conduct  becoming  the  Christian  profession,  he  was  re- 
ceived into  fellowship.*  Such  was  the  humble  origin  of  a  reforma- 
tion, now  widely  extended,  which  did  not,  as  is  often  the  case, 
proceed  from  the  fire  of  enthusiasm,  but  was  the  offspring  of  calm 
and  long  continued  deliberation,  frequent  consultation,  and  patient, 
laborious,  and  prayerful  investigation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  and 
which  had  never  for  its  object  to  add  a  new  sect  to  those  already 
existing,  but  was  designed,  from  its  very  inception,  to  put  an  end  to 
all  partisan  controversies,  and,  far  from  narrowing  the  basis  of  Chris- 
tian fellowship,  to  furnish  abundant  room  for  all  believers  upon  the 
broad  ground  of  the  Bible,  and  a  common  reliance  upon  the  merits 
of  Christ. 

Much  devotion  and  interest  was  manifested  by  the  church  of  Brush 
Run,  and  the  utmost  peace  and  harmony  prevailed  amongst  its  mem- 
bers for  a  number  of  months.  Most  of  them  being  poor,  they  were 
unable  to  finish  the  interior  of  the  frame  meeting  house  which  they 
had  erected,  and  were  accordingly  wont  to  assemble  in  it,  without 
fire,  during  the  inclemency  even  of  winter.  They  were  also  in  the 
habit  of  visiting  often  at  each  other's  houses,  and  spending  whole 
nights  in  social  prayer ;  searching  the  scriptures,  asking  and  an- 
swering questions,  and  singing  hymns.  Their  affections  seemed  to 
be  elevated  above  the  love  of  party,  by  the  love  of  Christ ;  and  the 
deeply  implanted  prejudice  of  a  sectarian  education  and  training  ap- 
peared to  have  died  away  beneath  the  overshadowing  influence  of 
divine  truth. 

A  circumstance  occurred,  however,  after  some  time,  which  showed 
that  these  prejudices  had  power  to  revive ;  and  that,  like  noxious 
weeds,  they  were  more  hardy  and  enduring  than  the  things  that  are 
salutary  to  men.  This  circumstance  was  the  presentation,  by  a 
member,  of  the  subject  of  infant  baptism,  which  at  once  necessarily 
brought  up  the  question  so  often  debated  between  Baptists  and  Pedo- 

*  For  want  of  these  proofs,  two  persons  were  rejected  at  the  first  meeting. 


254  HISTORY  OF  THE 

baptists:  whether  or  not  this  ordinance  could  be  scripturally  admi- 
nistered to  infants  ?  Mr.  Campbell,  sen.,  entered  upon  the  discussion 
of  the  subject,  with  his  impressions  in  favour  of  the  affirmative ;  but 
he  examined  the  question  with  so  much  impartiality  in  a  series  of 
discourses,  that  a  number  of  his  hearers  became  convinced  thereby, 
on  the  contrary,  that  the  practice  of  infant  baptism  could  not  be  sus- 
tained by  adequate  scripture  evidence  ;  and  the  mind  of  his  son  Alex- 
ander especially,  was,  after  a  full  examination  of  the  subject,  led  to 
the  conclusion,  not  only  that  the  baptism  of  infants  was  without 
scriptural  authority,  but  that  immersion  in  water,  upon  a  true  profes- 
sion of  faith  in  Christ,  alone  constituted  Christian  baptism.  Upon 
stating  to  his  oldest  sister,  his  conclusions,  and  his  intention  to  com- 
ply with  what  he  conceived  to  be  the  requisitions  of  the  gospel,  she 
informed  him  that  her  convictions  and  intentions  had  for  some  time 
been  the  same  ;  and,  upon  stating  the  matter  to  their  father,  he  pro- 
posed that  they  should  send  for  a  Baptist  preacher,  and  attend  upon 
the  ministration  of  the  ordinance  in  the  immediate  region  of  their 
labours.  Before  the  appointed  time,  Thomas  Campbell  himself,  to- 
gether with  several  other  members  of  the  Brush  Run  congregation, 
became  so  forcibly  impressed  with  the  same  convictions,  that  they 
were  prepared  to  accompany  them,  and  all  were  immersed,  upon  the 
simple  profession  of  faith  made  by  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  (Acts  viii. 
37,)  by  Elder  Luse  of  the  Baptist  community,  on  the  12th  June,  1812. 

This  was  an  important  occurrence  in  the  history  of  this  little  band 
of  reformers ;  for  it  not  only  revived  the  educational  prejudices  of 
all  those  who  were  unfavourable  to  immersion,  or  attached  to  infant 
baptism,  and  induced  them  immediately  to  withdraw  themselves 
from  the  church  ;  but  it  was  the  means  of  bringing  the  remainder, 
who  now  constituted  a  congregation  of  immersed  believers,  into  im- 
mediate connexion  with  the  Baptists.  For,  although  disinclined  to  a 
combination  with  any  religious  party,  knowai  as  such,  they  deemed 
the  principles  of  the  Baptists  favourable  to  reformation  and  religious 
freedom,  and  believed  that  as  they  had  it  in  their  power  to  preserve 
their  own  independence  as  a  church,  and  the  integrity  of  the  princi- 
ples of  their  first  organization,  a  connexion  with  the  Baptists  would 
aflbrd  them  a  more  extended  field  of  usefulness.  Accordingly,  in  the 
fall  of  1813,  they  were  received  into  the  "Redstone  Baptist  Associa- 
tion, carefully  and  expressly  stipulating  at  the  same  time,  in  writing, 
that  "  No  terms  of  union  or  communion  other  than  the  holy  scriptures 
should  be  required." 

The  novelty  of  those  simple  views  of  Christianity  which  Alexander 
Campbell,  as  messenger  of  the  church  of  Brush  Run,  urged  with 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  355 

much  ability  upon  the  association,  began  immediately  to  excite  con- 
siderable stir  in  that  body,  with  whom  an  opposition  to  human  creeds 
and  to  claims  of  jurisdiction  over  the  churches,  found  but  little 
favour.  With  the  more  liberal-minded  Baptists,  however,  Mr. 
Campbell's  views  gradually  prevailed ;  and  so  high  became  the  con- 
fidence of  the  Baptist  community,  in  general,  in  his  talents  and 
knowledge  of  the  scriptures,  that  he  was  selected,  after  some  time,  to 
debate  the  question  of  Christian  baptism  with  Mr.  J.  Walker,  a 
minister  of  the  secession  church.  This  debate,  held  at  Mount  Plea- 
sant, Ohio,  in  June,  1820,  being  afterwards  published,  greatly  contri- 
buted to  extend  Mr.  Campbell's  celebrity,  as  well  as  to  diffuse  abroad 
among  the  Baptists  his  views  of  the  Christian  institution.  The  same 
result  followed  a  second  debate  upon  the  same  subject,  which  grew 
out  of  the  first  one,  and  which  he  held,  in  1823,  at  Washington,  in 
the  State  of  Kentucky,  with  Mr.  McCalla  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  so  that  the  views  of  Mr.  Campbell  became  generally  diffused 
among  the  Baptist  churches  of  the  western  country.  Meanwhile,  a 
jealousy  on  the  part  of  some  leading  members  of  the  Redstone  Asso- 
ciation, of  his  increasing  popularity  and  commanding  talents,  led 
them  to  inveigh  against  his  principles  as  innovating  and  disorgan- 
izing ;  and  finally  created  so  much  dissension'  in  that  body,  and  so 
much  animosity  towards  the  church  of  Brush  Run,  that  the  latter,  in 
order  to  avoid  its  effects,  dismissed  about  thirty  members,  including 
Alexander  Campbell,  to  Wellsburg,  Virginia,  where  they  were  con- 
stituted as  a  new  church,  and,  upon  application,  were  admitted  into 
the  Mahoning  Association  of  Ohio,  with  some  of  whose  members 
they  had  already  formed  a  favourable  intimacy.  This  body  proved 
much  more  liberal  in  its  views ;  and  after  the  bickerings  and  dissen- 
sions of  nearly  ten  years  at  Redstone,  the  reformers  were  pleased  to 
find  in  it  not  only  liberality  of  feeling,  but  a  disposition  to  follow  impli- 
citly the  dictates  of  the  scriptures.  Various  meetings  of  preachers 
were  held  to  consider  and  investigate  the  ancient  and  apostolic  order 
of  things ;  and  at  length  nearly  the  whole  association  came  by  de- 
grees into  the  views  presented;  so  that,  in  the  year  1828,  it  rejected 
finally  all  human  formularies  of  religion,  and  relinquished  all  claim  to 
jurisdiction  over  the  churches ;  resolving  itself  into  a  simple  annual 
meeting  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  reports  of  the  progress  of  the 
churches ;  for  worship,  and  mutual  co-operati(?n  in  the  spread  of  the 
gospel. 

The  influence  of  so  large  a  number  of  churches,  embracing  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  Western  Reserve,  with  several  able 
preachers,  necessarily  gave  great  extension  to  the  principles  advo- 


256  HISTORY  OF  THE 

cated  by  Mr.  Campbell.  It  was  but  a  short. time,  however,  until  the 
abandonment  of  usages  long  cherished  by  the  Baptists,  and  the  intro- 
duction of  views  and  practices  not  commonly  received  by  them, 
gave  rise  to  so  much  umbrage  and  opposition  on  the  part  of  the 
adjoining  churches,  composing  the  Beaver  Association :  that  this 
body  were  induced,  being  not  a  little  influenced  also  by  the  perse- 
vering hostility  of  that  of  Redstone,  to  denounce  as  heretical,  and 
exclude  from  their  fellowship,  all  those  churches  which  favoured  the 
views  of  the  reformers.  The  schism,  thus  produced,  was  soon  ex- 
tended to  Kentucky,  to  eastern  Virginia,  and  in  short  to  all  those 
Baptist  churches  and  associations  into  which  the  views  of  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  been  introduced  by  his  debates  and  writings;  the  Baptists,  in 
all  cases,  separating  from  their  communion  all  who  favoured  the 
sentiments  of  the  Disciples,  being  unwilling  to  concede  even  permis- 
sion to  believe  the  plain  dictates  of  the  scriptures  to  those  who  freely 
granted  to  them,  without  a  breach  of  fellowship,  unrestricted  liberty 
of  opinion. 

The  Disciples,  thus  suddenly  cut  off  from  their  connexion  with  the 
Baptists,  formed  themselves  every  where  into  distinct  churches,  inde- 
pendent of  each  other's  control,  but  holding  the  same  sentiments, 
having  the  same  fellowship,  and  continuing  to  carry  out  the  great 
principles  originally  professed,  exhorting  all  men  to  return  to  the 
Bible  alone,  as  the  only  rule  of  faith,  and,  in  the  language  of  Thomas 
Campbell,  to  co-operate  together  for  "the  restoration  of  pure  primi- 
tive apostolic  Christianity,  in  letter  and  spirit ;  in  principle  and  prac- 
tice." 

The  proscriptive  measures  of  the  Baptist  clergy,  and  the  perse- 
cuting spirit  by  which  they  had  been  often  guided,  proved,  as  has 
ever  been  the  case,  favourable  to  the  cause  they  laboured  to  ov^er- 
throw.  No  sooner  had  a  separation  been  effected,  than  prejudices 
began  to  subside,  and  misapprehensions  to  be  corrected,  as  the 
excited  feelings  which  produced  them  gradually  died  away.  Many 
intelligent  Baptists  came  over,  from  time  to  time,  to  the  ranks  of  the 
Disciples,  and  many  others  were  admitted  to  fellowship  with  the 
latter,  without  being  excluded  from  communion  with  their  Baptist 
brethren.  Indeed,  many  of  the  Baptist  clergy,  as  the  objects  of  the 
Disciples  became  better  understood,  came  to  approve  them ;  and 
even  to  a  certain  extent  to  adopt  their  sentiments.  So  great  has 
been  the  approximation,  that  the  most  friendly  feelings  now  almost 
every  where  exist  between  the  Disciples  and  the  Baptists ;  and  those 
very  points,  as,  for  instance,  the  rejection  of  creeds,  and  baptism  for 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST,  Ofj? 

remission  of  sins,  which  were  at  first  regarded  as  most  objection- 
able, are  at  length  adopted  and  publicly  maintained  by  certain  of  the 
most  talented  Baptist  ministers  and  editors  in  the  Union. 

Meanwhile  the  Disciples  have  rapidly  increased  in  number,  not  by 
these  accessions  from  the  Baptists  so  much  as  by  a  general  diffusion 
of  their  principles  amongst  all  parties,  and  especially  by  an  almost 
unprecedented  success  in  the  conversion  of  those  who  had  not  as  yet 
embraced  any  of  the  religious  systems  oi  the  day.  Many  have 
come  over  from  the  Presbyterians ;  some  from  the  Episcopalians  and 
from  the  Lutherans  ;  among  the  latter,  two  well-educated  ministers ; 
but  more,  both  of  preachers  and  people,  from  the  Methodists.  A 
few  Universalists  have  united  with  them,  renouncing  their  own  dis- 
tinguishing tenets ;  some  Roman  Catholics  also ;  some  Tunkers ; 
English  and  Scotch  Baptists,  and  Independents.  Indeed,  some  from 
almost  every  party  have  renounced  their  conflicting  opinions,  and 
adopted  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  the  primitive  church.  It  is  also  to 
be  noted,  that  a  great  many  sceptics  and  infidels  have  been  converted 
through  the  labours  of  Mr.  A.  Campbell,  and  especially  by  his  able  de- 
fence of  Christianity  against  Mr.  Owen,  in  a  public  debase  held  in  the 
city  of  Cincinnati,  in  the  year  1829,  which  was  published  and  exten- 
sively circulated  in  this  country,  and  republished  in  England.  Many 
of  the  writings  of  Mr.  Campbell  and  his  fellow-labourers  have  been 
republished  in  England,  where  the  Disciples  are  becoming  numerous. 
Their  churches  are  found  also  in  Wales  and  in  Ireland.  In  the 
United  States  they  are  most  numerous  in  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  and  Virginia.  There  are  a  few  churches  in  the 
British  provinces.  The  whole  number  of  communicants  in  the 
United  States,  so  far  as  has  been  ascertained,  is  believed  to  fall  but 
•  little  short  of  200,000. 

It  will  not  be  necessary  to  say  much  of  the  faith  or  practice  of 
this  society,  after  the  above  history  of  its  origin  and  progress.  From 
this  it  will  appear  evident  that  it  is  founded  upon  the  two  great  dis- 
tinguishing principles  of  the  Lutheran  Reformation,  to  wit :  "  the 
taking  of  the  Bible  alone  as  the  rule  of  faith,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of 
tradition ;  and  the  relying  only  upon  that  justification  that  is  obtained 
through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ."  Through  all  the  various-  phases  im- 
posed upon  this  new  effort  at  reformation,  by  its  relative  position  to 
different  points  of  Christian  doctrine,  or  to  sectarian  parties,  its  real 
position  has  never  changed :  it  has  preserved  its  identity,  and  reflected 
more  or  less  upon  the  whole  community  the  light  of  divine  truth. 
The  controversies  which  have  attended  its  progress,  have  been  neither 
few  nor  unimportant ;  but  their  object  has  ever  been  the  exhibition 


258  HISTORY  OF  TIIK 

and  deloncc  of  truth ;  and,  though  it  were  too  much  to  say  that  im- 
perfect views,  and  inconsiderate  expressions  have  not,  at  times,  pro- 
ceeded Irom  even  the  most  prudent  of  its  advocates,  giving  rise  to 
various  misconceptions  and  misrepresentations  on  the  part  of  its  op- 
posers  :  it  may  safely  be  asserted,  that  there  has  been,  from  the  begin- 
ning, an  unwavering  devotion  to  the  cause  of  primitive  Christianity, 
of  Christian  union,  and  of  an  entire  conformity  of  the  church  to  the 
requirements  of  the  sacred  volume. 

One  circumstance  peculiar  to  the  society  deserves  notice  here.  It 
is  this :  that  its  knowledge  of  the  Christian  institution,  and  its  con- 
formity to  its  requirements  have  been  progressive.  Unlike  the  various 
sects  which  are  founded  upon  human  creeds  and  confessions,  and  which 
are,  by  virtue  of  their  very  constitution,  forbidden  ever  to  get  beyond 
the  imperfect  knowledge,  or  to  differ  from  the  ignorance  of  the  men 
who  composed  their  formularies:  this  society  cast  itself,  without  fear, 
upon  the  broad  and  free  expanse  of  divine  revelation  itself;  unre- 
stricted by  the  narrow  boundaries  of  parties  or  sects,  and  undaunted  by 
human  animadversion,  to  seek  the  pearls  and  treasures  of  divine  truth. 
Thrown  thus  upon  the  scriptures  alone  for  religious  instruction,  by  the 
fundamental  principle  of  their  association,  it  would  say  but  little,  in- 
deed, for  the  perspicuity,  depth,  and  perfection  of  the  Bible,  if,  during 
the  protracted  investigations  and  discussions,  carried  on  by  members 
of  acknowledged  learning  and  talent,  there  had  been  nothing  more 
learned  of  the  Christian  institution,  than  was  known  and  realized  at 
first.  The  truth  is,  that  the  different  characteristic  points  of  primi- 
tive Christianity  were  developed  in  succession.  The  object,  however, 
has  been  one  from  the  beginning — to  disinter  the  edifice  of  ancient 
Christianity  from  the  rubbish  which  so  many  ages  had  accumulated 
upon  it ;  and  the  beauty  of  those  portions  which  were  first  exposed,, 
only  induced  greater  exertion  to  bring  others  into  view.  It  was  the 
unUy  of  the  church  which  first  struck  the  attention:  the  subsequent 
submission  to  immersion  is  only  one  example,  among  others,  of  that 
progression  which  consistency  with  their  own  principles  required. 
Thus,  it  was  not  until  about  ten  years  after  this,  that  the  definite  object 
of  immersion  was  fully  understood,  when  it  was  recognised  as  the 
remitling  ordinance  of  the  gospel,  or  the  appointed  means  through 
which  the  penitent  sinner  obtained  an  assurance  of  that  pardon,  or 
remission  of  sins,  procured  for  him  by  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
Christ.  Nor  was  it  until  a  still  later  period,  that  this  doctrine  was 
p-acticallij  applied,  in  calling  upon  believing  penitents  to  be  baptized 
for  the  purpose  specified.     This  view  of  baptism  gave  great  impor- 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  359 

tance  to  the  institution,  and  has  become  one  of  the  proniinent  features 
of  this  reformation. 

The  practice  of  weekly  communion  is  another  characteristic.  This 
was  adopted  at  the  very  beginning,  as  the  well-known  and  univer- 
sally admitted  custom  of  the  apostolic  age.  Their  views  of  the 
nature  and  design  of  this  ordinance,  differ  not  from  those  of  Protes- 
tants in  general.  They  are  not  in  favour  of  "  close  communion,"  as 
it  is  termed,  nor  do  they  prohibit  any  pious  persons  who  feel  disposed 
to  unite  with  them  in  the  commemoration  of  the  Lord's  death.  Their 
manner  of  dispensing  the  ordinance  is  simple  and  impressive,  con- 
formable to  the  example  of  Christ,  and  the  injunctions  of  Paul.  (1 
Cor.  xi.) 

They  are  accustomed  to  set  apart  the  first  day  of  the  week,  not  as 
a  Jewish  or  a  Christian  sabbath,  but  as  commemorative  of  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  and  to  be  devoted  to  scripture-reading,  meditation, 
prayer,  and  the  ordinances  of  public  worship.  These  are  prayer  and 
praise ;  teaching  and  exhortation ;  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  the  fellow- 
ship or  contribution  for  the  poor,  in  accordance  with  Acts  xi.  42. 

As  to  government,  each  congregation  is  independent  of  every  other, 
managing  its  own  affairs,  and  electing  its  own  officers.  Of  the  latter, 
three  classes  are  recognised :  elders  or  bishops,  deacons,  and  evange- 
lists. The  functions  of  elders  and  deacons  are  restricted  to  each  in- 
dividual church  and  its  vicinity.  The  evangelists  are  usually  itine- 
rant, except  in  cities  and  towns,  and  are  supported  by  the  voluntary 
contributions  of  their  brethren.  A  co-operation  of  the  churches,  for 
the  spread  of  the  gospel,  is  regarded  as  scriptural,  and  is  now  urged 
as  highly  necessary  to  a  more  effective  system  of  evangelical  labour. 

In  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel  to  sinners,  their  practice  is  of 
course  regulated  by  their  views  of  the  state  of  man,  and  the  nature  of 
the  Christian  institution.  They  regard  the  unconverted  as  in  a  state 
of  separation  and  alienation  from  God,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ; 
and  look  upon  the  gospel  as  the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of 
every  one  who  believes  it.  They  conceive  that  this  Word  of  God,  is 
that  incorruptible  seed  of  which  the  children  of  God  are  born ;  God 
having,  according  to  his  own  will,  begotten  them  "  by  the  word  of 
truth,  that  they  might  be  a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures !"  They 
believe  that  the  word  is  thus  the  means  employed  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
in  the  conversion  of  men ;  and  that  the  divine  testimony  itself  is  the 
source  of  that  faith  by  which  the  gospel  is  received  to  the  saving  of 
the  soul,  for,  in  the  language  of  scripture,  that  "  faith  comes  by  hear- 
ing ;  and  hearing,  by  the  word  of  God."     They  regard  the  kingdom 


260  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  Christ  as  a  spiritual  one,  first  formally  and  publicly  set  up  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost  (Acts,  ii.),  upon  the  exaltation  and  coronation  of 
Christ,  as  evinced,  upon  that  occasion,  by  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  They  believe,  that  the  apostle  Peter,  to  whom  Christ  had 
committed  Xhe-keys  of  the  kingdom,  did,  on  that  day,  give  admission 
to  the  believing  and  penitent  Jews,  in  exact  conformity  with  the  na- 
ture and  requisitions  of  the  gospel,  and  that  all  should  be.  admitted 
noiv,  upon  the  same  principles,  and  in  the  same  manner.  That  is  to 
say,  that  upon  a  sincere  belief  of  the  testimony  borne  by  prophets 
and  apostles,  respecting  the  birth,  the  life,  the  character,  the  death, 
resurrection,  and  ascension  of  Christ,  accompanied  by  a  true  repent- 
ance, the  sinner  is  to  be  immersed  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  the 
reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  then  to  be  added  to  the  church,  to 
walk  in  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  manifest  the  graces  of 
Christian  character.  If  then  they  have  any  theory  of  conversion,  it  is 
simply  that  of  the  natural  order  of  cause  and  effect ;  the  Holy  Spirit, 
through  the  divine  testimony,  being  conceived  to  produce  the  faith  of 
the  gospel;  this  faith  leading  to  repentance,  to  reformation,  and  con- 
sequent obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  gospel ;  and  this  obedience 
securing  the  immediate  enjoyment  of  its  promised  blessings,  the  par- 
don of  sins,  and  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  possession 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  regarded  as  the  evidence  of  sonship  to  God,  and 
as  the  earnest  of  the  spiritual  and  glorious  inheritance  promised  to  the 
righteous. 

As  a  means  of  sanctification  and  growth  in  knowledge,  the  diligent 
study  of  the  holy  scriptures  is  every  where  earnestly  enjoined.  It  may 
be  safely  affirmed,  that  no  denomination  in  our  country  is  so  familiar 
with  the  contents  of  the  Bible,  although  there  is  yet,  doubtless,  great 
deficiency  in  this  respect  with  many.  But,  it  is  believed,  that  in  this 
there  is  a  progressive  improvement,  and  a  more  special  attention  paid 
to  the  instruction  of  the  young  in  the  sacred  volume,  in  families  and 
Sunday  schools. 

With  regard  to  the  Divine  Being,  and  the  manifestations  of  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  he  is  revealed,  the  Disciples 
hold  no  sentiments  incongruous  with  those  of  the  parties  who  call 
themselves  "  evangelical."  It  is  true,  that  their  peculiar  position  has 
subjected  them  to  much  misrepresentation  upon  this  subject,  as  well 
as  upon  others.  For,  because  they  felt  it  their  duty  to  confine  them- 
selves to  the  ve?^y  language  of  scri-pture,  in  relation  to  every  subject  of 
which  it  treats,  they  have  been  unwilling  to  use  those  scholastic  terms 
and  phrases,  which  the  wisdom  of  men  has  substituted  in  its  room ; 
and  this,  not  only  on   account  of  the  principle  involved,  but  from  a 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  261 

fear  of  introducing,  along  with  unscriptural  expressions,  unscriptural 
ideas.  Nevertheless,  although  they  use  not  the  words  Trinity,  Triune, 
&c.,  they  receive  every  thing  which  the  scripture  affirms  of  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  giving  to  every  expression  its 
full  and  obvious  meaning.  They  hold  that  the  Word  which  was  in 
the  beginning  with  God,  and  which  was  God,  and  by  whom  all  things 
were  made,  became  flesh  and  dwelt  among  men,  manifesting  his 
glory,  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth ;  and  that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour 
the  Father.  And  with  respect  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  believe  that 
he  is  the  "  Spirit  of  God,"  the  "  Comforter,"  the  "  Spirit  of  Christ," 
who  spoke  by  prophets  and  apostles,  filling  them  with  divine  wisdom 
and  power ;  and  that  he  is  "  the  gift  of  God,"  "  to  those  who  ask  him," 
who  are  made  "  the  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit,"  by  whose 
presence  they  are  rendered  "  temples  of  the  living  God,"  and  "  sanc- 
tified," "  renewed,"  and  "  saved." 

As  it  respects  practical  Christianity,  the  Disciples  enjoin  an  entire 
conformity  to  the  divine  will,  in  heart  as  well  as  life.  The  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  they  believe  to  consist  "  in  all  goodness,  righteousness  and  truth." 
They  think  that  the  standard  of  piety  and  morality  cannot  be  elevated 
too  highly,  and  that  the  personal  holiness  of  the  professed  followers 
of  Christ,  is  the  great  object  to  be  accomplished  by  the  institutions  of 
the  gospel.  They  regard  these  as  a  means  of  salvation,  only  as  they 
prove  to  be  a  means  of  renovation  ;  knowing  that  "  nothing  avails  in 
Christ  Jesus  but  a  new  creature,"  and  that  "  without  holiness  no  one 
shall  see  the  Lord."  They  are  the  more  careful,  therefore,  to  main- 
tain the  ancient  simplicity  and  purity  of  these  institutions,  which  are 
thus  divinely  adapted  to  the  accomplishment  of  an  object  so  greatly 
to  be  desired. 

Nor  do  the  Disciples  neglect  the  claims  of  society  at  large,  as  it 
respects  its  general  improvement,  and  the  amelioration  of  its  condi- 
tion, by  the  benevolent  associations  through  which  the  Bible  has  been 
circulated  abroad,  and  temperance  and  moraUty  promoted  with  a 
success  so  signal  as  clearly  to  display  the  finger  of  God.  They 
strongly  advocate  the  universal  education  of  the  people,  as  the  best 
means  of  promoting  human  happiness,  and  of  preparing  the  way  for 
the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  the  introduction  of  that  happy 
era,  for  which  they,  in  common  with  other  Christians,  look,  when  the 
"  tabernacle  of  God"  shall  be  "  with  men ;"  when  he  "  shall  dwell 
with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with 
them,  and  be  their  God."  They  have  already  under  their  charge 
many  seminaries  of  learning,  and,  among  these,  two  colleges.     One 


262  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  these,  Bacon  College,  at  Harrodsburg,  Kentucky,  is  respectably 
endowed,  furnished  with  a  handsome  college  edifice,  and  in  a  very 
flourishing  condition.  The  other,  Bethany  College,  Virginia,  is  near 
the  residence  of  Alexander  Campbell,  who  is  president  of  the  institu- 
tion. Its  plan  and  its  buildings  are  extensive,  being  designed  for  the 
education  of  the  whole  man,  physical,  intellectual,  and  moral.  Its 
success  has  been  very  great,  and  although  it  has  only  commenced  its 
third  session,  it  already  ranks  in  number  of  students,  and  in  character, 
with  the  oldest  institutions  in  the  country. 

Such  being  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  their 
rapid  increase  in  number  may  be  attributed  to  the  fact,  that  they  have 
kept  steadily  before  the  community  the  claims  of  that  common  Chris- 
tianity in  which  most  parties  are  agreed.  This  agreement  includes 
every  prominent  feature  of  the  Reformation,  w^ilhout  an  exception. 
However  parlies  may  differ  about  their  creeds,  all  agree  with  the 
Disciples  in  receiving  the  Bible.  However  various  the  views  of  dif- 
ferent sects  in  scholastic  theology,  all  pretty  much  agree  with  the 
Disciples  in  justification  by  faith,  and  in  the  necessity  of  repentance 
and  reformation  of  life.  However  the  former  may  contend  with  each 
other  about  sprinkling  and  pouring,  as  modes  of  baptism  ;  all  agree 
with  the  Disciples,  and  with  each  other,  that  immersion,  at  least,  is 
undisputed  baptism,  and  the  only  mode  in  which  there  is  universal 
agreement.  Nay,  even  in  regard  to  the  object  of  this  institution,  the 
different  confessions  of  faith  are  almost  entirely  agreed,  stating,  in 
their  respective  articles  upon  baptism,  that  it  is,  to  adopt  the  w^ords 
of  the  Westminster  Confession,  "  The  sign  and  seal  of  regeneration  ; 
of  remission  of  sins,  and  of  giving  up  to  Gcd  to  walk  in  newness  of 
life."  The  same  sentimental  agreement  may  be  predicated  of  weekly 
communion ;  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  &c.,  and  most  happily 
of  the  great  design  of  the  observance  of  religion,  the  promotion  of 
holiness  and  righteousness  of  life.  Thus,  having  for  their  object  to 
unite  all  Christians  together  in  the  common  faith,  without  regard  to 
diflTerence  of  opinion  ;  and  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  common  salva- 
tion, without  respect  to  sectarian  distinctions :  the  Disciples  labour  in 
joyful  hope  to  aid  in  bringing  about  that  happy  period  when  all  shall 
be  united  "  by  the  unity  of  the  spirit  and  the  bond  of  peace,  in  one 
body  and  one  spirit ;  in  one  hope  of  their  calling ;  one  Lord  ;  one  faith ; 
one  baptism ;  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through 
all,  and  in  all.'* 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  363 


SUPPLEMENT. 

Christianity  is  a  system  of  religion  and  morality  instituted  by 
Jesus  Christ,  primarily  taught  by  his  apostles,  and  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament.  It  has  for  its  immediate  object  the  amelioration  of 
the  character  and  condition  of  man,  morally  and  religiously  con- 
sidered, as  far  as  possible  in  this  life,  and  ultimately  his  complete 
salvation  from  the  guilt,  the  love,  the  practice,  and  punishment  of  sin. 
It  consists  in  the  knowledge,  belief,  and  obedience  of  the  testimony 
and  law  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  taught  by  his  apostles,  and  recorded  in 
the  New  Testament,  It  has  many  professional  opposites,  many  rivals 
to  contend  with,  all  of  which,  however,  may  be  reduced  to  three 
classes,  viz :  infidels,  heretics,  and  schismatics.  The  first  of  these 
reject,  the  second  subvert,  and  the  third  corrupt  Christianity,  and,  of 
course,  measurably  destroy  its  benign  and  blissful  effects. 

In  order  to  defend  the  Christian  institution  against  the  rival  influ- 
ence of  these  opponents,  we  must  meet  each  of  them  respectively  with 
the  proper  arguments.  The  infidels  of  every  class,  having  no  counter 
testimony  to  exhibit  against  the  divine  authority  and  authenticity  of 
our  sacred  records,  nor  any  thing  comparable  as  a  substitute  to  present 
to  our  reception,  stand  convicted  of  the  most  unreasonable  obstinacy 
in  rejecting  a  revelation,  not  only  confirmed  by  every  kind  of  accom- 
panying evidence  which  the  nature  of  the  thing  could  justly  require, 
but  which  also  goes  to  confer  upon  the  believing  and  obedient  the 
greatest  possible  happiness,  intellectual  and  moral,  of  which  they  are 
capable  in  existing  circumstances,  and  of  which  our  nature  can  be 
made  capable  in  a  blissful  immortality. 

But  as  it  is  from  the  perversions  and  corruptions  of  Christianity, 
and  not  from  professed  infidelity,  that  the  proposed  reformation  is  in- 
tended, we  would  most  respectfully  submit  the  following  queries  to  the 
consideration  of  all  concerned,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  the  subject 
fairly  before  them. 

Queries. — 1.  Is  not  the  Church  of  Christ  upon  earth  essentially,  in- 
tentionally, and  constitutionally  one ;  consisting  of  all  those,  in  every 
place,  that  profess  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  obedience  to  him  in  all 
things  according  to  the  scriptures,  and  that  manifest  the  same  by 
their  tempers  and  conduct,  and  of  none  else,  as  none  else  can  be  truly 
and  properly  called  Christians? 

2.  Should  not  all  that  are  enabled  through  grace,  to  make  such  a 


2G1  HISTORY  OF  THE 

profession,  and  to  manifest  the  reality  of  it  in  tiieir  tempers  and  con- 
duct, consider  each  other  as  the  precious  saints  of  God,  love  each 
other  as  brethren,  children  of  the  same  family  and  father,  temples  of 
the  same  spirit,  members  of  the  same  body,  subjects  of  the  same  grace, 
objects  of  the  same  divine  love,  bought  with  the  same  price,  and  joint 
heirs  of  the  same  inheritance?  Whom  God  hath  thus  joined  together 
no  man  should  dare  to  put  asunder. 

3.  Is  not  division  among  Christians  a  pernicious  evil? — Anti-chris- 
tian,  as  it  destroys  the  visible  unity  of  the  body  of  Clirist,  as  if  he  were 
divided  against  himself,  excluding  and  excommunicating  a  part  of 
himself? — anti-scriptural,  as  being  strictly  prohibited  by  his  sovereign 
authority — a  direct  violation  of  his  express  command? — anti-natural, 
as  it  excites  Christians  to  contemn,  to  hate  and  oppose  one  another, 
who  are  bound  by  the  highest  and  most  endearing  obligations  to  love 
each  other  as  brethren,  even  as  Christ  has  loved  them  ?  In  a  word, 
is  it  not  productive  of  confusion,  and  of  every  evil  work? 

4.  Is  not  the  Christian  community  in  a  sectarian  condition,  existing 
in  separate  communities  alienated  from  each  other? 

5.  Is  not  such  a  condition  the  native  and  necessary  result  of  cor- 
ruption ;  that  is,  of  the  introduction  of  human  opinions  into  the  consti- 
tution, faith  or  worship  of  Christian  societies? 

G.  Is  it  not  the  common  duty  and  interest  of  ail  concerned,  espe- 
cially of  the  teachers,  to  put  an  end  to  this  destructive  anti-scriptural 
condition  ? 

7.  Can  this  be  accomplished  by  continuing  to  proceed  as  hitherto ; 
that  is,  by  maintaining  and  defending  each  his  favourite  system  of 
opinion  and  practice  ? 

8.  If  not,  how  is  it  to  be  attempted  and  accomplished,  but  by  re- 
turning to  the  original  standard  and  platform  of  Christianity,  expressly 
exhibited  on  the  sacred  page  of  the  New  Testament  scripture  ? 

9.  Would  not  a  strict  and  faithful  adherence  to  this,  by  preaching 
and  teaching  precisely  what  the  apostles  taught  and  preached,  for  the 
faith  and  obedience  of  the  primitive  disciples,  be  absolutely,  and  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  sufficient  for  producing  all  the  benign  and  bliss- 
ful intentions  of  the  Christian  institution  ? 

10.  Do  not  all  these  intentions  terminate  in  producing  the  faith  and 
obedience  that  justify  and  sanctify  the  believing  and  obedient  sub- 
ject ? 

11.  Is  not  every  thing  necessary  for  the  justification  and  sanctifi- 
cation  of  the  believing  and  obedient,  expressly  taught  and  enjoined 
by  the  apostles  in  the  execution  of  their  commission  for  the  conver- 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  2G5 

sion  and  salvation  of  the  nations;  and  fully  recorded  in  the  New 
Testament  ? 

12.  If  so,  what  more  is  necessary,  but  that  we  expressly  teach. 
believe  and  obey,  what  we  find  expressly  recorded  for  these  pur- 
poses 1  And  would  not  our  so  doing,  happily  ternninate  our  unhappy, 
scandalous,  and  destructive  divisions  1 

The  two  following  queries  are  subjoined  for  the  sake  of  a  clear 
definition  of  the  leading  and  comprehensive  terms,  viz.,  fait/i  and 
obedience — which  comprehend  the  whole  of  the  Christian  religion. 

13.  Are  not  law  and  obedience,  testimony  and  faith,  relative  terms, 
so  that  neither  of  the  latter  can  exist  without  the  former?  that  is, 
where  there  is  no  law,  there  can  be  no  obedience;  where  there  is  no 
testimony,  there  can  be  no  faith. 

14.  Again,  is  not  testimony  necessarily  confined  to  facts,  and  law 
to  authority,  so  that  without  the  latter  the  former  cannot  be?  that  is, 
where  there  are  no  facts,  there  can  be  no  testimony — where  no 
authority,  no  law.  Wherefore,  in  every  case,  faith  must  necessarily 
consist  in  belief  of  facts ;  and  obedience,  in  a  practical  compliance 
with  the  expressed  will  or  dictates  of  authority.  By  facts  is  here 
meant  some  things  said  or  done. 

Conclusion. — Upon  the  whole,  these  things  being  so,  it  necessarily 
follows,  that  Christianity,  being  a  divine  institution,  there  can  be  no- 
thing human  in  it ;  consequently  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  doc- 
trines and  commandments  of  men  ;  but  simply  and  solely  with  the 
belief  and  obedience  of  the  expressly  recorded  testimony  and  will  of 
God,  contained  in  the  holy  scriptures,  and  enjoined  by  the  authority 
of  the  Saviour  and  his  holy  apostles  upon  the  Christian  community. 

Rejlections. — The  affirmative  of  each  of  the  above  propositions 
being,  as  we  presume,  evidently  true,  they  most  certainly  demand 
the  prompt  and  immediate  attention  of  all  the  serious  professors  of 
Christianity,  of  every  name.  The  awful  denunciations  and  provi- 
dential indications  of  the  divine  displeasure  against  the  present  anti- 
christian  state  of  Christendom,  loudly  call  for  reformation; — the 
personal  and  social  happiness  of  all  concerned,  and  the  conversion  of 
the  unbelieving  part  of  mankind  equally  demand  it.  Nevertheless, 
we  are  not  authorized  to  expect,  that  any  party,  as  such,  will  be 
induced  by  the  above  considerations,  or  by  any  other  that  can  pos- 
sibly be  suggested,  spontaneously  and  heartily  to  engage  in  the  work 
of  self-reformation.  The  sincere  and  upright  in  heart,  however, 
ought  not  to  be  discouraged  at  the  inattention  and  obstinacy  of  their 
brethren ;  for  had  this  been  the  case  in  times  past,  no  reformation 
had  ever  been  eflfected.     It  becomes  therefore  the  immediate  duty 

18 


2G6  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  privilege  of  all  that  perceive  and  feel  the  necessity  of  the  pro- 
posed reformation,  to  exert  themselves  by  every  scriptural  means  to 
promote  it.  Seeing  the  pernicious  nature  and  anti-scriptural  effects 
of  the  present  corruptions  of  Christianity,  both  upon  professors,  and 
non-professors,  in  producing  alienations  amongst  the  former,  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  law  of  Christ,  and  in  casting  almost  insuperable 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  conversion  of  the  latter :  the  serious  and 
upright  of  all  parties  must  feel  conscientiously  bound  to  endeavour, 
to  the  utmost  of  their  power,  to  effect  a  genuine  and  radical  reforma- 
tion; which,  we  presume,  can  only  be  effected  by  a  sincere  con- 
formity to  the  original  exhibition  of  our  holy  religion,  the  divinely 
authorized  rule  and  standard  of  faith  and  practice.  To  such,  there- 
fore, we  appeal ;  and  for  the  consideration  of  such  alone,  we  have 
respectfully  submitted  the  above  queries. 

"  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divi- 
sions among  you ;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the 
same  mind  and  in  the  same  judgment."  (Paul,  1  Cor.  i.  10.) 

"Jesus  lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  said.  Father,  I  pray  for 
them  who  shall  believe  on  me  through  the  word  of  my  apostles,  that 
they  all  may  be  one ;  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
they  also  may  be  one  in  us :  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou 
hast  sent  me :  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me  ;  and 
hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me."  (John  xvii.) 

"  In  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  command- 
ments of  men."  (Matt,  xv.) 

"  From  the  days  of  your  fathers  ye  are  gone  away  from  mine 
ordinances,  and  have  not  kept  them.  Return  to  me,  and  I  will  return 
to  you,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  (Mai.  iii.  7.) 

"  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins, 
and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues."  (Rev.  xviii.  4.) 

"  He  that  testifieth  these  things  saith.  Surely  I  come  quickly ; 
Amen.     Even  so  come,  Lord  Jesus." 

As  a  striking  instance  of  the  necessity  and  importance  of  the  pro- 
posed reformation,  we  present  the  following  extract  from  the  Boston 
Anthology,  which,  with  too  many  of  the  same  kind  that  might  be 
adduced,  furnishes  a  mournful  comment  upon  the  text — we  mean  upon 
the  sorrowful  subject  of  our  woful  divisions  and  corruptions.  The 
following  reply  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cram,  missionary  from  Massachu- 
setts to  the  Senecas,  was  made  by  the  principal  chiefs  and  warriors 
of  the  Six  Nations,  in  council  assembled  at  Buffalo  Creek,  state  of 
New  York,  in  the  presence  of  the  agent  of  tHfe  United  States  for  In- 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  2Q7 

dian  Affairs,  in  the  summer  of  1805:  "I  am  come,  brethren,"  said 
the  missionary,  "  to  enlighten  your  minds,  and  to  instruct  you  how  to 
worship  the  Great  Spirit  agreeably  to  his  will,  and  to  preach  to  you 
the  gospel  of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  but  one  way  to  serve 
God,  and  if  you  do  not  embrace  the  right  way,  you  cannot  be  happy 
hereafter."  To  which  they  replied,  "  Brother,  we  understand  your 
religion  is  written  in  a  book.  You  say  that  there  is  but  one  way  to 
worship  and  serve  the  Great  Spirit.  If  there  be  but  one  religion, 
why  do  you  white  people  differ  so  much  about  it  1  Why  not  all 
agree,  as  you  can  all  read  the  book?  Brother,  we  do  not  understand 
these  things.  We  are  told  your  religion  was  given  to  your  fore- 
fathers. We  also  have  a  religion  which  was  given  to  our  forefathers. 
It  teaches  us  to  be  thankful  for  all  the  favours  we  receive,  to  love  one 
another,  and  to  be  united.  We  never  quarrel  about  religion.  We 
are  told  you  have  been  preaching  to  the  white  people  in  this  place. 
Those  people  are  our  neighbours :  we  are  acquainted  with  them.  We 
will  wait  a  little,  to  see  what  effect  your  preaching  has  upon  them.  If 
we  find  it  does  them  good,  makes  them  honest,  and  less  disposed  to 
cheat  Indians,  we  will  then  consider  again  what  you  have  said.'* 
Thus  closed  the  conference !  Alas  !  poor  people  !  how  do  our  divi- 
sions and  corruptions  stand  in  your  way  1  What  a  pity  that  you 
find  us  not  upon  original  ground,  such  as  the  apostles  left  the  primi- 
tive churches!  Had  we  exhibited  to  you  their  unity  and  charity ; 
their  humble,  honest,  and  affectionate  deportment  towards  each  other, 
and  towards  all  men,  you  would  not  have  had  those  evil  and  shame- 
ful things  to  object  to  our  holy  religion,  and  to  prejudice  your  minds 
against  it.  But  your  conversion,  it  seems,  awaits  our  reformation — 
awaits  our  return  to  primitive  unity  and  love.  To  this  may  the  God 
of  mercy  speedily  restore  us,  both  for  your  sakes  and  for  our  own  ; 
that  his  way  may  be  known  upon  earth,  and  his  saving  health  among 
all  nations.  Let  the  people  praise  thee,  O  God ;  let  all  the  people 
praise  thee.     Amen  and  amen. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  appeal  to  every  candid  mind,  that  has  one 
serious  thought  upon  the  great  subject  of  Christianity :  is  not  the  ne- 
cessity of  a  religious  reformation  among  professed  Christians  7nost 
convincingly  evident,  and  universally  acknowledged,  by  the  serious  of 
all  denominations  1  We  appeal,  then,  to  all  concerned,  what  should 
be  its  character?  Should  it  be  divine  or  human?  Should  it  be  the 
simple  belief  and  obedience  of  the  word  and  testimony  of  God,  or  of 
the  opinions  and  dictates  of  men  ?  You  will,  no  doubt,  say,  Of  the 
former.  So  say  we ;  and  yet,  strange  to  tell,  all  the  sects  are  of- 
fended.   And  why?    We  shall  leave  it  to  them  to  say ;  for  they  have 


268  HISTORY  OF  THE 

not  yet,  no,  not  one  of  them,  presented  any  relevant  reason,  why  we 
should  desist  from  urging  the  indispensable  duty,  absolute  necessity, 
and  vast  importance  of  the  reformation  for  which  we  plead.  They 
have  not  presented  us  with  the  detection  of  one  single  error  in  our 
premises.  We  shall  conclude  our  humble  appeal  by  respectfully  as- 
suring all  concerned,  that  if  they,  or  any  of  them,  will  convince  us  of 
any  error,  either  of  faith  or  practice,  that  we  will  candidly  relinquish 
it,  and  thank  God  and  man  for  the  discovery.  Also,  that  if  they  will 
show  us  how  we  may',  without  giving  offence,  plead  the  cause  of  a 
reformation,  which  involves  the  glory  of  God  and  the  happiness  of 
mankind,  we  shall  thankfully  adopt  it. 

For  the  assistance  and  satisfaction  of  our  inquiring  friends,  who 
wish  to  avail  themselves  of  the  luminous  fulness  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures upon  the  great  subject  under  consideration,  we  subjoin  the  fol- 
lowing analysis  of  the  sacred  oracles,  and  the  great  salvation  which 
they  exhibit;  by  the  due  consideration  of  which  the  scriptural 
evidence  and  certainty  of  what  is  intended,  will,  we  hope,  be  appa- 
rentlv  obvious. 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  SACRED  ORACLES. 

The  Bible  consists  of  two  volumes — the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New.  Each  of  these  consists  of  histories,  prophecies,  moral  dictates, 
divine  institutions,  and  devotional  exercises.  The  Old  Testament 
contains  three  distinct  dispensations  of  religion,  and  predicts  a  fourth, 
which  is  contained  in  the  New;  viz.  1st.  The  primitive  or  Edenic — 
delivered  to  our  first  parents  immediately  after  their  creation.  2d. 
The  Patriarchal — also  delivered  to  our  first  parents  immediately 
after  their  fall.  3d.  The  Israelitish  or  Mosaic — delivered  to  the 
Israelites  by  Moses.  And  the  4th,  called  the  Christian, — exclusively 
contained  in  the  New  Testament.  Concerning  these  two  volumes 
we  observe,  that  although  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments are  inseparably  connected,  making  together  but  one  perfect 
and  entire  revelation  of  the  divine  will,  for  the  edification  and  salva- 
tion of  the  church ;  and,  therefore,  in  that  respect  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated :  yet  as  to  what  directly  and  properly  belongs  to  their  imme- 
diate object,  the  New  Testament  is  as  perfect  a  constitution  for  the 
worship,  discipline,  and  government  of  the  New  Testament  church, 
and  as  perfect  a  rule  for  the  particular  duties  of  its  members,  as  the 
Old  Testament  was  for  the  worship,  discipline,  and  government  of 
the  Old  Testament  church,  and  the  particular  duties  of  its  members. 

Also,  that  in  order  to  enjoy  a  clear  and  comprehensive  knowledge 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST.  2(59 

of  what  we  read  upon  every  subject  in  the  sacred  volume,  the  fol- 
lowing things  should  be  duly  considered  :  viz.  Who  speaks ;  to  whom 
he  speaks ;  what  he  says ;  why  he  says  it ;  when ;  and  where  he 
said  so. 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  GRAND  DOCTRINAL  TOPICS  CONTAINED  IN 

THE  BIBLE. 

1.  The  knowledge  of  God.  2.  Of  man.  3.  Of  sin.  4.  Of  the 
Saviour.  5.  Of  his  salvation.  6.  Of  the  principle  and  means  of 
enjoying  it.     7.  Of  its  blissful  effects  and  consequences. 

These  are  the  grand  doctrinal  topics  which  the  scriptures  were 
specially  designed  to  teach,  in  the  knowledge,  belief,  and  practical 
influence  of  which,  consists  our  present  salvation. 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  GREAT  SALVATION. 

I.  Of  its  concurring  causes. — 1.  The  prime  moving  or  designing 
cause — the  love  of  God.  2.  The  procuring  cause — the  blood  of 
Christ  3.  The  efficient  cause — the  Holy  Spirit.  4.  The  instru- 
mental cause — the  gospel  and  law  of  Christ,  or  the  word  of  truth. 

II.  Of  the  principle  and  means  of  enjoyment. 

1.   OF  THE  PRINCIPLE. 

The  sole  principle  of  enjoyment  is  belief  or  faith. 

2.  OF  THE  MEANa 

1.  The  prime  instituted  means  of  enjoyment  is  baptism.  2.  Prayer. 
3.  Church  fellowship  in  the  social  ordinances.  4.  The  Lord's  day. 
5.  The  Lord's  Supper.  6.  The  prayers.  7.  The  praises.  8.  The 
teaching  of  the  word.  9.  The  contribution  for  charitable  purposes. 
10.  Religious  conversation.  11.  Studious  perusal  and  meditation  of 
the  holy  scriptures.  12.  All  manner  of  good  works — called  works 
of  faith  and  labours  of  love,  &c.,  all  of  which  are  but  means  of 
evjoyment— not  of  procurement.  "  For  eternal  life  is  the  gift  of  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

III.  Of  the  present  and  proper  effects  of  this  salvation. — These  are' 
justification,  adoption,  sanctification,  assurance  of  God's  love,  peace 
of  conscience,  joy  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  increase  of  grace,  and  perse- 
verance in  it  to  the  end  of  our  race. 

IV.  Of  its  ultimate  effects.— These  are  a  glorious  resurrection,  and 
a  blissful  immortality. 


PEOTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH. 

BY  THE  REV.  R.  C.  SIIIMEALL, 

RECTOR  OF  ST.  JUDE'S  EPISCOPAUA.N  FREE  CHURCH,  N.  Y. 

Numerically,  the  Episcopalians  of  this  country,  prior  to  the  revo- 
lution, may  be  fitly  compared  to  "  an  handful  of  corn  in  the  earth 
upon  the  top  of  the  mountains."  They  were  principally  confined  to 
the  older  colonial  settlements  of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  and  in  those 
of  the  south.  To  the  north  and  east  of  Maryland,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  revolution,  the  church  had  in  her  employment  only  about 
eighty  parochial  clergymen ;  all  of  whom,  except  those  "  resident  in 
the  towns  of  Boston  and  Newport,  and  the  cities  of  New  York  and 
Philadelphia,"  derived  their  support  from  the  society  in  England,  in- 
stituted for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  in  foreign  parts.  In  the 
entire  province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  missionaries  of  this  society  never 
exceeded  six  in  number. 

Under  the  reign  of  James  I.,  what  the  Puritans,  through  the  instiga- 
tion of  Archbishop  Bancroft  failed  to  accomplish,  in  their  attempt  to 
migrate  to  the  New  World,  they  finally  effected  by  obtaining  a  charter 
from  the  crown  of  England.  The  first  emigrants  consisted  of  a  com- 
pany of  the  Brownists,  who,  having  retired  to  Holland,  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Mr.  Robinson,  resolved,  A.  D.  1620,  to  transport 
and  nourish  their  religious  sentiments  in  America.  They  settled  at 
Plymouth. 

The  rigour  and  cruelty  exercised  by  Bancroft  and  the  high  com- 
missioners toward  the  separatists,  has,  not  without  reason,  been  con- 
sidered by  historians,  as  conducive  to  the  troubles  which  ensued  in 
the  following  reign,  under  Charles  I.  Laud,  if  he  possessed  not  the 
ambition  and  the  cruelty,  yet  he  certainly  inherited  the  spirit,  and 
"adopted  the  policy,  of  the  above  named  zealous  but  misguided  prelate. 
As  an  illustration  of  this  fact,  our  limits  will  only  allow  us  to  record 
that,  during  the  period  of  his  administration  of  twelve  years,  no  less 
than  four  thousand  Puritans,  whoso  principal  object  was — liberty  to 
serve  God  in  the  way  their  consciences  approved — migrated  from 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  271 

their  native  country,  and,  with  those  who  had  preceded  them,  from 
Holland,  laid  the  foundation  of  a  new  nation  in  North  America. 
Their  places  of  settlement  were,  Massachusetts  Bay,  Connecticut, 
and  New  Haven.  Their  chief  leaders  were  non-conformist  or  Puritan 
ministers,  who, "  being  hunted  from  one  diocese  to  another,  at  last  chose 
this  wilderness  for  their  retreat."  Mr.  Neale,  their  historian,  speaks 
of  a  list  of  seventy-seven  divines,  "  who  became  pastors  of  sundry 
little  churches  and  congregations  in  America,  before  the  year  1640, 
all  of  ivhom  were  in  orders  in  the  Church  of  England,  men  of  strict 
sobriety  and  virtue ;  plain,  serious,  affectionate  preachers,  exactly 
conformable  in  sentiment  to  the  doctrinal  articles  of  the  Church  of 
England." 

It  is  superfluous  to  add  that,  in  the  settlement  of  their  ecclesiastical 
state  in  this  western  hemisphere,  they  adopted  the  Congregational 
form  of  ministry  and  government.  And,  as  a  consequence,  and  under 
the  promptings  of  such  fears,  as  the  recollection  of  the  past  very  na- 
turally awakened,  they  looked  with  a  jealous  eye  on  the  movements 
of  that  religious  body,  holding  views  in  common  with  the  Episcopal 
establishment  of  their  "  mother  land."  Of  an  "  existing  jealousy  in 
the  colonies,  of  the  parent  power,"  there  can  be  no  doubt.  It  formed 
the  germ  of  the  revolution.  Hence  their  apprehension  that  the  Epis- 
copal Church  might,  at  some  future  day,  be  an  engine  aiding  in  the 
introduction  of  a  new  system  of  colonial  government. 

It  is  also  proper  to  remark,  in  this  place,  that  other  parts  of  Europe 
also  contributed  to  the  l^de  of  emigration  which  was  now  populating 
the  New  World,  of  which,  however,  the  German  States  were  the 
principal.  In  1623,  a  colony  of  the  Dutch  settled  in  this  state,  (New 
York,)  then  called  "New  Netherlands,"  and  selected  the  southern 
extremity  of  Manhattan  Island  as  their  principal  mart,  to  which  they 
gave  the  name  of  New  Amsterdam,  now  known  as  the  city  of  New 
York.  These,  though  "  busily  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  worldly  gain, 
were  by  no  means  regardless  of  religion."  Their  first  church  was 
organized  in  this  city  (New^  York),  A.  D.,  1639.  Being  planned  under 
the  immediate  patronage  of  the  Dutch  West  India  Company,  they 
very  naturally  solicited  the  aid  of  that  body  in  procuring  ministers  for 
their  churches.  The  ministers  they  supplied  were  ordained  and  sent 
forth  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  (Presbyterian,)  with  the  approba- 
tion of  the  Synod  of  North  Holland,  to  which  that  classis  belongs. 
Through  the  medium  of  the  same  classis,  the  German  Reformed 
Churches  of  Pennsylvania  also  procured  their  ministry  from  Ger- 
many;  to  which  ecclesiastical  body,  both,  accordingly,  for  the  time 
being,  were  dependant  and  subordinate. 


272 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


From  1639  to  1664,  the  period  during  which  the  colony  was  under 
the  government  of  the  West  India  Company,  the  Dutch  Church  in 
the  New  Netherlands  was  the  established  church.  But  in  1664,  the 
colony  surrendered  to  the  forces  of  the  British  army,  and  came  under 
the  government  of  the  Duke  of  York.  To  the  Dutch  inhabitants, 
however,  though  they  lost  their  church  establishment,  yet  at  the  time 
of  the  surrender,  and  afterwards  in  the  treaty  of  peace,  concluded  in 
1676,  it  "was  expressly  stipulated,  that  the  "rights  of  conscience  with 
regard  to  worship  and  discipline,"  should  be  secured  to  them. 

At  the  last  mentioned  period,  the  Dutch  constituted  the  mass  of  the 
population  in  the  state.  In  the  colony,  there  were  but  few  Episcopa- 
hans.  These  chiefly  resided  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  in  the 
country  immediately  adjacent.  They  consisted,  for  the  most  part, 
of  the  officers  of  government  and  their  dependants,  and  a  portion  of 
the  military  force.  Indeed,  the  same  was  true  of  them  elsewhere. 
Even  in  Maryland  and  Virginia,  subsequently  to  the  period  of  which 
we  now  speak,  in  all  the  more  newly  settled  counties,  the  people  for 
the  most  part  were  of  other  communions.  Moreover,  the  Dutch  were 
as  well  pre-eminent  in  wealth,  as  predominant  in  numbers,  and  em- 
braced within  the  pale  of  their  church,  some  of  the  most  distinguished 
men  in  the  colony,  among  whom  was  Governor  Stuyvesant — a  name 
as  illustrious  in  our  history,  as  it  is  rendered  familiar  to  our  ear,  by 
those  of  his  distinguished  descendants  of  our  city  who  still  bear  it. 

Such  was  the  situation  of  the  Dutch  Church,  from  1664  to  1693. 
During  the  interval  from  1639  to  the  year  last  mentioned,  a  number 
of  churches  vi^ere  organized,  besides  those  in  New  Amsterdam,  Flat- 
bush,  New  Utrecht,  Flatlands,  Esopus,  and  Albany ;  the  ministers  of 
the  oldest  and  most  conspicuous  of  which,  viz.  New  Amsterdam, 
Esopus,  and  Albany,  claimed  and  enjoyed  a  kind  of  episcopal  dig- 
nity, having  all  the  churches  round  them  under  their  care,  especially 
those  whicii  were  not  furnished  with  pastors  ;  a  prerogative  exer- 
cised by  them,  not,  as  we  may  suppose,  out  of  any  leaning  towards 
Diocesan  Episcopacy,  but  that,  under  the  circumstances,  such  super- 
vision was  deemed  by  them,  not  only  expedient,  but  necessary. 

Thus  much,  in  reference  to  the  church  affairs  of  the  emigrant  Hol- 
landers, is  deemed  essential  to  a  proper  understanding  of  the  position 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  early  period  of  the  colony.  The  year 
1693  marks  the  first  step  of  her  advance  to  ecclesiastical  distinction. 
Under  the  auspices  of  "  Colonel  Benjamin  Fletcher,  who  had  been 
appointed  governor  the  year  before,  a  man  of  great  ardour  and  bold- 
ness, and  warmly  attached  to  the  Episcopal  Church,"  a  foundation 
was  laid  for  a  church  establishment  in  her  favour,  which  had  been 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


273 


lost  to  the  Dutch  since  the  surrender  of  the  colony  in  1664.  To  this 
measure  the  House  of  Assembly  was  at  first  decidedly  hostile ;  and 
nought  but  the  untiring  vigilance  of  the  governor  secured  the  passage 
of  an  act  in  its  favour.  In  Maryland  and  Virginia  also,  w^here,  as 
we  have  said,  the  Episcopal  Church  was  much  more  numerous,  it 
had  legal  establishments  for  its  support. 

The  advantages  thence  arising  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  however, 
were  not  so  great  as  might  be  supposed.  Separated  from  the  mother 
church  by  the  Atlantic,  with  an  unavoidably  inefficient  episcopal 
supervision  ;*  the  difficulties  of  obtaining  regular  and  proper  supplies 
of  ministers  for  the  churches;  the  consequent  absence  of  wholesome 
discipline,  and  the  constant  jealousies  of  the  proprietary  government, 
particularly  that  of  Maryland,  of  an  encroachment  of  its  ecclesias- 
tical prerogatives  by  the  Bishop  of  London  ;  all  tended  in  no  small 
degree  to  cripple  her  otherwise  inherent  energies.  In  a  word,  she 
was  virtually  without  an  episcopal  head,  as  the  source  of  a  regular 
supply  of  all  the  orders  of  the  ministry,  as  recognised  by  her  eccle- 
siastical system.  That  system,  as  is  well  known,  involves  the  prin- 
ciple, that  a  succession  from  the  apostles  in  the  order  of  bishops,  as 
an  order  distinct  from,  and  superior  to,  presbyters,  is  a  requisite 
without  which  a  valid  Christian  ministry  cannot  be  preserved. 

At  this  stage  of  our  advance,  it  becomes  necessary  to  advert  to  the 
existence  of  another  religious  body,  a  knowledge  of  the  circum- 
stances of  whose  early  origin  and  career  in  the  colonies,  as  claiming 
an  affinity,  at  least,  to  the  order  of  ministry  and  polity  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church,  is  requisite  to  a  proper  view  of  the  position  of  that 
church  at  the  period  to  which  we  have  just  alluded.  This  body  was 
the  society  of  Methodists.  Originating  first  in  England,  the  seeds  of 
Methodism  were  transplanted  to  the  American  colonies  by  their  joint 
foimders,  the  two  Wesleys,  John  and  Charles,  who  came  to  this 
country  in  the  capacity  of  missionaries,  in  company  with  Gen.  Ogle- 
thorpe, and  arrived  in  Georgia,  A.  D.  1736.  John  took  the  charge 
of  Savannah,  and  Charles  of  Frederica.  Within  a  year  and  a  half, 
however,  they  returned  to  England. 

These  clergymen  were  both  regularly  ordained  presbyters  of  the 
English  Episcopal  Church.  In  the  exercise  of  their  functions,  how- 
ever, whether  at  home  or  abroad,  their  ministrations  were  adapted  to 
what  tkeij  considered  a  state  of  general  declension  of  the  life  and 
power  of  religion  in  the  eslabfished  church.     Their  course,  conse- 


*  The  Bishop  of  London  was  considered  as  tho  diocesan  of  the  Episcopal  Churches  in 
America. 


274  HISTORY  OF  THE 

quently,  was  marked  by  peculiarities  which  were  deemed  inconsistent 
with  long  established  usages ;  and  after  their  return,  as  above  related, 
they  "  were  no  longer  permitted  to  preach  in  the  churches."  They 
then  had  recourse  to  private  houses,  and  adopted  the  system  of  field 
preaching.  In  the  American  colonies,  their  followers  adopted  a 
similar  course.  Multitudes  in  both  countries  attended  upon  their 
ministrations,  and  of  those  who  officiated  by  the  sufferance  of  the  elder 
of  the  two  brothers,  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  the  reputed  founder  of  the 
society. 

The  Rev.  Charles  Wesley,  speaking  of  these  times  in  a  letter  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Chandler,  bearing  date  April  28,  1785,  says  of  himself  and 
his  brother,  that  "  Their  only  design  was  to  do  all  the  good  they  could, 
as  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England,  to  which  ihey  were  firmly 
attached,  both  by  education  and  principle."  Again  speaking  of  him- 
self, he  says — "  I  never  lost  my  dread  of  a  separation,  or  ceased  to 
guard  our  society  against  it."  To  which  he  adds :  "  I  frequently  told 
them,  *  I  am  your  servant  as  long  as  you  remain  members  of  the 
Church  of  England,  but  no  longer.  Should  you  evex  forsake  her,  you 
renounce  me.'  "  And,  if  we  may  judge  from  his  nine  notable  "rea- 
sons for  not  separating  from  the  church,"  as  occasioned  by  the  dis- 
covery of  an  early  indication  on  the  part  of  some  of  his  lay-preachers 
to  do  so,  the  Rev.  John  Wesley  was,  during  the  most  of  his  long, 
arduous,  and  eventful  life,  less  opposed  to  such  an  event  than  his 
brother  Charles.  We  regret  that  our  limits  will  not  allow  us  to 
transcribe  them.  We  have  only  space  for  the  following  quotations, 
with  which  they  are  closed.  Mr.  Wesley  says — "  We  look  upon 
ourselves,  not  as  the  authors  or  ringleaders  of  a  particular  sect  or 
party."  .  .  .  .  "  This  would  exceedingly  obstruct  the  grand 
design  for  which  we  conceive  God  has  raised  them  (the  Methodists,) 
up."  ....  "We  look  upon  the  clergy,  (i.  e.  of  the  English 
Church,)  not  only  as  part  of  our  brethren,  but  as  that  part  whom  God, 
by  his  adorable  providence,  has  called  to  be  watchmen  over  the  rest, 
for  whom,  therefore,  they  are  to  give  a  strict  account."  He  also 
urges  as  a  "  prudential  rule,"  that  neither  preachers  nor  people  fre- 
quent any  dissenting  meeting,  which,  he  says,  "  is  actually  separating 
from  the  church."  And,  he  adds — "  If  it  be  said,  '  But  at  the  church 
we  are  fed  with  chaft';  whereas,  at  the  meeting  we  have  wholesome 
food:'  we  answer — 1st.  The  prayers  of  the  church  are  not  chaflf: 
they  are  substantial  food  for  any  who  are  alive  to  God.  2d.  The 
Lord's  Supper  is  not  chaif;  but  pure  and  wholesome  for  all  who  re- 
ceive it  with  .upright  hearts.  Yea, — 3d.  In  almost  all  the  sermons,  we 
hear  there,  we  hear  many  great  and  important  truths.     And  whoever 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  275 

has  a  spiritual  discernment,  may  easily  separate  the  chaff  from  the 
wheat  therein."  And  4th.  As  to  the  dissenters,  they  were  either 
"  new-light  men,"  (Socinians,)  or  "  predestinarians  ;"  sufficient  rea- 
sons, in  his  view,  why  they  should  avoid  them.  In  conclusion,  Mr. 
Wesley  says :  "  In  order  to  cut  off  all  jealousy  and  suspicion  from 
our  friends,  and  hope  from  our  enemies,  of  our  having  any  design  to 
separate  from  the  church,  it  would  be  well  for  every  Methodist 
preacher  to  attend  the  service  of  the  church  as  often  as  conveniently 
he  can."  Adding :  "  The  more  we  attend  it,  the  more  we  love  it,  as 
constant  experience  shows,"  &c. 

In  England,  the  ordinary  ministrations  of  the  two  Wesleys  seem  to 
have  been  conducted  in  strict  accordance  with  the  above  principles. 
Writing  to  Dr.  Chandler  as  above,  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley  says : 
"  When  we  were  no  longer  permitted  to  preach  in  the  churches,  we 
preached  (but  never  in  church  hours,)  in  houses,  or  fields,  and  sent 
from  thence,  or  rather  carried,  multitudes  to  church,  who  had  never 
been  there  before.  Our  society,  in  most  places,  made  the  bulk  of  the 
congregation  both  at  prayers  and  sacrament." 

It  is  to  be  recollected,  that  at  this  period,  and  for  along  time  after, 
the  preachers  of  the  Methodist  connexion  in  England,  being  only 
laymen,  made  no  attempt  at  an  infringement  of  the  prerogatives  of 
the  established  clergy.  The  same  is  true  of  those  of  them  connected 
with  the  American  colonies.  Before  the  revolutionary  war,  they 
neither  administered  the  sacraments,  nor  celebrated  the  rites  of  mar- 
riage. They  considered  themselves  in  no  other  light  than  as  preachers 
of  a  religious  society  composed  chiefly  of  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  then  called  "  The  Church  of  England."  They  disclaimed 
the  name  of  dissenters,  as  strenuously  as  the  founders  of  their  society 
had  done. 

In  view  of  the  above  facts,  therefore,  the  following  question  presents 
itself:  Wherefore  this  dread  on  the  part  of  these  two  eminent  men, 
of  a  separation  of  the  members  of  their  society  in  England  and  in 
America,  from  the  Church  of  England  ? 

Our  only  source  of  reply  is,  the  fact  of  their  belief  in,  and  practice 
of,  the  principle  of  Episcopacy, — that  a  succession  from  the  apostles 
in  the  order  of  bishops,  as  an  order  distinct  from,  and  superior  to, 
presbyters,  is  a  requisite,  without  which  a  valid  Christian  ministry 
cannot  be  preserved.  On  this  subject  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  in  his 
"  Farther  appeal  to  men  of  reason  and  religion,"  addressed  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  following  words : 

"  We  do  not  dispute  concerning  any  of  the  externals  or  circum- 
stantials of  religion.     There  is  no  room ;  for  we  agree  with  you 


276 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


therein.  Wc  approve  of,  and  adhere  to  them  all ;  all  that  we  learned 
together  when  we  were  children,  in  our  catechism,  and  common 
prayer  book.  We  were  born  and  bred  up  in  your  own  church,  and 
desire  to  die  therein.  .  .  .  We  approve  both  the  doctrines  and  disci- 
pline of  our  church,  and  inveigh  only  against  ungodliness  and  un- 
righteousness," &c. 

Now  if  we  turn  either  to  the  English  or  the  American  "  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,"  in  the  "  preface"  to  the  "  form  and  manner  of 
making,  ordaining,  and  consecrating  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons," 
we  find  the  following: 

"  It  is  evident  unto  all  men,  diligently  reading  holy  scripture  and 
ancient  authors,  that  from  the  apostles'  times  there  have  been  these 
orders  of  ministers  in  Christ's  Church — bishops,  priests,  and  deacons." 

In  accordance  with  the  above,  the  Methodists  in  this  country  have 
declared  the  episcopal  form  of  government  to  be  the  most  excellent, 
and  have  adopted  three  distinct  offices  of  ordination,  for  three  distinct 
orders  of  ministers,  viz :  bishops  or  superintendents,  elders  or  presby- 
ters, and  deacons.  Thus,  or  to  the  following  effect,  in  the  office  of 
deacons,  they  say,  "  0  God,  who  hast  appointed  divine  orders  in  thy 
church,"  &c. ;  in  which  they  pray  "  that  God  would  give  his  grace 
to  this  his  servant,  now  called  to  the  office  of  deacon."  In  the  office 
for  elders  or  presbyters,  the  same  passages  are  found,  the  word  elder 
or  presbyter  being  substituted  in  the  place  of  deacon.  And  in  the 
office  for  bishops  or  superintendents,  these  words  are  substituted  for 
elder  or  deacon. 

We  come  now  to  observe  that,  up  to  the  period  when  peace  was 
established  between  Great  Britain  and  the  States,  in  the  year  1783, 
the  Methodist  societies  in  both  countries,  on  the  principles  above 
narrated,  still  exhibited  an  aversion  to  a  separation  from  "  the  Church 
of  England."  During  the  war,  Mr.  Francis  Asbury  was  the  most  dis- 
tinguished preacher  among  them,  in  the  colonies ;  and,  under  Mr. 
Wesley,  (John,)  was  at  the  head  of  the  Methodist  societies  in  Ame- 
rica. But,  as  we  are  informed  by  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  More,  in  their 
"  Life  of  Wesley,"  "  Mr.  Asbury's  attachment  to  the  Episcopal  Church 
of  England  was  at  that  time  exceeding  strong." 

But,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  in  1783,  and  for  some  time  after, 
the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  colonics,  being  destitute  of  the  episcopate, 
could  not  organize.  Added  to  this  was  the  circumstance  that,  in  the 
attempt  to  elevate  the  colonies  to  the  rank  of  independent  states,  inas- 
much as  it  involved  the  necessity  of  expunging  from  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  that  part  of  it  which  related  to  the  King  of  Great 
Britain,  many  able  and  worthy  ministers,  still  cherishing  their  alio- 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  377 

glance  to  their  monarch,  and  entertaining  conscientious  scruples 
against  the  use  of  the  Liturgy  as  amended,  not  only  refused  to  offi- 
ciate, but  many  of  them  sought  an  early  opportunity  to  return  to  their 
own  country.  Thus  the  doors  of  the  far  greater  number  of  the  Epis- 
copal churches  were  closed  for  several  years. 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  procurement  of  the  episcopate,  as 
a  matter  of  course,  became  indispensable  to  the  well-being  of  the 
church,  in  this  country.  For  this  purpose  several  applications  were 
made  to  England,  especially  by  the  clergy  of  the  northern  colonies, 
for  a  supply  of  bishops  from  that  quarter.  This,  however,  only  tended 
to  awaken  the  jealousies  of  the  people  of  other  communions,  founded 
upon  the  apprehension  that  they  might  be  clothed  with  powers  incon- 
sistent with  the  principles  on  which  the  settlement  of  the  colonies  had 
taken  place.  And,  although  the  clerical  applicants  of  the  colonies 
disclaimed  all  such  intention,  their  endeavours  met  with  the  most  de- 
termined opposition. 

But  this  was  a  matter  in  which  the  society  of  Methodists  also  felt 
an  interest.  Nor,  on  the  principle  of  their  admission,  as  above,  of 
the  episcopal  constitution  of  the  church,  and  of  their  reiterated  decla- 
rations of  attachment  to  "  the  Church  of  England,"  and  of  their  un- 
willingness to  be  separated  from  her,  could  it  be  otherwise.  For  it 
is  obvious  that,  whatever  change  might  be  brought  about  in  the  poli- 
tical relations  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  consequent  upon  the  colonies 
having  become  independent  of  Great  Britain,  in  the  event  of  that 
church  becoming  possessed  of  the  episcopate,  there  could  be  nothing 
to  prevent  the  perpetuity  of  their  connexion  with  her,  either  similar 
to  that  already  existing,  or  perhaps  one  much  better  calculated  to 
cement  more  closely  the  bonds  of  Christian  union  of  the  whole.  Nor 
can  it  be  doubted  that  this  sentiment  pervaded  the  minds  of  a  large 
portion  of  that  respectable  body  of  Christians,  at  the  period  of  which 
we  now  speak.  Still,  it  is  not  to  be  denied,  that  during  this  unsettled 
state  of  affairs  in  the  ecclesiastical  condition  of  both  bodies,  the  seeds 
of  disunion  had  taken  deep  root.  On  this  subject  Drs.  Coke  and 
More,  in  their  "  Life  of  Wesley,"  state  that : 

"  During  the  civil  war  the  societies  were  destitute  of  the  sacraments, 
except  in  two  or  three  of  the  cities.  They  could  not  obtain  baptism 
for  their  children,  or  the  Lord's  Supper  for  themselves,  from  the  Pres- 
byterian, Independent,  or  Baptist  ministers,  but  upon  condition  that 
they  would  join  those  chuixhes  respectively ;  and  many  of  the  clergy 
of  the  Church  of  England  had  left  the  country.  The  societies  in 
general  were  so  grieved  on  this  account,  and  so  influenced  the  minds 


278  HISTORY  OF  the 

of  their  preachers  by  their  incessant  complaints,  that  in  the  year  1778, 
a  considerable  number  of  them  earnestly  importuned  Mr.  Asbury  to 
take  prompt  measures  that  the  people  might  enjoy  the  privileges  of 
all  other  churches,  and  no  longer  be  deprived  of  the  Christian  sacra- 
ments. Mr.  Asbury's  attachment  to  the  Church  of  England  was  at 
that  time  exceeding  strong ;  he  therefore  refused  them  any  redress. 
On  this,  the  majority  of  the  preachers  withdrew  from  him,  and  con- 
sequently from  Mr.  Wesley,  and  chose  out  of  themselves  three  senior 
brethren,  who  ordained  others  by  the  imposition  of  their  hands.  The 
preachers  thus  set  apart  administered  the  sacraments  to  those  they 
judged  proper  to  receive  them,  in  every  place  where  they  came." 

Thus  originated,  in  the  Methodist  society,  the  first  notable  schism 
which  marks  their  history  in  the  American  colonies.  We  have, 
however,  the  joint  authority  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coleman,  in  his  "  Life 
of  Mr.  Jarrat,"  and  of  Drs.  Coke  and  More,  certifying  that  this 
schism  was  finally  suppressed  by  the  agency  of  Mr.  Asbury,  he 
having  procured  a  vote  of  one  of  the  conferences,  invalidating  the 
above  ordinations,  at  which  time  "  a  perfect  reunion  took  place." 

A  review  of  the  above  transaction  very  naturally  suggests  an  evi- 
dent impropriety  in  these  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  seeking 
the  sacraments  at  the  hands  of  those  who,  according  to  their  avowed 
principles,  were  not  of  their  communion ;  and  especially  when  it  is 
considered  that  the  ground  upon  which  they  sought  them  was  rather 
imaginary  than  real,  there  being  at  this  very  time  in  the  province  of 
Maryland  at  least  eighteen  clergymen  of  the  English  Church,  and  in 
that  of  Virginia  many  more. 

Upon  the  elevation  of  the  provinces  into  independent  states  in 
1776,  an  intercourse  was  opened  between  the  societies  of  both  coun- 
tries ;  and  with  it  commenced  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  Methodism 
in  this  country.  Alluding  to  this  period,  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  IMore 
inform  us  that,  "  Mr.  Wesley  received  from  Mr.  Asbury  a  fiiU  ac- 
count of  the  progress  of  the  work  during  the  war;  and  especially  of 
the  division  which  had  taken  place,  and  of  the  difficulties  he  met 
with,  before  it  was  healed.  He  also  informed  Mr.  Wesley  of  the 
extreme  uneasiness  of  the  people's  minds,  for  want  of  the  sacra- 
ments; that  thousands  of  their  children  were  unbaptized ;  and  that 
the  members  of  the  society  in  general  had  not  partaken  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  for  many  years." 

Upon  the  receipt  of  this  communication,  the  above  writers  inform 
us  that,  "  Mr.  Wesley  considered  the  subject,  and  informed  Dr.  Coke 
of  his  design  of  drawing  up  a  plan  of  church  government,  and  of 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL, CHURCH.  379 

establishing  an  ordination,  for  his  American  societies.  But  cautious 
of  entering  on  so  new  a  plan,  he  afterwards  suspended  the  execution 
of  his  purposes,  and  weighed  the  whole  for  upwards  of  a  year." 

It  is  here  proper  to  observe,  that  Dr.  Coke  was  at  this  time  a  pres- 
byter of  the  Church  of  England,  having  received  his  ordination  at 
the  hand  of  the  Bishop  of  London.  Mr.  Wesley  was  also  a  presby- 
ter of  the  same  church.  And,  upon  the  principles  of  Episcopacy, 
they  were  clothed  with  equal  powers ;  but  neither  with  the  power  to 
ordain  others.  But,  as  we  are  informed,  "  At  the  conference  held  in 
Leeds,  1784,  he  (Mr.  Wesley)  declared  his  intention  of  sending  Dr. 
Coke  and  some  other  preachers  to  America.  Mr.  Richard  Whatcoat 
and  Mr.  Thomas  Vasey  oflered  themselves  as  missionaries  for  that 
purpose,  and  were  accepted.  Before  they  sailed,  Mr.  Wesley 
abridged  the  Common  Prayer  Book,  and  wrote  to  Dr.  Coke,  then 
in  London,  desiring  him  to  meet  him  in  Bristol  to  receive  fuller 
powers;  and  to  bring  the  Rev.  Mr.  Creighton  with  him." 

But  the  question  presents  itself:  From  whom  was  Dr.  Coke  to  re- 
ceive these  fuller  powers  ?  Had  the  Bishop  of  London  volunteered 
his  services  to  that  end  ?  The  following  quotation  from  the  same 
writers  as  above  will  decide  : 

*'The  Dr.  (Coke)  and  Mr.  Creighton  accordingly  met  him  (Mr. 
Wesley)  in  Bristol,  July  27th,  1784,  when,  with  their  assistance,  he 
(Mr.  Wesley)  ordained  Mr.  Richard  Whatcoat  and  Mr.  Thomas 
Vasey,  presbyters  for  America  :  and  he  (Mr.  Wesley)  did  afterwards 
ordain  Dr.  Coke,  superintendent,  giving  him  letters  of  ordination 
under  his  hand  and  seal,  and  at  the  same  time  a  letter  to  be  printed 
and  circulated  in  America." 

Mr.  Wesley,  therefore,  though  himself  but  a  presbyter  in  the  Eng- 
lish Church,  raises  two  gentlemen  to  the  order  of  presbyters  not  only, 
but  also  confers  "  fuller  powers"  upon  a  fellow-presbyter,  by  confer- 
ring upon  him  the  order  of  superintendent :  a  superior  or  "  fuller 
power,"  originating  from  a  source  inferior  to  itself! 

Bearing  in  mind  that  the  record  of  these  events  is  framed  in  view 
of  the  principle  of- Episcopacy  as  already  laid  down,  and  to  which 
Mr.  Wesley  and  his  followers  professed  so  strong  an  attachment : 
there  is  certainly  nothing  unreasonable  in  the  expectation,  that  some 
reasons  should  be  offered  in  justification  of  the  above  measure,  by  the 
apologists  of  that  order.  Such  apologies  have  been  offered.  One, 
by  Mr.  Wesley  in  his  own  behalf,  as  contained  in  the  letter  given  to 
Dr.  Coke  at  the  time  of  his  ordination,  and  which  was  printed  and 
circulated  in  America  upon  his  arrival  here;  of  which  the  following 


280  HISTORY  OF  THE 

is  an  extract.    Speaking  of  the  provinces  after  their  erection  into  in- 
dependent states,  he  says : 

"  No  one  either  exercises  or  claims  any  ecclesiastical  authority 
(over  them)  at  all.  In  this  peculiar  situation  some  thousands  of  the 
inhabitants  of  these  States  desire  my  advice;  and  in  compliance  with 
their  desire  I  have  drawn  up  a  little  sketch. 

"  For  many  years  I  have  been  importuned  from  time  to  time,  to 
exercise  the  right  of  ordaining  part  of  our  travelling  preachers.  But 
I  have  still  refused  :  not  only  for  peace'  sake,  but  because  I  was  de- 
termined, as  little  as  possible  to  violate  the  established  order  of  the 
national  church  to  which  I  belonged. 

"  But  the  case  is  widely  different  between  England  and  North 
America.  Here  there  are  bishops  who  have  a  legal  jurisdiction.  In 
America  there  are  none  within  any  parish  ministry.  Here,  therefore, 
my  scruples  are  at  an  end :  and  I  conceive  myself  at  full  liberty,  as 
I  violate  no  order,  and  invade  no  man's  right,  by  appointing  and 
sending  labourers  into  the  harvest,"  &c. 

The  misfortune,  however,  of  this  apology  is,  that  though  the  exer- 
cise of  these  ordaining  powers  as  assumed  by  Mr.  Wesley  were  to 
take  effect  in  America,  yet  they  were  performed  in  the  presence,  and 
consequently  in  direct  violation  of,  laws,  both  legal  and  ecclesiastical, 
which  his  ordination  vows  as  a  presbyter  of  the  English  Church, 
bound  him  most  solemnly  to  support.  Above  all,  whatever  changes 
might  have  been  effected  in  the  legal  jurisdiction  of  the  English 
bishops  over  the  churches  in  the  States,  subsequently  to  their  sever- 
ance from  Great  Britain :  the  separation  of  the  two  countries  by  ten 
thousand  oceans  could  never  nullify  his  obligation  to  preserve  invio- 
late an  ecclesiastical  constitution,  to  the  scriptural  and  primitive  cha- 
racter of  which  he  had  sworn  allegianc  e. 

Nor  was  Mr.  Wesley  ignorant  of  the  doctrine  of  Episcopacy,  as  is 
evident  from  the  following  incident.  Early  in  the  year  1763,  Eras- 
mus, Bishop  of  Arcadia,  in  Crete,  visited  London.  "Mr.  Wesley 
made  inquiry  concerning  the  reality  of  his  office,  and  was  fully  satis- 
fied that  he  was  a  true  bishop.  Mr.  Wesley  then'  applied  to  him  to 
ordain  Dr.  Jones,  in  order  to  assist  him  in  administering  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  his  societies,  which  he  did."  It  is  clear  from  this  circum- 
stance, that  Mr.  Wesley  was  conscious  of  his  want  of  power  as  a 
presbyter,  to  ordain  Dr.  Jones. 

Again,  as  already  observed,  at  the  very  time  of  the  publication  of 
the  above  circular,  there  were  a  considerable  number  of  Episcopal 
clergymen  in  the  States,  at  whose  hands  Mr.  Wesley's  societies  might 
have  enjoyed  the  sacraments. 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  281 

Nor  is  this  all.  So  far  as  the  provision  of  an  episcopacy  for  the 
States  was  concerned,,  it  was  well  known,  at  the  time  of  the  Bristol 
ordination,  that  Dr.  Seabury  had  been  nigh  two  years  in  England,  to 
solicit  episcopal  consecration ;  and  though  in  consequence  of  some 
legal  diffic€iies,  he  failed  in  obtaining  it  from  the  English  bishops,  yet, 
repairing  to  Scotland,  he  soon  after  obtained  it  at  the  hands  of  three 
Scotch  bishops. 

In  view  of  these  circumstances,  therefore,  if  not  upon  the  ground  of 
necessity,  it  has  at  least  been  thought  expedient  to  attempt  a  justifica- 
tion of  this  assumption  of  episcopal  prerogatives  by  Mr.  Wesley  on 
other  grounds.  Hence,  while  some  have  advanced  the  plea  of  his 
superior  holiness  to  this  end,  others,  as  Dr.  Phoebus,  formerly  of  New 
York,  have  claimed  for  him  an  extraordinary  mission,  as  a  new 
apostle,  &c. 

Without  intending  any  thing  invidious,  we  shall  pass  over  these 
apologists,  with  a  view  to  an  introduction  of  the  reader  to  the  position 
held  by  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley,  relatively  to  the  above  transaction 
of  his  brother  John.  They  had  now  walked  together  as  "  friends  for 
above  seventy  years,  and  fellow-labourers  for  above  fifty."  In  the 
same  letter  to  Dr.  Chandler,  already  alluded  to,  speaking  of  the  Bristol 
ordination,  he  holds  the  following  language :  "  For  fifty  years  we  kept 
the  sheep  in  the  fold."  .  .  .  .  "lean  scarcely  }et  believe,  that  in 
his  eighty-second  year,  my  brother,  my  old  intimate  Iriend  and  com- 
panion, should  have  assumed  the  episcopal  character,  ordained  elders, 
consecrated  a  1  ishop,  and  sent  him  to  ordain  lay-preaching  in  Ame- 
rica. I  was  then  in  Bristol  at  his  elbow ;  yet  he  never  gave  me  the 
least  hint  of  his  intention."  And  he  then  demands, — "  How  was  he 
surprised  into  so  rash  an  action?" 

In  Dr.  Whitehead's  "  Life  of  Wesley,"  he  affirms  that  Dr.  Coke 
wrote  to  Mr.  Wesley,  "  urging  him  to  ordain  him  bishop,"  &c. ;  of 
which  transaction  he  says,  "  That  the  person  who  advised  the  mea- 
sure, would  be  proved  to  have  been  a  felon  to  Methodism,  and  to 
have  stuck  an  assassinating  knife  into  the  vitals  of  its  body." 

These  facts,  to  our  mind,  tend  but  to  show  the  influence  and  ulti- 
mate triumph  of  importunity  of  an  ambitious  ecclesiastic,  over  the 
better  judgment  of  one  bending  under  the  infirmity  of  old  age.  Yet, 
the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley  would  almost  seem  to  withhold  from  his 
aged  brother  the  advantages  of  these  extenuating  circumstances ; 
for  he  adds  : 

"  Lord  Mansfield  told  me  last  year,  that  ordination  (i.  e.  by  a  pres- 
byter,) was  separation.  This  my  brother  does  not,  and  will  not  see ; 
or  that  he  has  renounced  the  principles  and  practices  of  his  whole 

19 


ogo  HISTORY  OF  THE 

life ;  that  he  has  actgd  contrary  to  all  his  declarations,  protestations 
and  writings;  robbed  his  friends  of  their  boasting;  realized  the  nag's 
head  ordination ;  and  left  an  indelible  blot  on  his  name,  as  long  as  it 
shall  be  remembered." 

We  now  proceed  to  a  brief  alluSion  to  the  events  wlHh  followed, 
upon  the  arrival  of  the  newly  consecrated  superintendent  (alias  bishop) 
of  the  American  Methodists  in  the  States,  accompanied  by  his  two 
ordained  missionaries.  This  was  in  the  year  1784.  To  Mr.  Dickens, 
the  Methodist  preacher  then  stationed  in  New  York,  Dr.  Coke  first 
opened  Mr.  Wesley's  new  plan  of  operations  in  America ;  and  he 
earnestly  pressed  him  to  make  it  public.  A  few  days  after,  the  deputy 
and  Ml'.  Asbury  met  for  the  first  time ;  and  upon  a  private  disclosure 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  new  plan  to  him,  Dr.  Coke  was  not  a  little  surprised 
to  find  Mr.  Asbury  expressing  considerable  doubts  about  it.  Perhaps 
that  gentleman  had  not  yet  lost  all  his  exceeding  strong  attachment 
to  the  church.  Nor,  as  it  would  seem,  does  the  Doctor's  mind  appear 
to  have  been  entirely  free  from  doubts  on  this  subject.  Being  exposed 
to  considerable  danger  in  crossing  a  broad  ferry,  Dec.  6th,  of  this 
year,  he  "  prayed  that  God  would  drown  him  and  take  him  to  himself, 
if  the  peculiar  work  in  which  he  was  engaged  was  not  for  his  glory." 

However,  the  calling  of  a  conference  of  all  the  preachers  on  the 
continent,  at  Baltimore,  on  the  approaching  Christmas  Eve,  resolved 
all  doubts.  This  conference  remained  in  session  for  ten  days.  Hamp- 
son,  in  his  "  Life  of  Wesley,"  records,  that  in  a  sermon  preached  on 
that  occasion  by  Dr.  Coke,  was  the  following  passage :  "  Though  we 
admire  the  liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  are  determined  to 
retain  it  with  a  few  alterations ;  we  cannot,  we  will  not  hold  com- 
munion with  them,  till  the  holy  spirit  of  God  has  made  them  see  the 
evil  of  the  practices  and  the  importance  of  the  doctrines  above  men- 
tioned. And  as  for  this  schism,  if  it  must  have  the  name,  we  are 
cheerfully  ready  to  answer  for  it  at  the  bar  of  God." 

A  liturgy  was  accordingly  appointed  to  be  read  on  Sundays.  (See 
Coke's  Jour.,  Am.  Mag.  vol.  i.  p.  294.)  But  it  was  soon  judged  expe- 
dient to  cast  it  aside  as  a  dull,  dead,  lifeless  form.  In  the  above  sermon 
they  also  rejoice  that  one  "  happy  consequence"  of  the  revolution 
"was  the  expulsion  of  most  of  those  hirelings  (the  clergy  of  the 
Church  of  England),  of  which  the  society  of  the  Methodists  have  till 
lately  professed  themselves  a  part."  And,  in  respect  to  Mr.  Wesley's 
authority,  they  say,  "We  are  fully  persuaded  there  is  no  church 
office  which  he  judges  expedient  for  the  welfare  of  the  people  en- 
trusted to  his  charge,  but,  as  essential  to  his  station,  he  has  power  to 
ordain." 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  283 

In  accordance,  therefore,  with  this  last  sentiment,  at  this  same  con- 
ference, Dr.  Coke,  in  the  exercise  of  his  "  fuller  powers,"  as  received 
from  Mr.  Wesley,  raised  Mr.  Asbury  to  the  order  of  deacon ;  and, 
after  two  short  intervals,  to  that  of  elder  or  presbyter,  and  superin- 
tendent or  bishop.  The  derivation  of  the  above  order  of  bishops  in 
the  line  of  succession  from  the  apostles,  therefore,  stands  thus : — Mr. 
Asbury  received  his  episcopal  powers  from  the  hands  of  Dr.  Coke ; 
Dr.  Coke  received  his  from  the  hands  of  Mr.  Wesley;  and  Mr. 

Wesley  received  his  from  the  hands  of  Mr. . 

Hence  the  origin  of  Methodist  Episcopacy  in  America.  The  above 
conference  unanimously  received  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Asbury  as  their 
bishops ! 

During  the  progress  of  these  events,  as  a  late  writer  remarks,  '*  The 
situation  of  the  Episcopal  Church  was  imminently  critical.  Deprived 
of  some  of  her  best  clergy,  depressed,  and  in  some  places  obnoxious, 
serious  were  the  apprehensions  concerning  her  which  agitated  the 
bosoms  of  her  friends.  Jarring  opinions  also  were  to  be  reconciled. 
While  some  of  her  members  were  the  zealous  friends  of  Episcopacy, 
others  of  them  were  more  lax  in  their  opinions  on  this  subject.  The 
distressing  situation  of  the  church  was  increased  by  the  doubt  whether 
it  would  be  in  her  power,  for  some  considerable  time  at  least,  to 
obtain  the  episcopal  succession.  Tu'o  objects,  therefore,  appeared 
of  consequence :  to  reconcile  the  dissonant  opinions  of  her  members 
on  the  subject  of  Episcopacy,  and  to  preserve  the  church  until  the 
episcopal  succession  could  be  obtained." 

Under  these  circumstances,  Dr.  White,  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  year 
1782,  published  a  pamphlet  entitled,  "  The  case  of  the  Episcopal 
Churches  in  the  United  States  considered."  In  this  pamphlet,  he  de- 
clares it  as  his  opinion,  "  that  their  future  continuance  can  be  pro- 
vided for  only  by  voluntary  associations  for  union  and  good  govern- 
ment." With  this  view,  and  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  times,  he 
offered  the  following,  as  "  the  outlines  of  a  frame  of  church  govern- 
ment." Dividing  the  continent  into  larger  and  smaller  districts,  he 
recommends  the  smaller  to  elect  a  general  vestry  or  convention,  con- 
sisting of  a  convenient  number  (the  minister  to  be  one)  from  the  vestry 
or  congregation  of  each  church,  or  of  every  two  or  more  churches, 
according  to  their  respective  ability  for  supporting  a  minister ;  that 
"they  should  elect  a  clergyman  their  permanent  president,  who,  in 
conjunction  with  other  clergymen,  to  be  also  appointed  by  the  body, 
may  exercise  such  powers  as  are  purely  spiritual,  particularly  that  of 
admitting  to  the  ministry."  Some  other  plans  for  ecclesiastical  legis- 
lation, not  material  to  our  present  purpose,  were  also  proposed.  He 
proceeds  to  say :  "  The  other  part  of  the  proposal,  was  an  immediate 


284 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


execution  of  the  plan,  -without  waiting  for  the  episcopal  succession. 
This,"  he  says,  "  is  founded  on  the  presumption  that  the  worship  of 
God,  and  the  instruction  and  reformation  of  the  people,  are  the  prin- 
cipal objects  of  ecclesiastical  discipline;  if  so,"  he  adds,  "to  relin- 
quish them  for  a  scrupulous  adherence  to  Episcopacy,  is  sacrificing 
the  substance  to  the  ceremony."  He  continues,  "  It  will  be  said,  we 
ought  to  continue  as  we  are,  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  it  hereafter. 
But,"  he  asks,  "  are  the  acknowledged  ordinances  of  Christ's  holy 
religion  to  be  suspended  for  years,  perhaps  as  long  as  the  present 
generation  shall  continue,  out  of  delicacy  to  a  disputed  point,  (Episco- 
pacy,) and  that  relating  only  to  externals?  It  is  submitted,  how  far 
such  ideas  encourage  the  suspicion  of  want  of  attachment  to  any  par- 
ticular church,  except  so  far  as  it  is  subservient  to  some  civil  system. 
All  the  obligations  of  conformity  to  the  divine  ordinances,  all  the 
arguments  which  prove  the  connexion  between  public  worship  and 
the  morals  of  a  people,  combine  to  urge  the  adopting  some  speedy 
measures  to  provide  for  the  public  ministry  in  these  churches."  And 
he  closes  by  saying,  "  It  would  be  to  the  greatest  degree  surprising,  if 
the  Church  of  England,  acknowledged  by  all  Protestant  Churches  to 
lay  a  sufficient  stress  on  the  essential  doctrines  and  duties  of  the 
gospel,  should  be  found  so  immoderately  attached  to  a  matter  of 
eternal  order,  as  must,  in  some  cases,  be  ruinous  to  her  communion. 
But,  far  from  this,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  prove,  that  a  temporary 
departure  from  Episcopacy,  in  the  present  instance,  would  be  war- 
ranted by  her  doctrines,  by  her  practice,  and  by  the  principles  on 
which  episcopal  government  is  asserted." 

Now,  in  view  of  the  prescription  of  such  a  remedy  for  the  preva- 
lent evils  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  one  can  scarcely  resist  the  con- 
viction, that  the  spirit  of  Wesley  had  descended  upon  Dr.  White. 
At  least,  they  will  discover  in  it  a  sort  of  apology  for  the  course  pur- 
sued by  the  founder  of  Methodism  and  his  adherents.  It  is  unde- 
niable that  between  the  two  schemes  there  are  strong  marks  of  resem- 
blance. It  must,  however,  be  admitted,  that  in  addition  to  many 
important  differences  in  the  circumstances  of  time,  of  place,  and  of 
persons,  the  latter  scheme  possessed  at  least  one  redeeming  feature 
unknown  to  the  former.  Being  based  on  the  plea  of  necessity,  it  was 
only  designed  by  its  judicious  projector  as  temporary.  This  is 
evident  from  various  passages  of  Dr.  White's  pamphlet,  and  particu- 
larly from  page  30,  where,  speaking  of  the  opinion  of  Archbishop 
Usher,  he  says,  "What  part  of  the  Christian  world  could  the  learned 
primate  have  named,  of  which  it  could  have  been  so  properly  said  as 
may  be  of  ours,  ♦  that  ordination  of  bishops  cannot  be  had  V  " 

Additional  confirmation  of  this  fact  will  appear  as  we  advance, 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  285 

from  the  repealed  efforts  made,  and  which  finally  proved  successful, 
to  procure  an  episcopate  for  the  American  Episcopal  Church,  through 
the  channel  of  the  English  succession. 

Two  years  after  the  publication  of  the  above  pamphlet,  on  the  13th 
and  14th  of  May,  1784,  the  first  step  was  taken  towards  the  forming 
of  a  collective  body  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States.  A 
meeting  for  this  purpose  was  convened  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
composed  of  a  few  clergymen  from  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and 
Pennsylvania.  Their  plans,  however,  were  not  matured  till  the  5th 
of  October  ensuing,  when,  at  an  adjourned  meeting  in  New  York,  in 
accordance  with  the  extent  of  their  vested  powers,  they  happily  and 
with  great  unanimity,  laid  down  a  few  general  principles,  to  be  re- 
commended in  the  respective  states,  as  the  ground  on  which  a  future 
ecclesiastical  government  should  be  established.  These  principles 
were  approbatory  of  Episcopacy,  and  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  &c. 

It  is  as  well  to  remark  in  this  place,  that  upon  the  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  independence  of  the  States  by  Great  Britain,  in  1783, 
an  incident  occurred  which  encouraged  the  expectation  that  the  epis- 
copate might  be  obtained  from  the  Danish  Church.  Through  the 
agency  of  Mr.  Adams,  then  the  minister  of  the  United  States  at  the 
Court  of  St.  James,  several  young  gentlemen  from  the  south,  who 
had  been  educated  for  the  ministry,  and  who  had  repaired  to  England 
to  obtain  orders,  owing  to  the  procrastination  of  their  object  by  the 
Bishop  of  London,  were  ordained  by  that  church.  And  as  no  other  con- 
dition was  required  of  them  than  merely  the  signing  of  the  Thirty-nine 
Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  it  led  to  the  presumption  that  there 
would  have  been  an  equal  readiness,  if  desired,  to  consecrate  our 
bishops.  It  appears,  however,  to  have  been  the  general  resolve,  in- 
asmuch as  the  American  churches  had  been  planted  under  the  Eng- 
lish Episcopacy,  to  rely  upon  that  source  for  her  supply. 

The  general  resolve,  we  say, — not  the  exclusive ;  for  about  the  year 
1782,  the  clergy  of  New  England,  and  particularly  those  of  Connec- 
ticut, determined  upon  the  obtaining  the  episcopate ;  and  though 
having  sent  the  Rev.  Samuel  Seabury,  D.  D.,  to  England  for  conse- 
cration, yet  on  his  return,  about  1785,  they  received  him  as  their 
diocesan,  though  consecrated  by  three  non-juring  bishops  of  the 
Scottish  Church. 

Soon  after  Bishop  Seabury's  return,  the  first  General  Convention 
of  clerical  and  lay  deputies  from  seven  out  of  the  thirteen  states,  met 
in  Philadelphia,  September  27,  1785.  But  so  far  as  they  entered  on 
the  business  of  the  Episcopacy,  although  generally  impressed  with 


286 


mSTORY  OF  THE 


sentiments  of  respect  towards  the  new  bishop,  thought  it  the  most 
proper  to  direct  their  views  in  the  first  instance  towards  England ; 
some  even  venturing  to  take  exceptions  to  the  validity  of  his  Episco- 
pacy !*  The  circumstance,  however,  that  the  consecrators  of  Dr. 
Seabury  were  refugee  bishops  from  England,  having  been  ejected 
their  sees  on  account  of  their  refusal  to  take  the  oaths  of  the  new 
government  under  William  and  Mary,  most  probably  satisfied  the 
minds  of  a  majority  of  the  clergy  of  that  convention  on  this  point. 

"  Having,  therefore,  determined  upon  a  derivation  of  the  Episco- 
pacy of  the  American  Church  in  a  direct  line  from  the  English  suc- 
cession, the  above  convention  proceeded  to  the  appointment  of  a 
committee  to  correspond  with  the  archbishops  and  bishops  of  that 
country  on  this  subject;  and,  having  certified  to  them  in  their  ad- 
dress, that  what  was  sought,  did  not  interfere  with  any  civil  laws  or 
constitutions  of  the  States,  and  that  consequently  there  was  no  danger 
of  their  embroiling  themselves  with  the  American  government,  the 
sovereignty  of  which  they  had  so  recently  acknowledged,  the  appre- 
hension of  which  on  their  part  had  constituted  the  main  obstacle  to 
the  consecration  of  Dr.  Seabury :  they  forwarded  the  same  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  by  the  hand  of  his  excellency  John 
Adams,  Esq.,  the  American  minister. 

The  address  met  with  a  favourable  reception.  And  an  answer  was 
received  by  the  committee  early  in  the  spring  of  1786,  signed  by  the 
two  archbishops  and  eighteen  of  the  twenty-four  bishops  of  England. 

*  Qutsre,  Could  these  gentlemen  have  fallen  in  with  the  following-  passage  from  Dr. 
Bernard,  involving  a  doubt  as  to  the  consecration  of  the  Scotch  Bishops  at  their  last  re- 
storation ?  It  is  to  be  found  in  his  illustrations  of  Archbishop  Usher's  "Judgment  of  the 
Ordinations  of  the  Reformed  Churches,"  written  in  1658,     lie  says  : 

"If  the  ordinations  of  presbyters  in  such  places  where  bishops  cannot  be  had,  were  not 
valid,  tiie  late  bisliops  of  Scotland  had  a  hard  task  to  maintain  themselves  to  b^ishops, 
who  were  not  (even)  priests;  for  their  ordination  was  no  other.  And  for  tliis  a  passage 
in  the  history  of  Scotland,  wrote  by  the  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  is  observable  ;  that 
when  the  Scottish  bisliops  were  to  be  consecrated  by  the  Bishops  of  London,  Ely,  and 
Batli,  here  at  London  House,  Anno  1 609,  he  saith  a  question  was  proved  by  Dr.  An- 
drcws.  Bishop  of  Ely,  toucliing  the  consecration  of  the  Scottish  bishops,  who,  as  he  said, 
'  must  first  be  ordained  presbyters,  as  having  received  no  ordination  from  a  bishop.* 
The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Dr.  Bancroft,  wlio  was  by,  maintained  '  that  thereof 
there  was  no  necessity,  seeing,  where  bishops  could  not  be  had,  tiie  ordination  given  by 
presbyters  must  be  esteemed  lawful ;  otlierwisc  tljat  it  miglit  be  doubtful  if  tiiere  were 
any  lawful  vocation  in  most  of  the  reformed  churclics.'  This,  applauded  to  by  the  other 
bishops,  Ely  acquiesced  ;  and  at  the  day,  and  in  the  place  appointed,  tlie  three  Scottish 
bishops  were  consecrated." 

Dr.  Bernard  cites,  as  his  authority  for  this  story,  Archbishop  Spotiswode's  "  History  of 
the  Church  of  Scotland,"  from  A.  D.  203,  to  the  end  of  the  reign  of  James  I.  (Chris.  Obs. 
vol.  i.  No.  10,  p.  611.) 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  057 

They,  however,  still  deferred  any  definite  action  in  the  premises,  till 
duly  informed  of  the  nature  of  the  alterations  made  in  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer.  Such  information  having  been  collected  soon  after, 
by  their  inspection  of  a  copy  of  that  book,  as  demanded  by  the  con- 
vention, the  two  archbishops  again  wrote  to  the  committee,  that  be- 
sides some  smaller  alterations,  they  were  particularly  dissatisfied  with 
the  omission  of  the  Nicene  and  the  Athanasian  Creeds  ;  and  of  the  de- 
scent into  hell  of  the  Apostles'  Creed.  And  also  of  an  article  in  the 
proposed  constitution,  which  seemed  to  them  to  subject  the  future 
bishops  to  trial  by  the  presbyters  and  the  laymen,  in  the  respective 
states.  These  points  satisfactorily  explained,  the  committee  were 
notified  of  the  probable  passage  of  an  act  of  Parliament,  authorizing 
them  to  consecrate  for«America,  any  clergymen  bearing  the  proper 
credentials  as  to  character,  faith,  learning,  &c. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  second  General  Convention  in  Philadelphia, 
June  20th,  1786,  together  with  an  adjourned  meeting  held  on  the 
10th  of  October  following,  the  above  objections  of  the  English  prelates 
were  removed,  by  the  assurance,  that  in  I'eference  to  the  article  in 
the  constitution  respecting  the  trial  of  bishops,  the  provision  for  the 
presidency  of  a  bishop  in  conventions  and  in  ecclesiastical  trials,  more 
than  done  away  the  ground  of  that  censure.  That  the  Njcene  Creed 
had  been  restored.  Also,  the  clause  in  the  Apostles'  Creed,  of  the 
descent  into  hell.  But,  that  they  still  persisted  in  the  rejection  of  the 
Athanasian  Creed  :  all  of  which  had  been  preceded  by  the  declaration 
of  their  determination  not  to  depart  from  the  doctrines  of  the  English 
Church,  nor  to  make  any  further  alterations  than  such  as  appeared 
conducive  to  union. 

Having  received  intelligence  from  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
of  the  passage  of  an  act  by  Parliament,  authoi'izing  the  consecration 
of  American  bishops,  the  following  persons  were  duly  chosen  for  that 
office,  viz. : 

Dr.  Samuel  Provoost,  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  New  York;  Dr. 
Wm.  White,  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  and  of  St.  Peter's,  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia ;  and  Dr.  David  Griffith,  Rector  of  Fairfax  Parish, 
Virginia,  each  by  their  respective  conventions.  This  latter  gentle- 
man, owing  to  occurrences  in  his  domestic  situation,  resigned.  The 
two  other  clergymen  embarked  for  London  early  in  November  of 
1786,  and  were  consecrated  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Archiepiscopal 
Palace  of  Lambeth. 

Thus  the  episcopate,  in  the  line  of  succession  from  the  English 
Church,  was  finally  secured  to  the  American  branch,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  tabular  view,  from  A.  D.  1784  to  A.  D.  1843,  inclusive : 


288 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


SUCCESSION  OF  BISHOPS  IN  THE  AMERICAN  CHURCH. 


Name  of  Bi«hnp. 


Samuel  Scabury. 


William  While. 
S.  Provoost. 


James  Madison. 
T.  J.  Claggett. 

Robert  Smith. 

Edward  Bass. 
Abraham  Jarvis. 
Benjamin  Moore: 

Samuel  Parker. 

John  H.  Hobart. 
A.  V.  Grisvvold. 

Theodore  Dehon. 

R.  C.  Moore. 

James  Kemp. 
John  Croes. 

Walh.  Bowcn. 

Pliilander  Chase. 
T.  C.  Browncll. 

J.  S.  Ravcnscroft. 


Connecticut.    Aberdeen.        Nov.  14, 

1781. 


Pennsylvania 
New  York. 


Virginia. 
Maryland. 

S.  Carolina. 

Mass. 

Connecticut. 
New  York. 

Mass. 

New  York. 
East.  Diocese 

S.  Carolina. 

Virginia. 

Maryland. 
New  Jersey. 

S.  Carolina. 

Ohio. 
Connecticut. 

N.  Carolina. 


England. 

Do. 

New  York. 

Philadelphia. 

Do. 
New  Haven. 
Trenton,  N.J 

New  York. 

Do. 
Do. 

Philadelphia. 
Do. 


New    Bruns 
wick,  N.  J 

Philadelphia, 


Do. 


Do. 


New  Haven. 


Philadelphia 


P>b.  4, 

1787. 


Sept.  19, 
1790. 


Sept.  17, 
1792. 


Sept.  13, 
179.5. 


May  7, 
1797. 

Oct.  18, 
1797. 

Sept.  11, 
1801. 


Sept.  14, 
1804. 

May  29, 
1811. 


Oct.  15, 
1812. 

May  18, 
1814. 

Sept.  I, 
1814. 

Nov.  19, 
1815. 

Oct.  8, 
1818. 


Feb.  11, 
1819. 


Oct.  27, 
1819. 


May  22 
1823. 


Names  of  Consecratora. 


f  Robert  Kilgour. 
J  Arlliur  Pelrie. 
j  Julin  Skinner. 
|_    Scotlisk  Biskops. 
^John  Moore. 
I  Wni.  Markham. 
<j  Charles  Moss. 
I  John  HinchclifTe. 
I     Kiiglish  Bishops. 
r  John  Moore. 

Beilby  Porteus. 

John  Thomas. 
ibid. 

Samuel  Provoost. 

Samuel  Seabury. 

William  White. 

James  Madison, 
f  William  While. 
J  Samuel  Provoost. 
1  James  Madison. 
LT.  J.  Claggett. 
C  William  White. 

<  Samuel  Provoost. 
(T.  J.  Claggelt. 

f  William  White. 
•^  Samuel  Provoost. 
(  iMhvard  Bass. 
C  William  White. 
}'Y.  J.  Claggelt. 
?  Abraham  Jarvis. 
r  William  White. 
J  T.  J.  Claggett. 
■j  Abraham  Jarvis. 
I  Benjamin  Moore. 
c  William  Vv'hite. 
)  Samuel  Provoost. 
(  Abraham  Jarvis. 
r  William  While. 
)  Abraham  Jarvis. 
/  John  H.  Hobart. 
(-William  White. 
!  John  II.  Hobart. 
]  A.  V.  Griswold. 
1^'l'hcodore  Dehon. 
(  William  White. 

<  John  II.  Hobart. 

(  Richard  C.  Moore. 
(William  White. 

<  John  H.  Hobart. 
(f  James  Kemp. 

r  William  White. 
J  John  H.  Hobart. 
J  James  Kemp. 
[John  Croes. 
r  William  White. 
J  John  II.  Hobart. 
I  James  Kemp. 
i  John  Crocs, 
f  William  White. 
^  John  H.  Hobart. 
^  A.  V.  (jriswold. 
rWilliam  White. 
I  A.  V.  Griswold. 

James  Kemp. 

John  Croes. 

Nathaniel  Bowen. 

T.  C.  Brownell. 


When  DtceaMd. 


Feb.  25,  1796. 


July  17,  1836. 
Sept.  6,  1815. 


March  6, 1812. 
Aug.  2,  1816. 

Oct.  28,  1801. 

Sept.  10,  1803. 
May  3,  1803. 
Feb.  27,  1816. 

Dec.  6,  1804. 
Sept.  12,  1830. 

Aug.  6,  1817. 

Nov.  11,  1841. 

Oct.  28, 1827. 
July  30,  1832. 

Aug.  25,  1839. 


March  5, 1830. 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


289 


SUCCESSION  OF  BISHOPS  IN  THE  AMERICAN  CHURCH— Continued. 


Name  of  Bishop. 


H.  U.  Onderdonk. 

William  Meade. 

Wm.  M.  Stone. 

B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
Levi  S.  Ives. 
John  H.  Hopkins. 
Benj.  B.  Smith. 

C.  P.  Mcllvaine. 
Geo.  W.  Doane. 

James  H.  Otey. 

Jackson  Kemper. 

S.  A.  McCoskry. 
Leonidas  Polk. 

W.  H.  De  Lancey. 
C.  E.  Gadsden. 


William  R.Whit- 
tingham. 

Stephen  Elliott. 


Pennsylvania 

Virginia. 

Maryland. 

New  York. 

N.  Carolina. 

Vermont. 

Kentucky. 

Ohio. 

New  Jersey. 

Tennessee. 


Missouri  and 
Indiana. 


Michigan. 
Arkansas. 

W.  N.  York. 
S.  Carolina. 
Maryland. 
Georgia. 


Place  rf 
Consecration. 

Date  of 
Consecra- 
tion. 

Philadelphia. 

Oct.  25, 

1827. 

Do. 

Aug.  19, 
1829. 

Baltimore. 

Oct.  21, 
1830. 

New  York. 

Nov.  26, 
1830. 

Philadelphia. 

Sept.  23, 
1831. 

New  York. 

Oct.  31, 
1832. 

Do. 

Oct.  31, 
1832. 

Do. 

Oct.  31, 
1832. 

Do. 

Oct.  31, 

1832. 

Philadelphia. 

Jan.  14, 
1834. 

Do. 

Sept.  25, 
1835. 

Do. 

July  7, 
1836. 

Cincinnati,  O. 

Dec.  9, 

1838. 

Auburn,  N.Y. 

May  9, 
1839. 

Boston. 
1 

June  21, 
1840. 

Baltimore. 

Sept.  17, 
1840. 

Savannah. 

Feb.  28, 
1841. 

Names  of  Consecralora. 

f  William  White. 
I  John  H.  Hobart. 
<{  James  Kemp. 

John  Croes. 
[Nathaniel  Bowen. 
f  William  While. 

John  H.  Hobart. 

A.  V.  Griswold. 
Richard  C.  Moore. 
John  Croes. 

T.  C.  Brovvnell. 
^H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
'William  White. 
,  Richard  C.  Moore, 
j  H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
LWilliam  Meade. 
Iw  William  White. 
)  T.  C.  Brownell. 
(.  H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
C  William  White. 
A  H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
C  B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
(  William  White. 
N  A.  V.  Griswold. 
'  Nathaniel  Bowen. 
C  William  White. 
{  T.  C.  Brownell. 
(  H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
I  William  White. 
i  A.  V.  Griswold. 
I  William  Meade. 
C  William  White. 
^  B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
I  Levi  S.  Ives. 
'William  White. 

H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
'  B.  T.  Onderdonk. 

George  W.  Doane. 
'William  White. 

Richard  C.  Moore. 

Philander  Chase. 

H.  U.  Onderdonk. 

B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
Benj.  B.  Smith, 
(ieorge  W.  Doane. 
H.  U.  Onderdonk. 

^  George  W.  Doane. 
/  Jackson  Kemper, 
r  William  Meade. 
J  Benj.  B.  Smith. 
]  C.  P.  Mcllvaine. 
L  James  H.  Otey. 
I  A.  V.  Griswold. 
}  H.  U.  Onderdonk. 
I  B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
L  George  W.  Doane. 
C  A.  V.  Griswold. 
•i  George  W.  Doane. 
(  S.  A.  McCoskry. 
C A.  V.  Griswold. 
J  Richard  C.  Moore. 
)  B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
(^George  W.  Doane. 
f  William  Meade. 
<  Levi  S.  Ives. 
(  C.  E.  Gadsden. 


When  Deceased. 


Feb.  26,  ISSa 


290 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


SUCCESSION  OF  BISHOPS  IN  THE  AMERICAN  CHURCH— Concluded. 


Name  of  Bishop. 


Alfred  Lee. 


John  Johns. 


Man.  Eastburn. 


J.  P.  K.  Henshaw 


Delaware.        New  York 


Virginia. 


Mass, 


Rhode  Island, 


Richmond. 


Boston. 


Providence. 


Oct.  12, 

1841. 


Ocl.  13, 
1812. 


Dec.  29, 
1842. 


All?.  11, 
1843. 


Names  of  CoDsecrators. 


f  A.  V.  Griswold. 
I  Richard  C.  Moore. 
-(  Philander  Chase. 
I  T.  C.  Browncll. 
I  II.  U.  Oiiderdonk. 
f  A.  V.  Griswold. 
I  William  Meade, 
j  Levi  S.  Ives. 
[VV.  R.Whiltingham 
rA.  V.  Griswold. 
J  T.  C.  Brownell. 
1  B.  T.  Ondcnlotik. 
IW.  II.  De  Lancey. 
f  T.  C.  Brownell. 

B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
I  John  11.  Hopkins. 
I  (Jeorge  W.  Uoane. 
1  W.  R.Whittinghara 
LJohn  Johns. 


When  Deceased. 


The  third  General  Convention  (triennial),  composed  of  the  States 
of  New  York,   New  Jersey,   Pennsylvania,   Delaware,    Maryland, 
Virginia,  and  South  Carolina,  was  held  in  Philadelphia,  July  28, 
1789,  which   sat   for  ten   days.     Bishop  White  only  was  present, 
Bishop  Provoost  being  detained  by  sickness.     The  first  act  of  the 
convention  was,  to  recognise  the  consecration  of  these  two  bishops. 
The  next,  to  perpetuate  the  succession.     This  matter  again  involved 
the  question  of  the  validity  of  Bishop  Seabury's  consecration,  a  test 
of  which  was  furnished  at  hand,  by  the  election  of  the  Rev.  Edward 
Bass,  rector  of  St.  Paul's  Church  in  Newburyport,  their  bishop,  and 
requesting  the  bishops  of  Connecticut,  New  York,  and  Pennsylvania, 
to  unite  in  consecrating  him.     But,  though  the  convention,  with  their 
president,  voted  an  opinion  in  favour  of  the  validity  of  Bishop  Sea- 
bury's consecration ;  still,  before  they  felt  themselves  warranted  in 
conferring  the  office  upon  an  American  candidate,  they  awaited  the 
return  from  England  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Madison,  who  had  been  sent 
thither  for  consecration  as  the  bishop  elect  of  the  Convention  of  Vir- 
ginia.    Before  the  adjournment  of  the  convention,  however,  an  invi- 
tation was  given  to  Bishop  Seabury,  and  the  eastern  brethren  gene- 
rally, to  attend  the  next  session,  to  be  held  on  the  291  h  of  September 
ensuing,  with  a  view  to  a  permanent  union ;  which  invitation  was 
accepted.     The  credentials  of  Bishop  Seabury's  consecration  were 
presented  and  acknowledged,  and  after  one  alteration  of  the  constitu- 
tion at  their  desire,  they  declared  their  acquiescence  in  it,  and  gave 
it  their  signatures  accordingly.     Suffice  it  to  add  on  this  subject,  that 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  291 

after  Bishop  Madison's  return  from  England,  the  first  consecration 
which  took  place  in  the  American  Episcopal  Church,  was  that  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  John  Claggett,  elected  by  the  Convention  of 
Maryland  in  1792,  and  that  Bishop  Seabury  united  with  Bishops 
White,  Provoost,  and  Madison,  in  that  act. 

During  the  convention  of  1789,  the  constitution  formed  in  1786 
was  reviewed  and  new  modelled.  The  principal  feature  now  given 
to  it,  was  a  distribution  into  two  houses ;  the  House  of  Bishops,  and 
the  House  of  Clerical  and  Lay  Deputies,  who  were  to  vote  by  orders 
when  required.  The  convention  was  to  meet  triennially,  on  the 
second  Tuesday  in  September. 

At  this  convention  the  Liturgy  was  reviewed  and  amended  as  we 
now  find  it.  Some  canons  previously  passed  were  also  reconsidered 
and  adopted  or  amended  ;  and  others  were  added  from  time  to  time 
at  subsequent  conventions,  till  they  have  assumed  the  form  in  which 
they  now  appear  in  the  "  Journal  of  the  General  Convention,  together 
with  the  Constitution  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States,"  for  the  year  1841.  It  is,  however,  perhaps,  worthy  of  obser- 
vation, that  at  the  General  Convention  of  1792,  the  greater  part  of 
the  time  of  the  House  of  Clerical  and  Lay  Deputies,  was  taken  up 
with  debates  on  the  proposed  absolute  negative  of  the  bishops.  This 
fact,  however,  is  not  recorded  in  the  journal  for  that  year.  Why 
not?  And  then,  in  addition,  we  are  told,  that  the  debates  were  con- 
ducted without  any  interference  on  the  part  of  the  bishops.  How 
modest!  The  final  determination  of  the  question  was  deferred  to 
the  next  convention. 

From  the  preceding,  the  attentive  reader  cannot  fail  to  discover 
the  existence,  prior  to  the  introduction  of  the  episcopate  in  the  Ame- 
rican Church,  of  an  *'  excessive  fear,"  even  amongst  churchmen,  of 
episcopal  domination,  so  that  there  was  at  first  absolutely  a  vigorous 
opposition  to  having  any  bishops  established  on  this  side  of  the  water. 
Such  would  also  do  well  to  "  remember  the  time  when  the  bishops 
were  not  allowed  to  constitute  a  co-ordinate  branch  of  the  general 
legislature  of  the  church  at  all."  That  "  they  were  only  private 
members  of  the  General  Convention  ;"  and  "  that  even  after  the  House 
of  Bishops  was  established,  it  was  by  slow  degrees,  and  in  the  face 
of  wakeful  opposition,  that  they  attained  a  legislative  equality  with 
what  has  since  been  called  the  '  lower  house,'  An  arrangement  by 
which  three  men  could  counterbalance,  at  any  time,  the  assembled 
representation  of  the  church  at  large." 

The  closing  events  of  this  compend  will  furnish  occasion  for  fur- 
ther remarks  on  this  subject. 


292  HISTORY  OF  THE 

At  the  above  convention,  the  action  of  the  bishops  in  reference  to 
the  Ordinal,  resulted  in  the  adoption  of  the  English  form,  except  that 
the  words  used  at  the  ordination  of  priests,  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Gliost,"  and  "  Whose  sins  thou  dost  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  ;  and 
whose  sins  then  dost  retain,  they  are  retained,"  resulted  in  the  adop- 
tion of  a  double  form,  to  be  used  at  the  discretion  of  the  officiating 
bishoj) :  Bishop  White  understanding  the  first  to  signify  the  convey- 
ance of  the  ministerial  character ;  and  of  the  second  the  power  of 
passing  ecclesiastical  censures,  and  of  releasing  from  them,  and  as 
placing  the  efficacy  of  the  act  of  absolution  from  sin  on  the  condition 
of  sincere  repentance,  &c. ;  while  Bishop  Seabury  contended  that 
both  acts  were  absolute,  as  well  that  of  the  priest  as  of  the  bishop. 

OP  THE  DOCTRINES  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

These  are  to  be  found  in  the  Creeds,  in  the  Liturgy,  and  in  the 
Thirty-nine  Articles,  &c.  of  the  church. 

Of  the  legislation  of  the  church  in  reference  to  their  final  adoption, 
in  addition  to  what  has  been  already  said  respecting  the  article  in  the 
Apostles'  Creed  touching  the  descent  into  hell,  and  the  rejection  of  the 
Athanasian  Creed,  it  must  suffice  that  we  add  that,  at  this  convention, 
Bishop  Provoost  being  in  the  chair,  expressed  no  opinion.  It  was, 
however,  supposed  that  he  united  with  Bishop  Madison  in  the  opinion 
against  articles  altogether,  on  the  ground  of  the  approximation  to  the 
principles  of  the  confessional  and  the  like  books. 

Bishop  Seabury,  though  at  first  opposed  to  any  authoritative  rule 
in  the  form  of  public  confession,  on  the  ground  that  all  necessary 
doctrine  should  be  comprehended  in  the  Liturgy ;  yet  at  last  yielded 
the  point,  and  united  with  Bishop  White  and  Claggctt  in  the  adoption 
of  the  Thirty-nine  Articles ;  not,  however,  without  expressing  his  dis- 
satisfaction with  some  of  them. 

Bishop  White  not  only  expressed  himself  an  advocate  for  articles, 
but  that,  all  things  considered,  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  were  the  best 
rule  that  could  be  devised.  He  did  not,  however,  wish  to  have  them 
signed,  as  in  England,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  thirty-sixth  canon 
of  that  church.  He  preferred  the  resting  of  the  obligation  of  them  on  the 
promise  made  at  ordination,  as  required  by  the  seventh  article  of  the 
constitution  of  the  American  Church,  as  adopted  in  the  convention  of 
Sept.  29,  1789;  which,  being  considered  as  sufficient  by  the  English 
bishops,  would  contribute  more  cfiectually  to  promote  the  peace  ot 
the  American  Church.  And,  although  in  his  private  judgnicnt,  some 
of  them  might  have  been  advantageously  omhtcd,  and  others  altered, 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  293 

yet  they  were  finally  adopted,  and  have  rennained  as  we  now  find 
them  in  ihe  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

Another  matter  of  interest  in  the  history  of 'the  American  Episcopal 
Church,  now  presents  itself.  It  consisted  of  an  attempt  made  during 
the  session  of  this  convention,  to  effect  a  reunion  with  the  Methodists. 
In  this  attempt  Bishop  Madison  bore  a  conspicuous  part.  It  proved 
a  failure.  This,  however,  is  to  be  attributed  neither  to  a  want  of 
disposition  on  the  part  of  the  convention  to  encourage  the  well-meant 
design  of  the  bishop,  nor  to  a  want  of  readiness  on  the  part  of  a  large 
portion  of  the  Methodist  body  to  acquiesce  therein.  What  determined 
the  decision  of  the  convention  in  considering  the  proposition  as  pre- 
posterous, was  an  absolute  distrust  of  the  motives  which  actuated  the 
movements  of  the  leading  spirit  of  the  Methodist  Society,  in  seeking 
such  an  alliance.  We  now  allude  to  Dr.  Coke.  The  Episcopal  com- 
munity was  not  ignorant  of  the  circumstances,  as  already  related, 
under  which,  as  superintendent  of  that  society,  he  had  derived  from 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Wesley  his  "  fuller  powers."  Nor  had  they  forgotten 
the  language  of  his  sermon  before  their  conference  of  Nov.  14,  1784, 
by  which  that  society  was  severed  from  all  further  connexion  with 
the  Episcopal  Church :  "  We  cannot,  we  will  not  hold  further  com- 
munion with  them."  Nor  did  they  overlook  the  fact  of  a  conference 
being  held  between  Dr.  Andrews  and  Mr.  West  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Asbury,  at  Baltimore;  the  object  of 
which,  on  the  part  of  the  former,  was  the  security  to  the  Methodist 
Society,  of  the  episcopal  succession  in  a  regular  way,  which  it  was 
intimated  might  be  obtained,  and  they  still  be  left  to  manage  their 
own  affairs  in  their  own  way ;  and  its  pertinacious  rejection  by  the 
latter.  When,  therefore,  the  above  proposition  was  submitted  to  the 
convention  by  Bishop  Madison,  it  resulted  in  the  disclosure  by  Bishop 
White,  of  a  letter  written  to  him  by  Dr.  Coke,  the  purport  of  which 
was,  a  proposal  for  reunion  of  the  Methodist  Society  with  the  Epis- 
copal Church. 

The  plan  was,  in  substance,  that  all  the  Methodist  ministers,  at  that 
time  in  connexion,  were  to  receive  episcopal  ordination,  as  also  those 
who  should  come  forward  in  future  within  the  connexion;  such 
ministry  to  remain  under  the  government  of  the  then  superintendents 
and  their  successors.  And,  in  subsequent  interviews  on  this  subject, 
it  was  iniimated  by  Dr.  Coke,  that  it  would  also  be  expected  that  he 
and  his  coadjutor  Mr.  Asbury,  (between  whom  and  himself  there  were 
indications  of  a  growing  jealousy,)  should  receive  episcopal  consecra- 
tion. In  the  above  letter  also,  (a  copy  of  which  is  now  before  me,) 
Dr.  Coke  most  penitentially  acknowledges,  that  he  had  gone  further 


294  HISTORY  OF  Tiit: 

in  the  separation  than  had  been  designed  by  Mr.  Wesley,  from  whom 
he  had  received  his  commission ;  that  Mr.  Wesley  himself,  he  was 
sure,  had  gone  further  than  he  would  have  gone,  if  he  had  foreseen 
some  events  which  followed,  and  that  he  was  sorry  for  the  separa- 
tion, and  would  use  his  influence  to  the  utmost,  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  a  reunion ;  and,  finally,  that  he  (Dr.  Coke)  had  been  guilty 
of  inadvertencies,  both  in  reference  to  his  conduct  towards  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Jarrat,  (an  Episcopal  clergyman,)  Bishop  White,  and  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Magaw,  to  the  first  of  whom  he  had  written  "  a  penitential  letter," 
and  closes  by  saying,  "  I  sincerely  beg  your  and  Dr.  Magaw's 
pardon." 

These  circumstances,  suffice  it  to  say,  determined  the  convention 
to  dismiss  all  further  consideration  of  the  subject.  Bishop  Madison 
silently  withdrew  his  proposal  for  a  reunion,  agreeably  to  leave 
given. 

STATISTICS. 

Of  the  various  institutions  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
these  United  States,  the  following  are  the  principals,  viz : 

I.  The  General  Theological  Seminary,  New  York. — This 
institution  was  first  established  in  New  York  in  1817.  It  was 
removed  to  New  Haven  in  1820,  but  the  next  year,  being  incor- 
porated with  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York, 
was  again  removed  to  this  city,  when  its  present  organization  com- 
menced. Between  the  years  1819  and  1843,  its  number  of  students 
advanced  from  26,  to  67. 

Beside  the  General  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church,  located  at  New  York,  there  are  also  several  diocesan 
institutions  for  the  study  of  divinity.  One  of  the  most  prominent  of 
these  is  located  at  Gambler,  Ohio;  another  at  Alexandria,  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia ;  and  a  third  at  Lexington,  Kentucky. 

II.  The  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society. — This  society 
was  first  instituted  in  1820,  and  was  re-organized  in  1835.  The  board 
of  managers  at  present  consists  of  118  members,  and  has  two  standing 
committees,  viz :  "  The  Committee  for  Domestic  Missions,"  and  "  The 
Committee  for  Foreign  Missions."  To  the  above  board  belongs  the 
supervision  of  the  general  missionary  operations  of  the  church.  Its 
meetings  are  annual  and  triennial. 

The  stations  in  the  Domestic  Department,  as  reported  in  June,  1842, 
are  the  followincr: 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  395 

Two  missionary  bishops,  appointed  by  the  General  Convention, 
are  connected  with  this  department. 

1.  LvDiAN  Missions. — Duck  Creek,  1  missionary,  2  female  assis- 
tants ;  Green  Bay,  2  female  and  1  male  assistant. 

2.  Northern  Missions. — Maine,  3  stations,  2  missionaries ;  New 
Hampshire,  1  station,  1  missionary ;  Delaware,  1  station,  1  mission- 
ary; Ohio,  5  stations,  4  missionaries;  Michigan,  13  stations,  11  mis- 
sionaries ;  Indiana,  17  stations,  8  missionaries ;  Wisconsin,  12  stations, 
8  missionaries ;  Iowa,  7  stations,  3  missionaries ;  Missouri,  12  stations, 
5  missionaries;  Illinois,  15  stations,  9  missionaries. 

Southern  Missions. — Kentucky,  5  stations,  5  missionaries ;  Ten- 
nessee, 7  stations,  4  missionaries  ;  Georgia,  2  stations,  no  missionary ; 
Florida,  5  stations,  2  missionaries;  Alabama,  12  stations,  4  mission- 
aries ;  Mississippi,  9  stations,  4  missionaries ;  Arkansas,  7  stations,  3 
missionaries ;  Louisiana,  4  stations,  1  missionary. 

Stations  in  the  Foreign  Department,  reported  June,  1840: 

1.  Western  Africa. — 4  missionaries  (3  married),  2  male  and  1 
female  assistants. 

2.  China. — 1  missionary  (married). 

3.  Eastern  Missions. — Athens,  1  missionary  (married),  and  3 
female  assistants;  Crete,  1  missionary  (married),  and  1  female  as- 
sistant ;  Constantinople  and  Mardin,  2  missionaries  (married). 

4.  Texas. — 2  missionaries  (1  married). 

Receipts  in  the  domestic  department  for  1842-3,  $38,835  60.  Ex- 
penditures, $36,238  64. 

Receipts  in  the  foreign  department,  1842-3,  $35,198  50.  Expen- 
ditures, $37,330  05. 

Official  organ — "  The  Spirit  of  Missions." 

III.  The  General  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union. — 
Instituted  1817.  Depository,  New  York.  The  Union  publishes  books 
for  Sunday  School  instruction,  and  Sunday  School  Libraries ;  and 
also  the  Children's  Magazine,  and  the  Journal  of  Christian  Edu- 
cation. 

IV.  The  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society. — Instituted  A.  D. 
1810. 

V.  The  Diocesan  Institutions  are  the  following : 

New  li)7A-.— Columbia  College,  Trinity  School,  St.  Paul's  College 
and  Grammar  School,  College  Point,  Flushing,  L.  L,  and  St.  Ann's 
Hall,  Flushing,  L.  I.     Also, 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Society  for  the  promotion  of  Religion 
and  Learning,  Corporation  for  the  Relief  of  Widows  and  Children  of 


295  HISTORY  OF  the 

Clergymen,  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societ)', 
Education  and  Missionary  Society,  City  Mission  Society,  &c. 

Western  J\''ew  York. — Geneva  College  ;  Hobart  Hall  Institute ;  Hol- 
land Patent,  Oneida  county;  Episcopal  Seminary  for  Young  Ladies, 
Lockport,  Niagara  county. 

Massachusetts. — Board  of  Missions. 

Connecticut. — Washington  College,  Hartford;  Connecticut  Epis- 
copal Academy,  Cheshire ;  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Know- 
ledge ;  Church  Scholarship  Society. 

JVeio  Jersey. — Offerings  of  the  Church ;  St.  Mary's  Hall,  Burling- 
ton ;  St.  Matthew's  Hall,  Port  Colden,  Warren  county. 

Pennsylvania. — Society  for  the  Advancement  of  Christianity ; 
Bishop  White  Prayer  Book  Society. 

Virginia. — Protestant  Episcopal  Theological  Seminary ;  Episcopal 
High  School ;  Protestant  Episcopal  Association  for  the  Promotion  of 
Christianity. 

0/iio. — Protestant  Episcopal  Theological  Seminary ;  Kenyon  Col- 
lege ;  Senior  Preparatory  School ;  Milnor  Hall,  or  Junior  Prepara- 
tory School. 

Tennessee. — Columbia  Female  Institute. 

Illinois. — Jubilee  Col'ege. 

Missouri. — Kemper  College. 

The  following  table  shows  the  progress  of  the  church :  exhibiting 
the  population  and  the  number  of  the  clergy  in  each  Diocese,  at  six 
successive  periods,  from  A.  D.  1792,  to  A.  D.  1843,  inclusive. 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


297 


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20 


298 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS. 


This  much  then  of  the  facts  and  incidents  connected  with  the  rise 
and  progress  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  these  United 
States.  At  first  a  feeble  band,  she  is  called  to  the  endurance  of  a 
great  fight  of  affliction;  and,  at  one  period,  reduced  to  an  extremity 
which  perilled  her  very  existence.  The  jealousies  which  were 
awakened  in  the  colonies  by  her  union  with  the  state  in  1693,  more 
than  counterbalanced  the  short-lived  advantages  she  derived  from 
the  protection  and  support  of  the  British  crown.  This  is  evident 
from  a  view  of  her  position,  immediately  following  the  recognition  of 
the  independence  of  the  States  in  1783.  That  event,  dissolving  her 
connexion  with  the  state,  subjected  her  on  the  one  hand  to  the  loss 
of  many  of  her  ablest  clergy,  and  on  the  other,  to  the  scorn  and  deri- 
sion of  opposing  sects.  Not  that  she  could  not  at  this  very  time, 
strictly  speaking,  compare  with  any  other  religious  body  in  point  of 
numbers,  the  members  of  the  Methodist  Society,  up  to  the  year  1784, 
constituting  a  part  of  her  communion. 

Five  events  mainly  distinguish  the  history,  and  may  be  considered 
as  affecting  the  interests  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
country,  from  her  earliest  connexion  with  the  colonies,  to  the  present 
time. 

The  first,  was  her  erection  into  a  church  establishment  in  1693. 
This  circumstance  secured  to  her  a  temporary  ascendency,  espe- 
cially in  the  province  of  New  York.  From  that  period,  accessions 
were  made  to  her  communion,  and  not  a  few  from  among  the  ori- 
ginal emigrants,  the  Hollanders;  some,  doubtless,  for  conscience' 
sake,  but  more,  we  fear,  from  mercenary  motives,  or  from  considera- 
tions of  state  policy. 

The  second,  was  the  severance  of  the  Methodist  Society  from  her 
communion ;  a  circumstance,  which,  if  we  mistake  not,  viewed  in 
any  light,  furnishes  an  occasion  of  the  deepest  regret. 

The  third  was  the  dissolution  of  the  church  establishments,  conse- 
quent upon  the  recognition  of  the  independence  of  the  colonies  by 
Great  Britain  in  1783;  the  effects  of  which,  as  it  relates  to  the  best 
interests  of  the  church,  can  be  measured  only  by  being  thrown  in 
contrast  with  the  folly  of  erecting  into  a  church  establishment  any 
one  religious  body,  amid  so  many  discordant  and  hostile  elements, 
social,  civil,  political,  and  ecclesiastical. 

The  fourth,  the  procurement,  in  1793,  of  the  episcopate  through 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  299 

the  English  line  of  succession.  This  event  precluded  the  necessity  of 
that  temporary  departure  from  Episcopacy,  proposed  by  Dr.  White, 
in  order  to  meet  the  supposed  exigency  of  the  church  in  1782. 

Henceforward,  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  thus  duly  or- 
ganized, with  her  apostolic  ministry,  her  liturgy,  her  diocesan  and 
general  conventions,  her  constitutions  and  canons,  &c.  &c.,  gradu- 
ally advanced  into  a  consolidation  of  her  distinctive  principles ;  till — 
to  the  praise  of  God's  grace  be  it  spoken — she  has  realized  the  truth, 
(in  a  subordinate  sense  at  least,)  "  a  little  one  shall  become  a  thou- 
sand, and  a  small  one  a  strong  nation."  (Isa.  Ix.  22.) 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION. 


BY  THE  REV.  W.  W.  ORWIG, 

NEW  BERLIN,  UNION  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


This  Christian  denomination  took  its  rise  about  the  year  ISOO,  in 
one  of  the  middle  free  States  of  America ;  at  first  they  were  called 
the  Albrights,  (Albrechtsleute),  probably  on  account  of  Jacob  Albright 
having  been,  by  the  grace  of  God,  the  instrument  of  their  solemnly 
uniting  themselves  for  the  service  of  Almighty  God.  About  the  year 
1790,  Jacob  Albright  became  the  happy  subject  of  the  awakening  in- 
fluences of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  and  was  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
his  sinful  state  and  of  the  truth ;  and  after  a  long  and  very  severe 
struggle^he  received  at  last,  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  the  remission 
of  his  sins  and  the  spirit  of  adoption.  In  this  state  he  spent  several 
years  in  the  service  of  God ;  and,  at  the  request  of  his  fellow-Christians, 
he  at  sundry  times  spake  publicly  a  word  of  exhortation,  which  did 
not  remain  fruitless.  In  the  year  1796,  after  a  very  severe  confllict 
respecting  his  call  to  the  ministry,  he  commenced  travelling  through 
the  country,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  to 
his  fellow-men,  and  the  Lord  owned  and  richly  blessed  his  labours, 
and  gave  him  many  souls  for  his  recompense.  Having  now  con- 
tinually a  feeling  and  tender  regard  for  the  Germans  of  this  country, 
as  among  them  true  Christianity  was  at  that  time  at  a  very  low  ebb 
and  almost  entirely  extirpated :  he  united  himself  in  the  year  1800 
with  a  number  of  persons,  who  by  his  preaching  had  been  awakened 
and  converted  to  God,  into  a  Christian  society.  This  is  the  origin  of 
the  Evangelical  Association.  In  the  year  1803  this  society  resolved 
upon  introducing  and  instituting  among,  and  for,  themselves  an  eccle- 
siastical regulation.  Jacob  Albright  was  therefore  elected  as  the  pre- 
siding elder  among  them,  and  duly  confirmed  by  the  other  preachers, 
and  by  their  laying  on  of  hands  ordained,  so  as  to  authorize  him  to 
perform  all  transactions  that  are  necessary  for  a  Christian  society, 
and  becoming  to  an  evangelical  preacher.     They  unanimously  chose 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION.  301 

the  sacred  scriptures  for  their  guide  in  faith  and  action,  and  formed 
their  church  discipUne  accordingly,  as  any  one  may  see,  who  will 
take  the  pains  to  investigate  and  examine  the  same.  At  first,  indeed, 
when  their  principles  and  design  were  not  yet  much  known,  this 
denomination  met  with  considerable  opposition  and  suffered  much 
persecution ;  it,  however,  spread  moi'e  and  more  till  to  the  present 
time,  but  more  especially  during  the  last  ten  years.  At  present  (1843,) 
their  number  is  near  15,000  communicants,  and  between  two  and 
three  hundred  preaphers,  of  whom  there  are  above  one  hundred 
travelling  preachers.  Hitherto  they  have  confined  their  labours 
chiefly  to  the  German  population  of  the  United  States  and  the  Canadas, 
and  have  for  some  time  past  been  very  successful  in  their  missions 
among  the  emigrated  Germans  in  the  western  States,  and  in  several 
of  the  principal  seaports  of  this  country.  The  following  is  a  compend 
of  their  unanimous  doctrine  and  confession  of  faith. 

ARTICLES    OF   FAITH. 

I.  Of  the  Holy  Trinity. — There  is  but  one  only,  true  and  living  God, 
an  eternal  Being,  a  Spirit  without  a  body,  indivisible,  infinite,  mighty, 
wise  and  good,  the  creator  and  preserver  of  all  things,  visible  and  in- 
visible. And  in  this  Godhead  there  is  a  trinity,  of  one  substance  and 
power,  and  co-eternal ;  namely,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

II.  Concerning  the  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  who  became  Man. — The 
Son,  who  is  the  Word  of  the  Father,  the  eternal  and  true  God,  of  one 
substance  with  the  Father,  took  man's  nature  in  the  womb  of  the 
blessed  Virgin,  so  that  both  natures,  the  divine  and  the  human,  are 
perfectly  and  inseparably  joined  together  in  him  (as  in  one  person) ; 
therefore  he  is  Christ  (the  anointed)  very  God  and  very  man,  even  he, 
who  sufiered,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  in  order  to  reconcile 
the  justice  of  the  eternal  Father  with  us,  and  to  present  himself  a 
sacrifice  for  both  our  original  and  actual  sins. 

III.  Of  ChrisVs  Resurrection. — This  Christ  did  truly  rise  again  from 
the  dead,  and  reassumed  his  body,  with  all  things  appertaining  to  the 
perfection  of  man's  nature,  and  thus  in  the  same  body  he  ascended 
into  heaven,  and  sitteth  there  until  he  return  again,  at  the  last  day,  to 
judge  all  men. 

IV.  Of  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  is  the  true  and  eternal  God,  of  one  substance,  majesty 
and  glory,  with  the  Father  and  the  Son. 

V.  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  our  Instruction  to  Sal- 


302 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


vation. — The  Holy  Scriptures  contain  the  decree  of  God,  so  far  as  it 
is  necessary  for  us  to  know  for  our  salvation ;  so  that  whatsoever  is 
not  contained  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  en- 
joined on  any  to  believe  as  an  article  of  faith,  nor  as  a  doctrine  essen- 
tial to  salvation. 

By  the  Holy  Scriptures,  we  understand  those  canonical  books  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which  the  church  at  all  times  indu- 
biously  received  as  such. 

VI.  Concerning  the  Old  Testament. — The  Old  and  New  Testaments 
are  not  contrary  to  each  other;  in  both,  as  well  in  the  Old  as  in  the 
New  Testament,  everlasting  life  is  offered  to  mankind  by  Christ,  being 
both  God  and  man,  and  the  only  Mediator  between  God  and  man. 
Wherefore  they  are  not  to  be  heard,  who  teach  that  the  fathers  of  the 
ancient  covenant  had  grounded  their  expectations  on  transitory  pro- 
mises only.  Though  the  law  given  from  God  by  Moses,  touching 
ceremonies  and  rites,  doth  not  bind  Christians  by  any  means,  nor 
ought  the  civil  precepts  thereof  of  necessity  be  received  in  any  com- 
monwealth :  yet,  notwithstanding,  no  Christian  is  free  from  the  obe- 
dience of  the  ten  commandments,  which  are  also  called  the  moral 
law. 

VII.  Of  Original  Sin. — Original  sin  consisteth  not  in  the  following 
of  Adam  (as  some  falsely  pretend) ;  but  it  is  that  corruption  of  the 
human  nature,  in  which  every  offspring  of  Adam  appears  in  this 
world — a  corruption,  whereby  man  is  very  far  gone  from  original 
righteousness,  and,  on  the  contrary,  is  of  his  own  nature  incUned  to 
evil,  and  that  continually. 

VIII.  Of  Free  Will. — The  condition  of  man  after  and  since  the  fall 
of  Adam  is  so  wretched,  that  we  cannot  turn  unto  God  by  the  simple 
powers  of  nature ;  and  hence  we  cannot  by  our  own  natural  strength 
do  any  good  works,  pleasing  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ  preventing  us,  and  influencing  us 
that  we  may  have  a  good  will,  and  working  with  us,  when  we  have 
that  good  will. 

IX.  Of  the  Justification  of  Man. — We  are  never  accounted  right- 
eous before  God  on  account  of  our  works  or  merits ;  but  it  is  only  for 
the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  faith  in  his 
name,  that  we  are  justified.  Wherefore,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith 
only,  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and  full  of  comfort. 

X.  Of  Good  Worlis. — Though  good  works  are  the  fruits  of  faith,  and 
follow  justification,  whilst  they  have  not  the  virtue  to  put  away  our  sins, 
nor  to  avert  the  judgment,  or  endure  the  severity  of  God's  justice :  yet 
they  are  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  if  they  spring  out 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION.  3O3 

of  a  true  and  living  faith,  insomuch,  that  by  them  living  faith  may  be 
as  evidently  known,  as  a  tree  is  discerned  by  its  fruit.  '* 

XL  Of  Sin  after  Justification. — Not  every  sin  willingly  committed 
after  justification  is,  therefore,  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
is  unpardonable.  They  cannot  all  be  precluded  from  repentance  who 
fall  in  sin  after  justification,  nor  their  acceptance  straightway  denied 
them.  After  we  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  may  so  happen, 
that  we  may  depart  from  grace,  and  fall  into  sin ;  and,  we  may  even 
thus  arise  again  by  the  grace  of  God  and  amend  our  lives.  And, 
therefore,  the  doctrine  of  those  is  to  be  rejected,  who  say,  they  "can 
no  more  fall  into  sin  as  long  as  they  live  here,  or  who  deny  the  place 
of  forgiveness  to  such  as  do  truly  repent. 

XII.  Of  the  Church. — The  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  the  commu- 
nity of  true  believers,  among  whom  the  word  of  God  is  preached  in 
its  purity,  and  the  means  of  grace  are  duly  administered,  according  to 
Christ's  own  appointment  in  all  those  things,  so  far  as  they  are  requi- 
site, and  in  conformity  with  the  ordinances  of  Christ. 

XIII.  Of  speaking  in  the  Congregation  in  such  a  Tongne  as  the 
People  may  understand. — Public  prayers  in  the  church,  and  the  minis- 
tering of  baptism  and  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  a  tongue  not  understood 
by  the  people,  are  matters  plainly  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
the  custom  of  the  primitive  church. 

XIV.  Of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. — Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  ordained  by  Christ,  are  not  only  given  pledges  or  tokens  of 
Christian  men's  profession,  but  they  are  much  more  certain  signs  of 
grace  and  God's  good  will  towards  us,  by  which  he  works  invisibly 
in  us,  quickens  and  also  strengthens  and  confirms  our  faith  in  him. 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  were  not  ordained  by  Christ  that 
we  should  abuse  them ;  but  that  we  should  duly  use  them.  And  in 
such  only,  as  worthily  receive  the  same,  they  produce  a  wholesome 
and  effectual  power;  but  such,  as  receive  them  unworthily,  purchase 
to  themselves  damnation,  as  Paul  saith. 

XV.  Of  Baptism.— Bdi^iism  is  not  merely  a  token  of  a  Christian 
profession,  whereby  Christians  are  distinguished  from  others,  and 
whereby  they  obligate  themselvQs  to  observe  every  Christian  duty ; 
but  it  is  also  a  sign  of  internal  ablution,  renovation,  or  the  new  birth. 

XVI.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper. — The  Supper  of  the  Lord  is  not  merely 
a  token  of  love  and  union,  that  Christians  ought  to  have  among  them- 
selves and  one  towards  another ;  but  it  is  much  more,  a  mystery  or  a 
representation  of  our  redemption  by  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ; 
insomuch,  that  such  as  rightly,  and  worthily,  and  faithfully  receive  the 
same,  partake  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  by  faith,  as  the  impart- 


304 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


ing  means,  not  in  a  bodily  but  in  a  spiritual  manner,  in  eating  the 
broken  bread  and  in  drinking  the  blessed  cup,  which  is  handed  them. 
Transubstanliation,  or  the^ changing  of  the  bread  and  wine  into  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  cannot  be  supported 
by  Holy  Writ,  but  is  repugnant  to  the  plain  words  of  the  Scriptures. 

XVII.  Of  the  only  Oblation  of  Christ,  finished  upon  the  Cross. — The 
offering  which  was  once  made  by  Christ  on  the  cross,  is  that  perfect 
redemption,  propitiation  and  satisfaction,  for  all  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,  both  original  and  actual,  so  that  there  is  no  other  satisfaction 
required  but  that  alone. 

XVIII.  Of  Church  Rites  and  Ceremonies. — It  is  by  no  means  ne- 
cessary, that  ceremonies  and  rites  should  in  all  places  be  the  same, 
or  exactly  alike ;  for  they  have  always  been  different,  and  may  be 
changed  according  to  the  diversity  of  countries,  times  and  national 
manners,  provided,  that  nothing  be  introduced  contrary  to  God's 
ordinances.  Whosoever,  through  his  private  judgment,  willingly  and 
purposely  doth  break  the  ordinances,  ceremonies  and  rites  of  the 
church  to  which  he  belongs,  (if  they  are  not  repugnant  to  the  word 
of  God,  and  are  ordained  by  proper  authority,)  ought  to  be  rebuked 
openly,  as  one  that  offendeth  against  the  order  of  the  church,  and 
woundeth  the  consciences  of  the  weaker  brethren,  in  order  that  others 
may  be  deterred  from  similar  audacity. 

Every  particular  church  has  the  privilege  to  introduce,  change  and 
abolish  rites  and  ceremonies ;  yet  so,  that  all  things  may  be  done  to 
edification. 

XIX.  Of  the  Rulers  of  the  United  States  of  .America. — The  President, 
Congress,  the  General  Assemblies,  the  Governors,  and  the  Councils 
of  State,  as  the  delegates  of  the  people,  according  to  the  regulation 
and  transfer  of  power,  made  to  them  by  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  by  the  constitutions  of  their  respective  states,  are  the  rulers 
of,  and  in  the  United  States.  And  these  states  are  a  sovereign  and 
independent  nation,  which  is  and  ought  not  to  be  subject  to  any  foreign 
jurisdiction :  though  we  believe  that  wars  and  bloodshed  are  not 
agreeable  with  the  gospel  and  spirit  of  Christ. 

XX.  Concerning  the  Christiaji^s  temporal  property. — The  temporal 
property  of  Christians  must  not  be  considered  as  common,  in  regard 
to  the  right,  title  and  possession  of  the  same,  as  some  do  vainly  pre- 
tend;  but  as  lawful  possessions.  Notwithstanding,  every  one  ought, 
of  the  things  he  possesseth,  to  give  to  the  poor  and  needy,  and  to 
manifest  Christian  love  and  liberality  towards  them. 

XXI.  Of  the  last  Judgment  and  God's  righteous  Sentence  of  Rewards 
and  Punishments. — Wc  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  will  come  in  the  last 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION.  305 

day,  to  judge  all  mankind  by  a  righteous  judgment ;  that  God  will 
give  urito  the  faithful,  elect  and  godly,  eternal  life  and  happiness, 
everlasting  rest,  peace  and  joy  without  end.  But  God  will  bid  the 
impenitent  and  ungodly,  depart  to  the  devil  and  his  angels,  to  endure 
everlasting  damnation,  punishment  and  pain,  torment  and  misery. 
Therefore  we  are  not  to  concede  to  the  doctrine  of  those  who  main- 
tain that  devils  and  ungodly  men  will  not  have  to  suffer  eternal  punish- 
ment and  torment. 


CONFERENCES. 

Their  conferences  are :  first,  a  quarterly ;  second,  an  annual ;  and 
third,  a  general  conference.  The  first  takes  place  on  every  circuit 
at  the  quarterly  meetings ;  the  second  once  a  year  in  every  conference 
district,  and  the  third  every  four  years  in  the  district  of  the  whole 
society,  on  account  of  which  it  is  called  the  general  conference.  The 
members  of  the  quarterly  conference  are  all  the  class-leaders,  ex- 
horters,  travelling  and  local  preachers,  residing  or  stationed  in  the 
circuit  of  said  quarterly  conference.  The  members  of  the  annual 
conferences  are  all  the  travelling  preachers,  and  such  as  have  tra- 
velled, and  who  by  ordination  stand  in  full  connexion  with  the  ministry. 
The  general  conference  consists  of  delegates  who  are  elected  of  every 
annual  conference  every  fourth  year,  one  for  every  four  members  of 
her  own  body.  There  is  in  addition  to  these  another  annual  confer- 
ence appointed  for  the  local  preachers  on  every  circuit,  where  several 
of  them  reside ;  but  these  are  destined  principally  for  the  investigation 
of  the  character  and  conduct  of  said  preachers,  in  order  to  save  time 
at  the  annual  conferences  of  the  travelling  ministry. 

Arrangement  of  the  Society. — The  whole  society  is  divided  into 
conference  districts,  the  conference  districts  into  smaller  districts,  these 
into  circuits,  and  the  circuits  into  classes. 


FEIENDS  OE  QUAKEES. 


BY  THOMAS  EVANS, 

rillLADELPlIlA. 


The  religious  Society  of  Friends,  commonly  called  Quakers,  is  a 
body  of  Christian  professors,  which  arose  in  England  about  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  ministry  of  George  Fox  was 
chiefly  instrumental,  under  the  divine  blessing,  in  convincing  those 
who  joined  him  of  those  Christian  principles  and  testimonies  which 
distinguish  the  society ;  and  his  pious  labours  contributed  in  no 
small  degree  to  their  establishment  as  an  organized  body,  having  a 
regular  form  of  church  government  and  discipline. 

This  devoted  servant  of  Christ  was  born  at  Drayton,  in  Leicester- 
shire, in  the  year  1624,  and  was  carefully  educated  by  his  parents  in 
the  Episcopal  mode  of  worship.  He  appears  to  have  led  a  religious 
life  from  his  childhood,  and  to  have  been  deeply  concerned  for  the 
salvation  of  his  soul.  Amid  a  high  profession  of  religion,  then  gene- 
rally prevalent,  he  observed  among  the  people  much  vain  and  trifling 
conversation  and  conduct,  as  well  as  sordid  earthly-mindedness,  both 
which  he  believed  to  be  incompatibfe  with  the  Christian  life.  This 
brought  great  trouble  upon  his  mind,  clearly  perceiving  that  the  pro- 
fession in  which  he  had  been  educated  did  not  give  to  its  adherents 
that  victory  over  sin  which  the  gospel  enjoins,  and  which  his  soul 
'panted  after.  He  withdrew  from  his  former  associates,  and  passed 
much  of  his  time  in  retirement, — reading  the  holy  scriptures,  and 
endeavouring  to  wait  upon  the  Lord  for  the  revelation  of  his  Spirit, 
to  enable  him  rightly  to  understand  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 

In  this  state  of  reverent  dependence  upon  the  Fountain  of  saving 
knowledge,  his  mind  was  enlightened  to  see  into  the  spirituality  of 
the  gospel  dispensation,  and  to  detect  many  errors  which  had  crept 
into  the  professing  Christian  church.  In  the  year  1G47,  he  com- 
menced his  labours  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  travelling  exten- 
sively through  England,  generally  on  foot ;  and,  from  a  conviction 
that  it  was  contrary  to  Christ's  positive   command,  he   refused  to 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  201 

receive  any  compensation  for  preaching,  defraying  his  expenses  out 
of  his  own  slender  means.  The  unction  from  on  high,  which 
attended  his  ministry,  carried  conviction  to  the  hearts  of  many  of 
his  hearers ;  and  his  fervent  disinterested  labours  were  crowned  with 
such  success,  that  in  a  few  years  a  large  body  of  persons  had  em- 
braced the  Christian  principles  which  he  promulgated. 

The  civil  and  religious  commotions  which  prevailed  in  England 
about  this  period,  doubtless  prepared  the  way  for  the  more  rapid 
spread  of  gospel  truth.  The  fetters,  in  which  priestcraft  had  long 
held  the  human  mind,  were  beginning  to  be  loosened;  the  dependence 
of  man  upon  his  fellow-man,  in  matters  of  religion,  was  shaken,  and 
many  sincere  souls,  panting  after  a  nearer  acquaintance  with  God, 
and  a  dominion  over  their  sinful  appetites  and  passions,  which  they 
could  not  obtain  by  the  most  scrupulous  observance  of  the  ceremo- 
nies of  relifion,  were  earnestly  inquiring,  "  What  must  we  do  to  be 
saved  f  The  message  of  George  Fox  appears  to  have  been,  mainly, 
to  direct  the  people  to  Christ  Jesus,  the  great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of 
souls,  who  died  for  them,  and  had  sent  his  spirit  or  hght  into  their 
hearts,  to  instruct  and  guide  them  in  the  things  pertaining  to  life  and 
salvation. 

To  the  light  of  Christ  Jesus,  in  the  conscience,  he  endeavoured  to 
turn  the  attention  of  all,  as  that  by  which  sin  was  manifested  and 
reproved,  duty  unfolded,  and  ability  given  to  run  with  alacrity  and 
joy  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments.  The  preaching  of  this 
doctrine  was  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  many  longing  souls,  who 
eagerly  embraced  it,  as  that  for  which  they  had  been  seeking;  and, 
as  they  walked  in  this  divine  light,  they  experienced  a  growth  in 
grace  and  in  Christian  knowledge,  and  gradually  came  to  be  esta- 
blished as  pillars  in  the  house  of  God. 

Many  of  these,  before  they  joined  with  George  Fox,  had  been 
highly  esteemed  in  the  various  religious  societies  of  the  day,  for  their 
distinguished  piety  and  experience,  being  punctual  in  the  perform- 
ance of  all  their  religious  duties,  and  regular  in  partaking  of  what  are 
termed  "the  ordinances."  But,  notwithstanding  they  endeavoured 
to  be  faithful  to  the  degree  of  knowledge  they  had  received,  their 
minds  were  not  yet  at  rest.  They  did  not  witness  that  redemption 
from  sin,  and  that  establishment  in  the  truth,  which  they  read  of  in 
the  Bible  as  the  privilege  and  duty  of  Christians ;  and  hence,  they 
were  induced  to  believe  that  there  was  a  purer  and  more  spiritual 
way  than  they  had  yet  found.  They  felt  that  they  needed  to  know 
more  of  the  power  of  Christ  Jesus  in  their  own  hearts,  making  them 
new  creatures,  bruising  Satan,  and  putting  him  under  their  feet,  and 


308 


HISTORY  OF  TIIE 


renevting  their  souls  up  into  the  divine  image  which  was  lost  in 
Adam's  fall,  and  sanctifying  them  wholly,  in  body,  soul  and  spirit, 
through  the  inward  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire. 

Great  were  their  conflicts  and  earnest  their  prayers,  that  they 
migiu  be  brought  to  this  blessed  experience ;  but  looking  without, 
instead  of  having  their  attention  turned  within,  they  missed  the 
object  of  their  search.  They  frequented  the  preaching  of  the  most 
eminent  ministers ;  spent  much  time  in  reading  the  holy  scriptures, 
in  fasting,  meditation  and  prayer,  and  increased  the  strictness  of 
their  lives  and  religious  performances ;  but  still  they  were  not  wholly- 
freed  from  the  dominion  of  sin. 

Some,  after  wearying  themselves  with  the  multitude  and  severity 
of  their  duties,  without  finding  the  expected  benefit  from  them,  sepa- 
rated from  all  the  forms  of  worship  then  practised,  and  sat  down 
together,  waiting  upon  the  Lord,  and  earnestly  looking  and  praying 
for  the  full  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  and  power  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

In  this  humble,  seeking  state,  the  Lord  was  graciously  pleased  to 
meet  with  them  ;  sometimes  without  any  instrumental  means,  at 
others,  through  the  living  ministry  of  George  Fox  or  other  anointed 
servants,  who  were  prepared  and  sent  forth  to  preach  the  gospel. 
Then  they  were  brought  to  see  that  that,  which  made  them  uneasy  in 
the  midst  of  their  high  profession  and  manifold  observances,  and 
raised  fervent  breathings  after  the  God  of  their  lives,  was  nothing 
less  than  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  striving  with  them  in 
order  to  bring  them  out  fully  from  under  the  bondage  of  sin,  into 
the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God. 

They  were  brought  to  see  that  they  had  been  resting  too  much  in 
a  mere  historical  belief  of  the  blessed  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  the 
birth,  life,  miracles,  sufferings,  death,  resurrection,  ascension,  media- 
tion, intercession,  atonement  and  divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  but  had 
not  sufficiently  looked  for,  and  abode  under,  the  heart-changing  and 
sanctifying  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  or  Comforter;  to  seal  those 
precious  truths  on  the  understanding,  and  give  to  each  one  a  living 
and  practical  interest  in  them ;  so  that  they  might  really  know  Christ 
to  be  their  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  and  that  he  had,  indeed,  come 
into  their  hearts  and  set  up  his  righteous  government  there. 

This  was  the  dawning  of  a  new  day  to  their  souls ;  and,  as  they 
attended  in  simple  obedience  to  the  discoveries  of  this  divine  light, 
they  were  gradually  led  to  see  farther  into  the  spirituality  of  the 
gospel  dispensation.  The  change  which  it  made  in  their  views  was 
great,  and  many  and  deep  were  their  searchings  of  heart,  trying  "  the 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  '  309 

fleece  both  wet  and  dry,"  ere  they  yielded ;  lest  they  should  be 
mistaken  and  put  the  workings  of  their  own  imagination  for  the  un- 
foldings  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  but  as  they  patiently  abode  under  its 
enlightening  operations,  every  doubt  and  difficulty  was  removed,  and 
they  were  enabled  to  speak  from  joyful  experience  of  that  which  they 
had  seen,  and  tasted,  and  handled  of  the  good  word  of  life. 

The  rapid  spread  of  the  doctrines  preached  by  George  Fox,  was 
surprising ;  and,  among  those  who  embraced  them,  were  persons  of 
the  best  families  in  the  kingdom ;  several  priests  of  the  Episcopal 
denomination  and  ministers  of  other  societies ;  besides,  many  other 
learned  and  substantial  men.  A  large  number  of  ministers,  both 
men  and  women,  were  soon  raised  up  in  the  infant  society,  who  tra- 
velled abroad,  as  they  believed  themselves  divinely  called,  spreading 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  strengthening  and  comforting  the 
newly  convinced.  In  a  few  years  meetings  were  settled  in  nearly 
all  parts  of  the  United  Kingdom ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  severe 
persecution  to  which  the  society  was  subjected,  by  which  thou- 
sands were  locked  up  in  jails  and  dungeons,  and  deprived  of  nearly 
all  their  property,  besides  being  subjected  to  barbarous  personal 
abuse ;  its  members  continued  to  increase,  and  manifested  a  zeal 
and  devotedness  which  excited  the  admiration  even  of  their  perse- 
cutors. Their  sufferings  seemed  only  to  animate  them  with  fresh 
ardour,  and  to  unite  them  more  closely  together  in  the  bond  of  gospel 
fellowship.  Instances  occurred  where  all  the  parents  were  thrown 
into  prison,  and  the  children  continued  to  hold  their  meetings,  un- 
awed  by  the  threats  of  the  officers,  or  the  cruel  whippings  which 
some  of  them  suffered. 

As  early  as  the  year  1655,  some  ministers  travelled  on  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe,  and  meetings  of  Friends  were  soon  after  settled  in 
Holland  and  other  places ; — some  travelled  into  Asia,  some  were 
carried  to  Africa ;  and  several  were  imprisoned  in  the  Inquisitions  of 
Rome,  Malta,  and  in  Hungar3^  About  the  same  period  the  first 
Friends  arrived  in  America,  at  the  port  of  Boston,  and  commenced 
their  religious  labours  among  the  people,  many  of  whom  embraced 
the  doctrines  which  they  heard.  The  spirit  of  persecution,  from 
which  Friends  had  suffered  so  deeply  in  England,  made  its  appear- 
ance in  America  with  increased  virulence  and  cruelty,  inflicting 
upon  the  peaceable  Quakers  various  punishments ;  and  finally  put 
four  of  them  to  death  by  the  gallows. 

Notwithstanding  the  opposition  they  had  to  encounter,  the  prin- 
ciples of  Friends  continued  to  spread  in  America;  many  eminent 
ministers,  actuated  by  the  love  of  the  gospel  and  a  sense  of  religious 
duty,  came  over  and  travelled  through  the  country ;  others,  removed 


31Q  HISTORY  OF  THE 

thither  and  settled  ; — and  in  16&2,  a  large  number,  under  the  patronage 
of  William  Pcnn,  came  into  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
founded  that  flourishing  colony.  At  that  time,  meetings  were  settled 
along  the  Atlantic  provinces,  from  North  Carolina  as  far  as  Boston 
in  New  England ;  and,  at  the  present  day,  the  largest  body  of 
Friends  is  to  be  found  in  the  United  States. 

When  we  consider  the  great  numbers  who  joined  the  society ;  that, 
without  any  formal  admission,  all  those  who  embraced  the  principles 
of  Friends  and  attended  their  meetings  were  considered  ir^embers,  as 
well  as  their  children,  and  of  course,  the  body  in  some  measure  im- 
plicated in  the  consistency  of  their  conduct;  the  numerous  meetings 
which  were  settled,  and  the  wide  extent  of  country  which  they  em- 
braced ;  it  is  obvious  that  the  organization  of  the  society  would  have 
been  imperfect,  without  some  system  of  church  government  by  which 
the  conduct  of  the  members  might  be  inspected  and  restrained. 

The  enlightened  and  comprehensive  mind  of  George  Fox  was  not 
long  in  perceiving  the  necessity  for  this  ;  and  he  early  began  to  make 
arrangements  for  carrying  it  into  practice.  Under  the  guidance  of  the 
light  of  Christ  Jesus,  which  had  so  clearly  unfolded  to  him  the  doc- 
trines and  precepts  of  the  gospel  in  their  true  spiritual  character,  he 
commenced  the  arduous  work  of  establishing  meetings  for  disci- 
pline ;  and,  in  a  few  years,  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  his  labour  and 
concern  crowned  with  success,  both  in  England  and  America.  Under 
the  influence  of  that  Christian  love  which  warmed  his  heart  toward 
the  whole  human  family,  but  which  more  especially  flowed  toward 
the  household  of  faith,  he  was  very  tender  of  the  poor,  and  careful  to 
see  that  their  necessities  were  duly  supplied.  This  principle  has  ever 
since  characterized  the  society,  which  cheerfully  supports  its  own 
poor,  besides  contributing  its  share  to  the  public  burdens.  The  first 
objects  to  which  the  attention  of  these  meetings  was  directed  w-ere  the 
care  of  the  poor  and  destitute,  who  bad  been  reduced  to  want  by  per- 
secution, or  other  causes ;  the  manner  of  accomplishing  marriages ; 
the  registry  of  births  and  deaths  ;  the  education  and  apprenticing  of 
children  ;  the  granting  of  suitable  certificates  of  unity  and  approba- 
tion to  ministers  who  travelled  abroad,  and  the  preservation  of  an 
account  of  the  sufferings  sustained  by  Friends  in  support  of  their 
religious  principles  and  testimonies. 

It  also  became  necessary  to  establish  regulations  for  preserving  the 
members  in  a  line  of  conduct  consistent  with  their  profession.  In  this 
imperfect  slate  of  being,  we  are  instructed  from  the  highest  authority, 
that  offences  must  needs  come;  but  it  does  not  necessarily  follow, 
cither  that  the  oflfender  must  be  cut  oft'  from  the  church,  or  that  the 
reproach  of  his  misconduct  should  be  visited  upon  the  society  to 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  321 

which  he  belongs.  If  in  pursuance  of  those  Christian  means  laid 
down  in  the  gospel,  he  is  brought  to  acknowledge  and  sincerely  con- 
demn his  error,  a  brother  is  gained ;  the  church  is  freed  from 
reproach  by  his  repentance  and  amendment  of  life;  and  thus  the 
highest  aim  of  all  disciplinary  regulations  is  attained.  Where  these 
effects,  however,  do  not  result  from  the  Christian  care  of  the  church  ; 
it  becomes  its  duty  to  testify  against  the  disorderly  conduct  of  the 
offender,  and  to  declare  that  he  has  separated  himself  from  its  fellow- 
ship, and  is  no  longer  a  member  thereof.  The  views  of  George  Fox 
on  this  subject  were  marked  by  that  simplicity  and  scriptural  sound- 
ness which  distinguished  his  whole  character. 

He  considered  the  church  as  a  harmonious  and  compact  body, 
made  up  of  living  members,  having  gifts  differing  according  to  the 
measure  of  grace  received,  yet  all  dependent  one  upon  another,  and 
each,  even  the  weakest  and  lowest,  having  his  proper  place  and 
service.  As  the  very  design  of  religious  society  is  the  preservation, 
comfort  and  edification  of  the  members,  and  as  all  have  a  common 
interest  in  the  promotion  of  these  great  ends ;  he  considered  every 
faithful  member  religiously  bound  to  contribute  according  to  his 
capacity  toward  their  attainment.  The  words  of  our  Lord  furnish 
a  short  but  comprehensive  description  of  the  order  instituted  by  Him 
for  the  government  of  His  church :  "  If  thy  brother  shall  trespass 
against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone. 
If  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he  will  not 
hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of 
two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  established.  And  if  he 
shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  to  the  church ;  but  if  he  neglect 
to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  to  thee  as  an  heathen  man  and 
a  publican." 

Here  is  no  limitation  of  this  Christian  care  to  ministers  or  any 
other  class;  but  any  brother,  who  sees  another  offending,  is  to  ad- 
monish him  in  love  for  his  good.  The  language  of  our  blessed 
Saviour  respecting  the  authority  of  his  church ;  and  his  being  in  the 
midst  of  it  in  the  performance  of  its  duties,  is  very  clear  and  compre- 
hensive :  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth, 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  Again  I  say  unto  you,  that  if  two  of 
you  shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it 
shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  For  where 
two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
midst  of  them." 

The  doctrine  of  the  immediate  presence  of  Christ  with  his  church, 


312  HISTORY  OF  THE 

whether  assembled  for  ihe  purpose  of  divine  worship,  or  for  the  trans- 
action of  its  disciplinary  affairs,  is  the  foundation  of  all  its  authority. 
It  was  on  this  ground  that  George  Fox  so  often  exhorted  his  fellow- 
believers  to  hold  their  meetings  in  the  power  of  the  Lord ;  all  wait- 
ing and  striving  to  know  Christ  Jesus  brought  into  dominion  in  their 
own  iiearts,  and  his  Spirit  leading  and  guiding  them  in  their  services, 
that  so  his  living  presence  might  be  felt  to  preside  over  their  assem- 
blies. In  a  church  thus  gathered,  we  cannot  doubt,  that  the  gracious 
Head  condescends  to  be  in  the  midst,  qualifying  the  members  to  wor- 
ship the  Father  of  spirits,  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  or  enduing  them  with 
wisdom  rightly  to  manage  the  business  which  may  engage  their 
attention.  Nor  can  we  question  that  so  far  as  they  are  careful  to  act 
in  his  wisdom  and  under  his  direction,  their  conclusions,  being  in 
conformity  with  his  will,  have  his  authority  for  their  sanction  and 
support. 

The  discipline  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  established  in  conformity 
with  these  views,  embraces  four  grades  of  meetings,  connected  with, 
and  dependent  upon,  each  other.  First,  the  preparative  meetings 
receive  and  prepare  the  business  for  the  monthly  meetings,  which 
are  composed  of  one  or  more  preparative  meetings,  and  rank  next  in 
order  above  them  ;  in  these  the  executive  department  of  the  discipline 
is  chiefly  lodged.  The  third  grade  includes  quarterly  meetings,  which 
consist  of  several  monthly  meetings,  and  exercise  a  supervisory  care 
over  them,  examine  into  their  condition,  and  advise  or  assist  them  as 
occasion  may  require ; — and  lastly,  the  yearly  meeting,  which  in- 
cludes the  whole,  possesses  exclusively  the  legislative  power,  and 
annually  investigates  the  state  of  the  whole  body,  which  is  brought 
before  it  by  answers  to  queries,  addressed  to  the  subordinate  meetings. 

In  each  preparative  meeting  there  are  usually  two  or  more  Friends 
of  each  sex,  appointed  as  overseers  of  the  flock,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
take  cognizance  of  any  improper  conduct  in  the  members,  and  en- 
deavour by  tender  and  afiectionate  labour  to  convince  the  offender, 
and  bring  him  to  such  a  sense  of  his  fault  as  may  lead  to  sincere  re- 
pentance and  amendment.  Violations  of  the  discipline  by  members 
are  reported  by  the  overseers  to  the  preparative  meetings ;  and  from 
thence,  if  deemed  necessary,  to  the  monthly  meeting,  where  a  com- 
mittee is  usually  appointed  to  endeavour  to  convince  and  reclaim  the 
delinquent;  and  if  this  desirable  result  is  not  produced,  a  minute  is 
made  declaring  the  disunity  of  the  meeting  with  his  conduct  and 
with  him,  until  he  is  brought  to  a  sense  of  his  error,  and  condemns  it 
in  a  satisfactory  manner.  From  the  decision  of  a  monthly  meeting, 
the  disowned  person  has  the  right  of  appeal  to  the  quarterly  meeting, 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  3I3 

and  if  that  gives  a  judgment  against  him,  he  may  carry  his  case  to 
the  yearly  meeting  also,  where  it  is  finally  determined.  The  women 
have  also  overseers,  appointed  to  extend  Christian  care  and  advice  to 
their  own  sex ;  and  likewise  preparative,  monthly,  quarterly,  and 
yearly  meetings,  in  which  they  transact  such  business  as  relates  to 
the  good  order  and  preservation  of  their  members;  but  they  take  no 
part  in  the  legislative  proceedings  of  the  society;  and  in  difficult  cases, 
or  those  of  more  than  ordinary  importance,  they  generally  obtain  the 
judgment  of  the  men's  meetings. 

There  are  also  distinct  meetings  for  the  care  and  help  of  the 
ministry,  composed  of  ministers  and  elders,  the  latter  being  prudent 
and  solid  members,  chosen  specially  to  watch  over  the  ministers  for 
their  good,  and  to  admonish  or  advise  them  for  their  help.  In  these 
meetings  the  men  and  women  meet  together;  the}'^  are  called  meet- 
ings of  ministers  and  elders,  and  are  divided  into  preparative,q  uar- 
terly,  and  yearly. 

There  are  at  present  in  the  society  ten  yearly  meetings  of  Friends, 
viz.  London  and  Dublin,  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  New  Eng- 
land, held  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island  ;  New  York,  held  in  that  city; 
Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  held  in  Philadelphia;  Maryland,  held 
in  Baltimore;  Virginia,  held  in  that  state,  at  Cedar  Creek  and  Sum- 
merton,  alternately ;  North  Carolina,  held  at  New  Garden  in  that 
state;  Ohio,  held  at  Mount  Pleasant;  and  Indiana,  held  at  Richmond 
in  Wayne  county.  These  include  an  aggregate  of  from  one  hundred 
and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  members. 

The  doctrines  of  the  society  may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows. 
They  believe  in  one  only  wise,  omnipotent,  and  everlasting  God,  the 
creator  and  upholder  of  all  things,  visible  and  invisible ;  and  in  one 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  the  mediator  between  God 
and  man ;  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit  which  proceedeth  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son ;  one  God  blessed  for  ever.  In  expressing  their  views 
relative  to  the  awful  and  mysterious  doctrine  of  "  the  Three  thai 
bear  record  in  heaven,"  they  have  carefully  avoided  the  use  of  un- 
scriptural  terms,  invented  to  define  Him  who  is  undefinable,  and  have 
scrupulously  adhered  to  the  safe  and  simple  language  of  holy  scrip- 
ture, as  contained  in  Matt,  xxviii.  18-19,  &c. 

They  own  and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  beloved  and  only  be- 
gotten Son  of  God,  who  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary.  In  him  we  have  redemption,  through  his  blood, 
even  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  who  is  the  express  image  of  the  invisible 
God,  the  first  born  of  every  creature,  by  whom  all  things  were 
created  that  are  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether 

21 


314 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


they  be  thrones,  dominions,  principalities  or  powers.  They  also 
believe  that  he  was  made  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  who  knew  no  sin,  neither 
was  "uile  found  in  his  mouth ;  that  he  was  crucified  for  mankind,  in 
the  flesh,  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem;  that  he  was  buried  and  rose 
again  the  third  day,  by  the  power  of  the  Father,  for  our  justification, 
and  that  he  ascended  up  into  heaven,  and  now  sitteth  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  our  holy  mediator,  advocate,  and  intercessor.  They 
believe  that  he  alone  is  the  redeemer  and  saviour  of  man,  the  captain 
of  salvation,  who  saves  from  sin  as  well  as  from  hell  and  the  wrath 
to  come,  and  destroys  the  works  of  the  devil.  He  is  the  Seed  of  the 
woman  that  bruises  the  serpent's  head,  even  Christ  Jesus,  the  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last.  He  is,  as  the  scriptures  of  truth 
say  of  him,  our  wisdom,  righteousness,  justification,  aild  redemption; 
neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other,  for  there  is  no  other  name 
under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  may  be  saved. 

The  Society  of  Friends  have  uniformly  declared  their  belief  in  the 
divinity  and  manhood  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  that  he  was  both  true  God 
and  perfect  man,  and  that  his  sacrifice  of  himself  upon  the  cross  was 
a  propitiation  and  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and 
that  the  remission  of  sins  which  any  partake  of,  is  only  in,  and  by 
virtue  of,  that  most  satisfactory  sacrifice,  and  no  otherwise. 

Friends  believe  also  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  comforter,  the  promise  of 
the  Father,  whom  Christ  declared  he  would  send  in  his  name,  to  lead 
and  guide  his  followers  into  all  truth,  to  teach  them  all  things,  and  to 
bring  all  things  to  their  remembrance.     A  manifestation  of  this  Spirit 
they  believe  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal ;  that  it  convicts 
for  sin,  and,  as  attended  to,  gives  power  to  the  soul  to  overcome  and 
forsake  it ;  it  opens  to  the  mind  the  mysteries  of  salvation,  enables  it 
savingly  to  understand  the  truths  recorded  in  the  holy  scriptures,  and 
gives  it  the  living,  practical,  and  heartfelt  experience  of  those  things 
which  pertain  to   its  everlasting  welfare.      They  believe   that   the 
saving  knowledge  of  God  and  Christ  cannot  be  attained  in  any  other 
way   than  by   the  revelation   of  this  spirit ; — for  the  apostle  says, 
"  What  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man 
which  is  in  him  1     Even  so  the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man,  but 
the  spirit  of  God.     Now  we  have  received  not  the  spirit  of  the  world, 
but  the  spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the  things  which 
are  freely  given  to  us  of  God."     If  therefore  the  things  which  pro- 
perly appertain  to  man  cannot  be  discerned  by  any  lower  principle 
than  the  spirit  of  man :  those  things,  which  properly  relate  to  God 
and  Christ,  cannot  be  known  by  any  power  inferior  to  that  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  3I5 

They  believe  that  man  was  created  in  the  image  of  God,  capable 
of  understanding  the  divine  law,  and  of  holding  communion  with  his 
Maker.  Through  transgression  he  fell  from  this  blessed  state,  and 
lost  the  heavenly  image.  His  posterity  come  into  the  world  in  the 
image  of  the  earthly  man ;  and,  until  renewed  by  the  quickening  and 
regenerating  power  of  the  heavenly  man,  Christ  Jesus,  manifested  in 
the  soul,  they  are  fallen,  degenerated,  and  dead  to  the  divine  life  in 
which  Adam  originally  stood,  and  are  subject  to  the  power,  nature 
and  seed  of  the  serpent ;  and  not  only  their  words  and  deeds,  but 
their  imaginations,  are  evil  perpetually  in  the  sight  of  God.  Man, 
therefore,  in  this  state  can  know  nothing  aright  concerning  God ;  his 
thoughts  and  conceptions  of  spiritual  things,  until  he  is  disjoined  from 
this  evil  seed,  and  united  to  the  divine  light,  Christ  Jesus,  are  un- 
profitable to  himself  and  to  others. 

But  while  it  entertains  these  views  of  the  lost  and  undone  condition 
of  man  in  the  fall,  the  society  does  not  believe  that  mankind  are 
punishable  for  Adam's  sin,  or  that  we  partake  of  his  guilt,  until  we 
make  it  our  own  by  transgression  of  the  divine  law. 

But  God,  who  out  of  his  infinite  love  sent  his  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  into  the  world  to  taste  death  for  every  man,  hath  granted  to 
all  men,  of  whatever  nation  or  country,  a  day  or  time  of  visitation, 
during  which  it  is  possible  for  them  to  partake  of  the  benefits  of 
Christ's  death,  and  be  saved.  For  this  end  he  hath  communicated  to 
every  man  a  measure  of  the  light  of  his  own  Son,  a  measure  of 
grace  or  the  Holy  Spirit — by  which  he  invites,  calls,  exhorts,  and 
strives  with  every  man,  in  order  to  save  him ;  which  light  or  grace, 
as  it  is  received  and  not  resisted,  works  the  salvation  of  all,  even  of 
those  who  are  ignorant  of  Adam's  fall,  and  of  the  death  and  suffer- 
ings of  Christ ;  both  by  bringing  them  to  a  sense  of  their  own  misery, 
and  to  be  sharers  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  inwardly;  and  by  making 
them  partakers  of  his  resurrection,  in  becoming  holy,  pure  and 
righteous,  and  recovered  out  of  their  sins.  By  which  also  are  saved 
they  that  have  the  knowledge  of  Christ  outwardly,  in  that  it  opens 
their  understandings  rightly  to  use  and  apply  the  things  delivered  in 
the  scriptures,  and  to  receive  the  saving  use  of  them.  But  this  Holy 
Spirit,  or  light  of  Christ,  may  be  resisted  and  rejected  ;  in  which  then, 
God  is  said  to  be  resisted  and  pressed  down,  and  Christ  to  be  again 
crucified  and  put  to  open  shame ;  and  to  those  who  thus  resist  and 
refuse  him,  he  becomes  their  condemnation. 

As  many  as  resist  not  the  light  of  Christ  Jesus,  but  receive  and 
walk  therein,  it  becomes  in  them  a  holy,  pure  and  spiritual  birth, 
bringing  forth  holiness,  righteousness  and  purity,  and  all  those  other 


316  HISTORY  OF  THE 

blessed  fruits  which  are  acceptable  to  God,  by  which  holy  birth,  viz. 
Jesus  Christ  formed  within  us,  and  working  his  works  in  us,  as  we 
are  sanctified,  so  we  are  justified  in  the  sight  of  God ;  according  to 
the  apostle's  words :  "  But  ye  arc  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye 
are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our 
God."  Therefore,  it  is  not  by  our  works  wrought  in  our  will,  nor  yet 
by  good  works  considered  as  of  themselves,  that  we  are  justified,  but 
hy  Christ,  who  is  both  the  gift  and  the  giver,  and  the  cause  pro- 
ducing the  effects  in  us.  As  he  hath  reconciled  us  while  we  were 
enemies,  so  doth  he  also,  in  his  wisdom,  save  and  justify  us  after  this 
manner;  as  saith  the  same  apostle  elsewhere:  "Not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  I'cnewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Saviour,  that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs 
according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life."  We  renounce  all  natural 
power  and  ability  in  ourselves,  to  bring  us  out  of  our  lost  and  fallen 
condition  and  first  nature,  and  confess  that  as  of  ourselves  we  are 
able  to  do  nothing  that  is  good,  so  neither  can  we  procure  remission 
of  sins  or  justification  by  any  act  of  our  own,  so  as  to  merit  it,  or  to 
draw  it  as  a  debt  from  God  due  to  us;  but  we  acknowledge  all  to  be 
of  and  from  his  love,  which  is  the  original  and  fundamental  cause  of 
our  acceptance.  God  manifested  his  love  toward  us,  in  the  sending 
of  his  beloved  sen,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  into  the  world,  who  gave 
himself  an  offering  for  us  and  a  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet  smell- 
ing savour;  and  having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  the  cross, 
that  he  might  reconcile  us  unto  himself,  and  by  the  eternal  Spirit, 
offered  himself  without  spot  unto  God,  he  suffered  for  our  sins,  the 
just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  unto  God. 

In  a  word,  if  justification  be  considered  in  its  full  and  just  latitude, 
neither  Christ's  work  without  us,  in  the  prepared  body,  nor  his  work 
within  us,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  is  to  be  excluded ;  for  both  have  their 
place  and  service  in  our  complete  justification.  By  the  propitiatory 
sacrifice  of  Christ  without  us,  we,  truly  repenting  and  believing,  are, 
through  the  mercy  of  God,  justified  from  the  imputation  of  sins  and 
transgressions  that  are  past,  as  though  they  had  never  been  com- 
mitted ;  and  by  the  mighty  work  of  Christ  within  us,  the  power, 
nature  and  habits  of  sin  are  destroyed;  that,  as  sin  once  reigned  unto 
death,  even  so  now  grace  reignefh,  through  righteousness,  unto 
eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  All  this  is  effected,  not  by  a 
bare  or  naked   act  of  faith,  separate  from  obedience,  but  in  the 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS  217 

obedience  of  faith ;  Christ  being  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to 
none  but  those  that  obey  him. 

The  Society  of  Friends  believes  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection 
both  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ;  the  one  to  eternal  life  and 
blessedness,  and  the  other  to  everlasting  misery  and  torment ;  agree- 
ably to  Matt.  XXV.  31-46,  John  v.  25-30,  1  Cor.  xv.  12-58.  That 
God  will  judge  the  world  by  that  Man  whom  he  hath  ordained,  even 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  who  will  render  unto  every  man  according  to 
his  works;  to  them,  who  by  patient  continuing  in  well-doing  during 
this  life  seek  for  glory  and  honour,  immortality  and  eternal  life ;  but 
unto  the  contentious  and  disobedient,  who  obey  not  the  truth,  but 
obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish 
upon  every  soul  of  man  that  sinneth,  for  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons. 

The  religious  Society  of  Friends  has  always  believed  that  the  holy 
scriptures  were  written  by  divine  inspiration,  and  contain  a  declara- 
tion of  all  the  fundamental  doctrines  and  principles  relating  to  eternal 
life  and  salvation,  and  that  whatsoever  doctrine  or  practice  is  con- 
trary to  them,  is  to  be  rejected  as  false  and  erroneous ;  that  they  are 
a  declaration  of  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  in  and  to  the  several  ages 
in  which  they  were  written,  and  are  obligatory  on  us,  and  are  to  be 
read,  believed  and  fulfilled  by  the  assistance  of  divine  grace.  Though 
it  does  not  call  them  "  the  Word  of  God,"  believing  that  epithet  pe- 
culiarly applicable  to  the  Lord  Jesus ;  yet  it  believes  them  to  be  the 
words  of  God,  written  by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost;  that  they  were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we,  through  pa- 
tience and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  might  have  hope;  and  that  they 
are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation,"  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus.  It  looks  upon  them  as  the  only  fit  outward  judge  and  test  of 
controversies  among  Christians,  and  is  very  willing  that  all  its  doq- 
trines  and  practices  should  be  tried  by  them,  freely  admitting  that 
whatsoever  any  do,  pretending  to  the  spirit,  which  is  contrary  to  the 
scriptures,  be  condemned  as  a  delusion  of  the  devil. 

As  there  is  one  Lord  and  one  faith,  so  there  is  but  one  baptism,  of 
which  the  water  baptism  of  John  was  a  figure.  The  baptism  which 
belongs  to  the  gospel,  the  Society  of  Friends  believes,  is  "  not  the 
putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science toward  God,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  This 
answer  of  a  good  conscience  can  only  be  produced  by  the  purifying 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  transforming  and  renewing  the  heart, 
and  bringing  the  will  into  conformity  to  the  divine  will.  The  dis- 
tinction between  Christ's  baptism  and  that  of  water  is  clearly  pointed 


gjg  HISTORY  OF  THE 

out  by  John  :  "  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water  unto  repentance,  but 
he  that  comcth  after  me  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not 
•worthy  to  bear,  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire, 
whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor  and 
gather  his  wheal  into  the  garner,  but  he  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with 
unquenchable  fire." 

In  conformity  with  this  declaration,  the  society  holds  that  the  bap- 
tism which  now  saves  is  inward  and  spiritual;  that  true  Christians 
are  "baptized  by  one  Spirit  into  one  body;"  that  "as  many  as  are 
baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ;"  and  that  "if  any  man  be  in 
Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature :  old  things  are  passed  away,  behold  all 
things  are  become  new,  and  all  things  of  God." 

Respecting  the  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Society  of  Friends  believes,  that  it  is  inward  and 
spiritual — a  real  participation  of  his  divine  nature  through  faith  in 
him,  and  obedience  to  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  which  the 
soul  is  enabled  daily  to  feed  upon  the  flesh  and  blood  of  our  crucified 
and  risen  Lord,  and  is  thus  nourished  and  strengthened.  Of  this 
spiritual  communion,  the  breaking  of  bread  and  drinking  of  wine  by 
our  Saviour  with  his  disciples  was  figurative;  the  true  Christian 
supper  being  that  set  forth  in  the  Revelations :  "  Behold,  I  stand  at 
the  door  and  knock;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I 
will  come  in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me." 

As  the  Lord  Jesus  declared,  "  Without  me,  ye  can  do  nothing," 
the  Society  of  Friends  holds  the  doctrine  that  man  can  do  nothing 
that  tends  to  the  glory  of  God  and  his  own  salvation  without  the  im- 
mediate assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  and  that  this  aid  is  espe- 
cially necessary  in  the  performance  of  the  highest  act  of  which  he  is 
capable,  even  the  worship  of  the  Almighty.  This  worship  must  be 
ip  spirit  and  in  truth;  an  intercourse  between  the  soul  and  its  great 
Creator,  which  is  not  dependent  upon,  or  necessarily  connected  with, 
any  thing  which  one  man  can  do  for  another.  It  is  the  practice 
therefore  of  the  society  to  sit  down  in  solemn  silence  to  w^orship 
God;  that  each  one  may  be  engaged  to  gather  inward  to  the  gift  of 
divine  grace,  in  order  to  experience  ability  reverently  to  wait  upon 
the  Father  of  spirits,  and  to  offer  unto  him  through  Christ  Jesus  our 
holy  Mediator,  a  sacrifice  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  whether  it  be, 
in  silent  mental  adoration,  the  secret  breathing  of  the  soul  unto  him, 
the  public  ministry  of  the  gospel,  or  vocal  prayer  or  thanksgiving. 
Those,  who  are  thus  gathered,  arc  the  true  worshippers,  "  who  wor- 
ship God  in  the  spirit,  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confi- 
dence in  the  flesh." 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  3I9 

In  relation  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  the  society  holds  that  the 
authority  and  qualification  for  this  important  work  are  the  special 
gift  of  Christ  Jesus,  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  bestowed  both 
upon  men  and  women,  without  distinction  of  rank,  talent,  or  learning; 
and  must  be  received  immediately  from  him,  through  the  revelation 
of  his  spirit  in  the  heart;  agreeably  to  the  declarations  of  the  apostle: 
"  He  gave  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists, 
and  some  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  purifying  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ" — "  to  one 
is  given  by  the  Spirit,  the  word  of  wisdom,  to  another  the  word  of 
knowledge,  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another  faith  ;  to  another  the  gifts 
of  healing — to  another  the  working  of  miracles, — to  another  pro- 
phecy— to  another  discerning  of  spirits ;  to  another  divers  kinds  of 
tongues ;  to  another  the  interpretation  of  tongues ; — but  all  these 
worketh  that  one  and  the  selfsame  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man 
severally  as  he  will."  "  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the 
oracles  of  God;  if  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability 
which  God  giveth ;  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified  through 
Jesus  Christ." 

Viewing  the  command  of  our  Saviour,  "Freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give,"  as  of  lasting  obligation  upon  all  his  ministers,  the  society 
has,  from  the  first,  steadfastly  maintained  the  doctrine  that  the  gospel 
is  to  be  preached  without  money  and  without  price,  and  has  borne 
a  constant  and  faithful  testimony,  through  much  suffering,  against  a 
man-made  hireling  ministry,  which  derives  its  qualification  and  autho- 
rity from  human  learning  and  ordination ;  whicli  does  not  recognise 
a  direct  divine  call  to  this  solemn  work,  or  acknowledge  its  depend- 
ence, for  the  performance  of  it,  upon  the  renewed  motions  and  assist- 
ance of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Where  a  minister  believes  himself  called  to 
religious  service  abroad,  the  expense  of  accomplishing  which  is  beyond 
his  means,  if  his  brethren  unite  with  his  engaging  in  it  and  set  him 
at  liberty  therefor,  the  meeting  he  belongs  to  is  required  to  see  that 
the  service  be  not  hindered  for  want  of  pecuniary  means. 

The  Society  of  Friends  believes  that  war  is  wholly  at  variance 
with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  which  continually  breathes  peace  on 
earth  and  good-will  to  men.  That,  as  the  reign  of  the  Prince  of 
peace  comes  to  be  set  up  in  the  hearts  of  men,  nation  shall  not  lift 
up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more. 
They  receive,  in  their  full  and  literal  signification,  the  plain  and 
positive  commands  of  Christ:  "I  say  unto  you  that  ye  resist  not 
evil,  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him 
the  other  also," — "  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies ;  bless  them 


320 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


llial  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
that  dcspitcfully  use  you  and  persecute  you,  that  ye  may  be  the  chil- 
dren of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  They  consider  these  to 
be  binding  on  every  Christian,  and  that  the  observance  of  them  would 
eradicate  from  the  human  heart  those  malevolent  passions  in  which 
strife  and  warfare  originate. 

In  the  same  manner,  the  society  believes  itself  bound  by  the  express 
command  of  our  Lord :  "  Swear  not  at  all,"  and  that  of  the  apostle 
James;  "But  above  all  things,  my  brethren,  swear  not;  neither  by 
heaven,  neither  by  the  earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath  ;  but  let  your 
yea  be  yea  and  your  nay  nay,  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation;"  and 
therefore,  its  members  refuse,  for  conscience'  sake,  either  to  administer 
or  to  take  an  oath. 

Consistently  with  its  belief  in  the  purity  and  spirituality  of  the  gos- 
pel, the  society  cannot  conscientiously  unite  in  the  observance  of 
public  fasts,  and  feasts,  and  holy  days,  set  up  in  the  will  of  man. 
It  believes  that  the  fast  we  are  called  to,  is  not  bowing  the  head 
as  a  bulrush  for  a  day,  and  abstaining  from  meats  or  drinks;  but  a 
continued  fasting  from  every  thing  of  a  sinful  nature,  which  would 
unfit  the  soul  for  being  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  holds 
that  under  the  gospel  dispensation  there  is  no  inherent  holiness  in 
any  one  day  above  another,  but  that  every  day  is  to  be  kept  alike 
holy  ;  by  denying  ourselves,  taking  up  our  cross  daily  and  following 
Christ.  Hence  it  cannot  pay  a  superstitious  reverence  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week ;  but  inasmuch  as  it  is  necessary  that  some  time 
should  be  set  apart  to  meet  together  to  wait  upon  God,  and  as  it  is 
fit  that  at  some  times  we  should  be  freed  from  other  outward  atrairs, 
and  as  it  is  reasonable  and  just  that  servants  and  beasts  should  have 
some  time  allowed  them  for  rest  from  their  labour;  and  as  it  appears 
that  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  used  the  first  day  of  the 
week  for  these  purposes :  the  society,  therefore,  observes  this  day  as  a 
season  of  cessation  from  all  unnecessary  labour,  and  for  religious 
retirement  and  waiting  upon  God  ;  yet  not  so  as  to  prevent  them  from 
meeting  on  other  days  of  the  week  for  divine  worship. 

The  society  has  long  borne  a  testimony  against  the  crying  sin  of 
enslaving  the  human  species,  as  entirely  at  variance  with  the  com- 
mands of  our  Saviour,  and  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  religion ;  and 
likewise  against  the  unnecessary  use  of  intoxicating  liquors. 

Friends  believe  magistracy  or  civil  government  to  be  God's  ordinance, 
the  good  ends  thereof  being  for  the  punishment  of  evil-doers,  and  the 
praise  of  them  that  do  well.  While  they  feel  themselves  restrained  by 
the  pacific  principles  of  the  gospel  from  joining  in  any  warlike  measures 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS.  321 

to  pull  down,  set  up,  or  defend  any  particular  government:  they  con- 
sider it  a  duty  to  live  peaceably  under  whatever  form  of  government 
it  shall  please  Divine  Providence  to  permit  to  be  set  up  over  them  ; 
to  obey  the  laws  so  far  as  they  do  not  violate  their  consciences ;  and, 
where  an  active  compliance  would  infringe  on  their  religious  scru- 
ples, to  endure  patiently  the  penalties  imposed  upon  them.  The 
society  discourages  its  members  from  accepting  posts  or  offices  in  civil 
government  which  expose  them  to  the  danger  of  violating  our  Chris- 
tian testimonies  against  war,  oaths,  &c.,  and  also  from  engaging  in 
political  strife  and  party  heats  and  disputes,  believing  that  the  work 
to  which  we  are  particularly  called,  is  to  labour  for  the  spread  of  the 
peaceful  reign  of  the  Messiah. 

It  also  forbids  its  members  to  go  to  law  with  each  other ;  enjoining 
them  to  settle  their  disputes,  if  any  arise,  through  the  arbitration  of 
their  brethren ;  and  if  peculiar  circumstances,  such  as  the  cases  of 
executors,  trustees,  &c.,  render  this  course  impracticable  or  unsafe, 
and  liberty  is  obtained  to  bring  the  matter  into  court,  that  they  should 
on  such  occasions,  as  well  as  in  suits  vvith  other  persons,  conduct 
themselves  with  moderation  and  forbearance,  without  anger  or  animo- 
sity; and  in  their  whole  demeanour  evince  that  they  are  under  the 
government  of  a  divine  principle,  and  that  nothing  but  the  neces- 
sity of  the  case  brings  them  there. 

Jn  conformity  with  the  precepts  and  examples  of  the  apostles  and 
primitive  believers,  the  society  enjoins  upon  its  members  a  simple  and 
unostentatious  mode  of  living,  free  from  needless  care  and  expense; 
moderation  in  the  pursuit  of  business ;  and  that  they  discountenance 
music,  dancing,  stage  plays,  horse  races,  and  all  other  vain  and  un- 
profitable amusements;  as  well  as  the  changeable  fashions  and  man- 
ners of  the  world,  in  dress,  language,  or  the  furniture  of  their  houses; 
that,  daily  living  in  the  fear  of  God  and  under  the  power  of  the  cross 
of  Christ,  which  crucifies  to  the  world  and  all  its  lusts,  they  may 
show  forth  a  conduct  and  conversation  becoming  their  Christian  pro- 
fession, and  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things. 

In  the  year  1827,  a  portion  of  the  members  in  some  of  the  Ame- 
rican yearly  meetings,  seceded  from  the  society,  and  set  up  a  distinct 
and  independent  association,  but  still  holding  to  the  name  of  Friends. 
The  document  issued  by  the  first  meeting  they  held,  bearing  date 
the  21st  of  4lh  month  1827,  and  stating  the  causes  of  their  secession, 
says,  "  Doctrines  held  by  one  part  of  society,  and  which  we  believe 
to  be  sound  and  edifying,  are  pronounced  by  the  other  part  to  be  un- 
sound and  spurious."  The  doctrines,  here  alluded  to,  were  certain 
opinions  promulgated  by  Elias  Hicks,  denying  or  invalidating  the 


322  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS  OR  QUAKERS. 

miraculous  conception,  divinity  and  atonement  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  also  the  authenticity  and  divine  authority  of  the  holy 
scriptures.  These,  with  some  other  notions,  were  so  entirely  repug- 
nant to  the  acknowledged  and  settled  principles  of  the  society,  that  en- 
deavours were  used  to  prevent  the  promulgation  of  them.  The  friends 
and  admirers  of  Elias  Hicks  and  his  principles  were  dissatisfied  with 
this  opposition  to  their  views;  and  after  some  years  of  fruitless  effort 
to  get  the  control  of  the  meetings  of  Friends,  they  finally  withdrew 
and  set  up  meetings  of  their  own.  In  this  secession  some  members 
in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Ohio  and  Indiana  yearly 
meetings,  and  a  few  in  New  England  went  off  from  the  society.  In 
the  others;  viz.  London,  Dublin,  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  no 
separation  took  place.  This  new  society,  (commonly  known  by  the 
appellation  of  Hicksites,  after  the  name  of  its  founder,)  being  still  in 
existence,  claiming  the  title  of  Friends,  and  making  a  similar  appear- 
ance in  dress  and  language,  some  notice  of  the  separation  seemed 
necessary,  in  order  to  prevent  confusion. 


PUIENDS. 

BY    WILLIAM   GIBBONS,    M.D., 

WILMINGTON,  DELAWARE. 

Note. — In  the  following  sketch,  I  have  given  what  I  believe  to  be 
the  doctrines  of  that  portion  of  the  Society  of  Friends  of  which  I  am 
a  member.  No  doubt  there  are  different  opinions  among  them,  as 
there  were  among  primitive  Friends,  on  some  subjects  not  reducible 
to  practice,  or  in  regard  to  which  we  cannot  appeal  to  experience, 
and  which,  in  reference  to  scripture,  may  be  differently  understood. 
I  alone  am  responsible  for  what  I  have  written — the  society  having 
no  written  creed. 

William  Gibbons. 
Wilmington,  Del.,  7th  month,  1843. 

ORIGIN    OF    THE    SOCIETY. 

The  Society  of  Friends  originated  in  England  about  the  middle  of 
the  17th  century.  The  chief  instrument  in  the  divine  hand  for  the 
gathering  and  establishment  of  this  religious  body  was  George  Fox. 
He  was  born  in  the  year  1624.  He  was  carefully  educated  accord- 
ing to  the  received  views  of  religion,  and  in  conformity  with  the 
established  mode  of  worship.  His  natural  endowments  of  mind, 
although  they  derived  but  little  advantage  from  the  aid  of  art,  were 
evidently  of  a  very  superior  order.  The  character  of  this  extraordi- 
nary man  it  will  not,  however,  be  necessary  here  to  describe  with 
critical  minuteness.  The  reader,  who  may  be  desirous  of  acquiring 
more  exact  information  on  this  head,  is  referred  to  the  journal  of  his 
life,  an  interesting  piece  of  autobiography,  written  in  a  simple  and 
unembellished  style,  and  containing  a  plain  and  unstudied  narration 
of  facts.  By  this  it  appears,  that  in  very  early  life  he  indulged  a 
vein  of  thoughtfulness  and  a  deep  tone  of  religious  feeling,  which, 
increasing  with  his  years,  were  the  means  of  preserving  him,  in  a 
remarkable   degree,  free  from  the  contamination  of  evil  example 


324  HISTORY  OF  THE 

by  which  he  was  surrounded.  The  period  in  which  he  lived  was 
distinguished  by  a  spirit  of  anxious  inquiry,  and  a  great  appearance 
of  zeal,  on  the  subject  of  rehgion.  The  manners  of  the  age  were 
nevertheless  deeply  tinctured  with  licentiousness,  which  pervaded  all 
classes  of  society,  not  excepting  professors  of  religion.  Under  these 
circumstances,  George  Fox  soon  became  dissatisfied  with  the  mode 
of  worship  in  which  he  had  been  educated.  Withdrawing,  therefore, 
from  the*  public  communion,  he  devoted  himself  to  retirement,  to 
inward  meditation,  and  the  study  of  the  scriptures.  While  thus 
engaged  in  an  earnest  pursuit  of  divine  knowledge,  his  mind  became 
gradually  enlightened  to  discover  the  nature  of  true  religion  ;  that  it 
consisted  not  in  outward  profession,  nor  in  external  forms  and  cere- 
monies, but  in  purity  of  heart,  and  an  upright  walking  before  God. 
He  was  instructed  to  comprehend,  that  the  means  by  which  those 
necessary  characteristics  of  true  devotion  were  to  be  acquired  were 
not  of  a  secondary  or  remote  nature ;  that  the  Supreme  Being  still 
condescended,  as  in  former  days,  to  communicate  his  will  imme- 
diately to  the  soul  of  man,  through  the  medium  of  his  own  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  that  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  this  inward  and  heavenly 
monitor  constituted  the  basis  of  true  piety,  and  the  only  certain 
ground  of  divine  favour  and  acceptance.  The  convictions,  thus  pro- 
duced in  his  own  mind,  he  did  not  hesitate  openly  to  avow.  In 
defiance  of  clerical  weight  and  influence,  he  denounced  all  human 
usurpation  and  interference  in  matters  of  religion,  and  boldly  pro- 
claimed that  "  God  was  come  to  teach  his  people  himself."  The 
novelty  of  his  views  attracted  general  attention,  and  exposed  him  to 
much  obloquy;  but  his  honesty  and  uprightness  won  him  the  esteem 
and  approbation  of  the  more  candid  and  discerning.  Persevering, 
through  every  obstacle,  in  a  faithful  testimony  to  the  simplicity  of 
the  truth,  he  found  many  persons  who,  entertaining  kindred  impres- 
sions with  himself,  were  fully  prepared  not  only  to  adopt  his  views, 
but  pubUcly  to  advocate  them.  The  violent  persecution  which  they 
encountered,  served  only  to  invigorate  their  zeal  and  multiply  the 
number  of  their  converts.  United  on  a  common  ground  of  inward 
conviction,  endeared  still  more  to  each  other  by  a  participation  of 
suffering,  and  aware  of  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  systematic 
co-operation :  George  Fox  and  his  friends  soon  became  embodied  in 
an  independent  religious  community. 

Such  is  a  brief  history  of  the  rise  of  (he  people  called  Quakers : 
to  which  I  will  only  add,  that  the  society  continued  to  increase 
rapidly  till  near  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  through  a  most 
cruel  and  widely-extended  persecution.     Between  the  years   1G50 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS.  325 

and  1689,  about  fourteen  thousand  of  this  people  suffered  by  fine  and 
imprisonment,  of  wiiich  number  more  tiian  three  hundred  died  in 
jail;  not  to  mention  cruel  mockings,  buffetings,  scourgings,  and 
afflictions  innumerable.  All  these  things  they  bore  with  exemplary 
patience  and  fortitude,  not  returning  evil  for  evil,  but  breathing  the 
prayer,  in  the  expressive  language  of  conduct,  "  Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do  !"  The  testimonies  for  which 
they  principally  suffered,  were  those  against  a  hireling  priesthood, 
tithes  and  oaths ;  against  doing  homage  to  man  with  "  cap  and 
knee ;"  and  against  using  flattering  titles  and  compliments,  and  the 
plural  number  to  a  single  person. 

I  am  next  to  speak  of  their  religious  principles,  which  are  found 
embodied  in  their  testimonies. 


DOCTRINES    OF   THE    SOCIETY. 

The  Society  of  Friends  has  never  formed  a  creed  after  the  man- 
ner of  other  religious  denominations.  We  view  Christianity  essen- 
tially as  a  practical  and  not  a  theoretical  system ;  and  hence  to  be 
exemplified  and  recognised  in  the  lives  and  conduct  of  its  professors. 
We  also  hold  that  belief,  in  this  connexion,  does  not  consist  in  a 
mere  assent  of  the  natural  understanding,  but  in  a  clear  conviction 
wrought  by  the  Divine  Spirit  in  the  soul.  (1  John  v.  10.)  For  that 
which  here  challenges  our  belief  involves  a  knowledge  of  God ;  and 
no  man  knoweth  the  things  of  God  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  (1  Cor. 
ii.  11.)  Again,  religion  is  a  progressive  work :  "There  is  first  the 
blade,  then  the  ear,  and  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear."  (Mark 
iv.  28.)  "  And  some  there  are  who  have  need  of  milk,  and  not  of 
strong  meat;  and  every  one  that  useth  milk  is  unskilful  in  the  work 
of  righteousness :  for  he  is  a  babe."  (Heb.  v.  12,  13.) 

Seeing,  therefore,  that  there  are  different  growths  and  degrees  of 
knowledge  in  the  members  of  the  body,  we  cannot  but  view  the  prac- 
tice of  requiring  them  to  subscribe  to  the  same  creed,  or  articles  of 
faith,  as  a  pernicious  excrescence  ingrafted  on  the  Christian  system. 
And  hence  we  prefer  judging  of  our  members  by  their  fruits,  and 
leaving  them  to  be  taught  in  the  school  of  Christ,  under  the  tuition  of 
an  infallible  teacher,  free  from  the  shackles  imposed  by  the  vv^isdom 
or  contrivance  of  man. 

Our  testimony  to  the  light  of  Christ  ivithin. — We  believe  a  know- 
ledge of  the  gospel  to  be  founded  on  immediate  revelation.  (Matt.  xvi. 
18;  1  Cor.  ii.  10,  11,  12;  John  xiv.  26.)'  Being  the  antitype  of  the 
legal  dispensation,  it  is  spiritual  as  its  author,  and  as  the  soul  which 


338 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


it  purifies  and  redeems.  (Rom.  i.  IG.)  Under  the  gospel  dispensation, 
the  temple,  (1  Cor.  v.  19  ;  Acts  vii.  48,)  altar,  (Heb.  xiii.  10,)  sacri- 
fices, (I  Pet.  ii.  5,)  the  flesh  and  blood,  (John  vi.  53-63,)  water  and 
fire,  (John  vii.  37,  38;  iv.  14;  Matt.  iii.  11,)  cleansing  and  wor- 
ship, (John  iv.  23,  24,)  are  all  spiritual*  Instituted  by  the  second 
Adam,  the  gospel  restores  to  us  the  privileges  and  blessings  enjoyed 
by  the  first ;  the  same  pure,  spiritual  worship,  the  same  union  and 
communion  with  our  Maker.  (John  xvii.  21.)  Such  are  our  views 
of  the  Christian  religion ;  a  religion  freely  offered  to  the  whole  human 
race,  (Hob.  viii.  10,  11,)  requiring  neither  priest  nor  book  to  admi- 
nister or  to  illustrate  it,  (1  John  ii.  27  ;  Rom.  x.  6,  7,  8) ;  for  all  out- 
\vard  rites  and  ceremonials  are,  to  this  religion,  but  clogs  or  cumbrous 
appendages,  God  himself  being  its  author,  its  voucher,  and  its  teacher. 
(John  xiv.  26 ;  1  Cor.  ii.  9-12.)  These  are  not  speculations  or 
notions,  for  we  speak  of  what  we  do  know,  "  and  our  hands  have 
handled  of  the  word  of  life."  (1  John  i.  1.) 

Such  is  a  summary  of  the  religion  held  and  taught  by  the  primitive 
"Quakers;"  from  which  I  descend  to  a  few  particulars,  as  a  further 
exposition  of  their  and  our  principles. 

The  message  which  they  received  is  the  same  given  to  the  apos- 
tles, that  "God  is  hght,  and  in  him  there  is  no  darkness  at  all,"  (1 
John  i.  G,  7)  :  and  their  great  fundamental  principle  to  which  they 
bear  testimony  is,  that  God  hath  given  to  every  man  coming  into  the 
world,  and  placed  within  him,  a  measure  or  manifestation  of  this 
divine  light,  grace,  or  spirit  which,  if  obeyed,  is  all-sufficient  to  re- 
deem or  save  him.  (John  iii.  19,  20;  i.  9;  Tit.  ii.  11  ;  1  Cor.  xii. 
7.)  It  is  referred  to  and  illustrated  in  the  scriptures,  by  the  prophets, 
and  by  Jesus  Christ  and  his  disciples  and  apostles,  under  various 
names  and  similitudes.  But  the  thing  we  believe  to  be  one,  even  as 
God  is  one  and  his  purpose  one  and  the  same  in  all,  viz.  repentance, 
regeneration,  and  final  redemption.  It  is  called  lighl — of  which  the 
light  of  the  natural  sun  is  a  beautiful  and  instructive  emblem  ;  for  this 
divine  light,  like  the  natural,  enables  us  to  distinguish  with  indubi- 
table clearness  all  that  concerns  us  in  the  works  of  salvation,  and  its 
blessings  are  as  impartially,  freely,  and  universally  dispensed  to  the 
spiritual,  as  the  other  is  to  the  outward  creation.  It  is  called  grace, 
and  grace  of  God,  because  freely  bestowed  on  us  by  his  bounty  and 
enduring  love.  (John  xiv.  16,  26.) 

It  is  called  truth,  as  being  the  substance  of  all  types  and  shadows, 

*  Vid.  Christian  Quaker,  Phila.  edition,  1824,  p.  52.  I.  Pennington,  vol.  i.  p.  360;  vol. 
ii.  pp.  115,  116,  281,  282,     Whitehead's  Light  and  Life  of  Christ,  pp.  48,  49. 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS.  327 

and  imparting  to  man  a  true  sense  and  view  of  his  condition,  as  it  is 
in  the  divine  sight.  It  is  called  Christ  (Rom.  viii.  10 ;  x.  6,  7, 8)  ;  Christ 
within,  the  hope  of  glory  (Col.  i.  27) ;  the  kingdom  of  God  within 
(Luke  xvii.  21) ;  the  word  of  God  (Heb.  iv.  12,  13) ;  a  manifestation 
of  the  Spirit,  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal  (1  Cor.  xii.  7) ;  the 
seed  (Luke  viii.  11);  a  still  small  voice  (1  Kings  xix.  12);  because 
most  certainly  heard  in  a  state  of  retirement,  but  drowned  by  the  ex- 
citement of  the  passions,  the  rovings  of  the  imagination,  and  the  eager 
pursuit  of  worldly  objects.  "  And  thine  ear  shall  hear  a  word  behind 
thee  saying,  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it — when  ye  turn  to  the 
right  hand,  and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left." 

It  is  compared  to  a  "  grain  of  mustard  seed,  the  smallest  of  all 
seeds,"  being  at  first  little  in  its  appearance  ;  but,  as  it  is  obeyed, 
growing  and  extending  like  that  plant,  until  it  occupies  the  whole 
ground  of  the  heart,  and  thus  expands  into  and  sets  up  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  the  souk  (Luke  xiii.  19.)  For  the  like  reason  it  is  com- 
pared to  "  a  little  leaven,  which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three  mea- 
sures of  meal,*  until  the  whole  was  leavened,"  or  brought  into  its  own 
nature.  (Luke  xiii.  21.) 

This  unspeakable  gift,  through  the  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
the  divine  economy,  speaks  to  every  man's  condition,  supplies  all  his 
spiritual  need,  and  is  a  present  and  all-sufficient  help  in  every  emer- 
gency and  trial.  To  the  obedient  it  proves  a  "  comforter,"  under 
temptation  a  "  monitor,"  and  a  "  swift  witness"  against  the  trans- 
gressor. It  is  a  "  quickening  spirit"  to  rouse  the  indifferent ;  "  like  a 
refiner's  fire,  and  like  fuller's  soap,  purifying  the  unclean ;"  and  as  a 
"  hammer"  to  the  heart  of  the  obdurate  sinner ;  and  in  all,  an  infal- 
lible teacher,  and  guide  to  virtue  and  holiness.f 

And  as  there,  are  diversities  of  operations  and  administrations,  so 
also  there  are  diversities  of  gifts  bestowed  on  the  members  of  the 
body  (I  Cor.  xii.  4-12) :  "The  Spirit  dividing  to  every  man  seve- 
rally as  he  will,"  in  order  that  every  office  and  service  in  the  church 
militant  may  be  performed,  to  preserve  its  health,  strength,  and 
purity.  And  thus  by  one  and  the  "  self  same  spirit,"  "  we  are  all 
baptized  into  one  body,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  bond  or 
free;  and  all  are  made  to  drink  into  one  spirit."  (1  Cor.  xii.  13.) 

*  A  measure  was  two  and  a  half  gallons;  the  quantity  of  meal  was,  therefore,  nearly 
one  bushel. 

t  For  a  further  exposition  of  this  fundamental  principle  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  following  works  :  Barclay,  pp.  78,  81,  82  ;  George  Fo.x,  "Great 
Mystery,"  pp.  140,  142,  188,  217,  245;  Christian  Quaker,  Phila.  edition,  1824,  pp.  198, 
200  ;  lb.  pp.  5  to  55 ;  George  Fox's  Journal,  passim ;  Stephen  Crisp's  Sermon  at  Grace 
Church  Street,  May  24,  1688. 


328 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Divine  internal  light  is  often  confounded  with  conscience,  and  thus 
inferences  arc  drawn  against  the  truth  of  the  doctrine.  But  this  prin- 
ciple is  as  distinct  from  that  natural  faculty,  as  the  light  of  the  sun  is 
distinct  from  the  eye  on  which  it  operates.  From  a  wrong  education, 
and  from  habitual  transgression,  the  judgment  becomes  perverted  or 
darkened,  and  often  "  calls  evil  good  and  good  evil ;"  and  conscience 
being  swayed  by  the  judgment  responds  to  its  decisions,  and  accuses 
or  excuses  accordingly.  In  this  manner  conscience  becomes  cor- 
rupted and  defiled.  Now  it  is  our  belief  that,  if  the  discoveries  made 
and  monitions  given  by  divine  light,  to  the  mind,  were  strictly  at- 
tended to ;  it  would  correct  and  reform  the  erring  conscience  and 
judgment,  and  dissipate  the  darkness  in  which  the  mind  becomes  in- 
volved. 

Such  is  our  testimony  to  the  great  fundamental  'principle  in  religion, 
as  we  believe  and  understand  it.  We  exclude  speculative  opinions. 
If  the  reader  be  dissatisfied  with  our  impersonal  form  of  expression, 
let  him  change  it  and  it  will  be  a  change  of  name  only.  We  dispute 
not  about  names. 

We  believe  in  the  divinity  of  Christ — not  of  the  outward  body,  but 
of  the  spirit  which  dwelt  in  it — a  divinity  not  self-existing  and  inde- 
pendent, but  derived  from  the  Father,  being  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  God 
in  Christ.  "  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself,"  said  Christ ;  and 
again,  "  I  can  of  mine  own  self  do  nothing"  (John  v.  19,  30) ;  and  in 
another  place,  "The  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me  he  doeth  the  work" 
(John  xiv.  10) ;  "  As  my  Father  hath  taught  me,  I  speak  these  things" 
(John  viii.  28) ;  "  Even  as  the  Father  said  unto  me,  so  I  speak,"  (John 
xii,  50.)* 

We  reject  the  common  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  Satisfaction, 
as  contrary  to  reason  and  revelation,  and  for  a  more  full  expression 
of  our  views  on  these  subjects,  we  refer  the  inquiring  reader  to  the 
works  below  cited.f  We  are  equally  far  from  owning  the  doctrine 
of  "  imputed  righteousness,"  in  the  manner  and  form  in  which  it  is 
held.  We  believe  there  must  be  a  true  righteousness  of  heart  and 
life,  wrought  in  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  Christ  within ;  in  which 

*  See  also  John  iii.  34  ;  v.  26,  36 ;  vi.  38,  57  ;  vii.  16  ;  viii.  28,  42  ;  xii.  49  ;  I.  Pen- 
nington,  vol.  iii.  pp.  61,  62,  236  ;  Whitehead's  Light  and  Life  of  Christ,  p.  35;  Thomas 
Zaehary,  p.  6 ;  Win.  Pcnn,  vol.  ii.  pp.  65,  66  ;  Edward  Burrough,  p.  637 ;  Wm.  Baily,  pp. 
157,  158  ;  Stephen  Crisp,  pp.  7.5,  76. 

+  Wm.  Penn's  "Sandy  Foundation  Shaken,"  passim  ;  I.  Pennington,  vol.  ii.  pp.  115, 
116, 427  ;  vol.  iii.  pp.  32,  34,  54,  61,  62, 135,  226,236 ;  Job  Scott's  "  Salvation  by  Christ," 
pp.  16,  22,  24,  25,  29,  30,  35 ;  Christian  Quaker,  pp.  34,  135, 199,  262, 276,  350,  354,369, 
405  ;  Wm.  Penn's  Works,  fol.  ed.  vol.  ii.  pp.  65,  C6,  420,  421  ;  vol.  v.  p.  385  ;  Wm.  Baily, 
pp.  157,  158  ;  T.  Story's  Journal,  p.  385 ;  Fox's  Doctrinals,  pp.  644,  646,  664,  1035. 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS.  339 

work  we  impute  all  to  him,  for  of  ourselves  we  can  do  nothing.  Nei- 
ther do  we  admit  that  the  sins  of  Adam  are,  in  any  sense,  imputed  to 
his  posterity ;  but  we  believe  that  no  one  incurs  the  guilt  of  sin,  until 
he  transgresses  the  law  of  God  in  his  own  person.  (Deut.  i.  39  ;  Ezek. 
xvii.  10-24;  Matt.  xxi.  16;  Mark  x.  14,  15,  16;  Rom.  ix.  11.)  In 
that  fallen  state,  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  are  ever  extended  for  his 
regeneration  and  redemption.  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  sent 
his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world,  in  that  prepared  body,  under  the 
former  dispensation,  for  the  salvation  of  men.  And  it  is  through  the 
same  redeeming  love,  and  for  the  same  purpose  that,  under  the  "  new 
covenant,"  he  now  sends  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  our  hearts,  a  me- 
diator and  intercessor,  to  reconcile  us,  and  render  us  obedient  to  the 
holy  will  and  righteous  law  of  God.  We  believe  that  all,  that  is  to 
be  savingly  known  of  God,  is  made  manifest  or  revealed  in  man  by 
his  Spirit  (Rom.  i.  19) ;  and  if  mankind  had  been  satisfied  to  rest  here, 
and  had  practised  on  the  knowledge  thus  communicated,  there  would 
never  have  existed  a  controversy  about  religion,  and  no  materials 
could  now  have  been  found  for  the  work,  of  which  this  essay  forms 
a  part.  (Deut.  xxviii.  15,  29.) 

Our  testimony  concerning  the  Scriptures, — We  believe  that  the 
scriptures  have  proceeded  from  the  revelations  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
to  the  saints ;  and  this  belief  is  founded  on  evidence  furnished  by  the 
same  Spirit  to  our  minds.  We  experience  them  to  be  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness. 
But  as  they  are  a  declaration  from  the  fountain  only,  and  not  the 
fountain  itself,  they  bear  the  same  inscription  as  the  sun-dial :  "Kon 
sine  lumine'^ — useless,  or  a  dead  letter,  without  light  ;*  because  the 
right  interpretation,  authority  and  certainty  of  them,  and,  conse- 
quently, their  usefulness,  depend  on  the  assurance  and  evidence  of 
the  same  Spirit  by  which  they  were  dictated,  given  to  the  mind  of 
the  reader.  (2  Cor.  iii.  6.)  For,  although  we  believe  that  we  may  be 
helped  and  strengthened  by  outward  means,  such  as  the  scriptures, 
and  an  authorized  gospel  ministry :  yet  it  is  only  by  the  Spirit  that 
we  can  come  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God,  and  be  led  "  into  all 
truth."  Under  these  several  considerations,  we  cannot  accept  these 
writings  as  the  foundation  and  ground  of  all  religious  knowledge,  nor 
as  the  primary  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  since  these  high  attributes 
belong  to  the  divine  Spirit  alone,  by  which  the  scriptures  themselves 
are  tested.  Neither  do  we  confound  cause  and  eflfect  by  styling 
them  the  **  Word  of  God,"  which  title  belongs  to  Christ  alone,  the 

»  Phipp's  "  Original  and  Present  State  of  Man." 
22 


330 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


fountain  from  which  they  proceeded.    (Eph.  vi.  17;  Heb.  iv.  12; 
Rev.  xix.  13.) 

Ou7'  testimony  on  Divine  Worship,  the  Ministry,  ^c. — We  believe 
that  they,  that  worship  the  Father  aright,  must  worship  him  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  and  not  in  a  formal  manner.  (John  iv.  24.)  Hence, 
when  we  meet  together  for  public  worship,  we  do  not  hasten  into 
outward  performances.  (1  Pet.  iv.  11.)  For,  as  we  believe  that  of 
ourselves,  and  by  our  own  natural  reason,  we  can  perform  no  act 
that  will  be  acceptable  to  God,  or  available  to  our  own  advancement 
in  righteousness,  without  the  sensible  influence  of  his  good  Spirit 
(1  Cor.  xii.  3) :  much  less  can  we,  without  this  divine  aid,  be  useful 
to  others,  or  minister  at  set  times,  seeing  that  this  essential  requisite 
is  not  at  our  command.  Therefore  it  is  our  practice,  when  thus  met 
together,  to  sit  in  silence,  and  withdraw  our  minds  from  outward 
things,  to  wait  upon  God,  and  "  feel  after  him,  if  haply  we  may  find 
him."  (Psalm  xlvi.  10.)  And  in  these  silent  opportunities  we  arc 
often  strengthened  and  refreshed  together  by  his  heavenly  presence. 
(Matt,  xviii.  20.)  This  manner  of  worship  we  believe  to  be  more 
acceptable  to  our  great  Head,  "  who  seeth  in  secret,"  than  set  forms 
of  prayer  or  praise,  however  specious,  performed  in  the  will  of  man. 
(1  Cor.  ii.  13;  Luke  xii.  12.)  Yet  we  do  not  exclude  the  use  of  a 
rightly  qualified  ministry,  but  believe  it  to  be  a  great  blessing  to  the 
church.  Nor  do  we  exclude  vocal  prayer,  when  properly  authorized  ; 
though  we  bear  testimony  against  the  custom  of  appointing  times 
and  persons  for  this  solemn  service  by  human  authority ;  believing 
that  without  the  immediate  operation  of  the  divine  power,  "  we  know 
not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought."  (Rom.  viii.  26.) 

I  have  before  stated  it  as  our  belief,  that  outward  rites  and  cere- 
monies have  no  place  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  which  we 
regard  as  a  purely  spiritual  administration.  Hence  we  hold  that  the 
means  of  initiation  into  the  church  of  Christ  does  not  consist  in  the 
water-baptism  of  John,  which  decreasing  rite  has  vanished  (John  iii. 
30);  but  in  Christ's  baptism,  (Matt.  iii.  11,)  or  that  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  the  fruits  of  which  are  repentance  and  the  new  birth. 
Neither  do  we  believe  that  spiritual  communion  can  be  maintained 
between  Christ  and  his  church,  by  the  use  of  the  outward  "elements" 
of  bread  and  wine,  called  the  "  supper,"  which  is  the  type  or  shadow 
only ;  but  that  the  true  communion  is  that  alluded  to  in  the  Revela- 
tions :  "  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock  :  if  any  man  hear  my 
voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with 
him,  and  he  with  me." 

A  hireling  ministry,  or  the  practice  of  taking  money  for  preach- 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS.  33  j 

ing,  we  testify  against,  as  contrary  to  the  plain  precept  and  command 
of  Ciirist,  "  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give."  Further,  we  hold 
that  to  constitute  a  minister  of  Christ  requires  a  special  gift,  call, 
and  qualification  from  the  blessed  Master,  and  that  neither  scholastic 
divinity,  philosophy,  nor  the  forms  of  ordination,  confer  in  any  de- 
gree either  ability  or  authority  to  engage  in  this  service  of  Christ, 
(1  Cor.  ii.  4,  5,  13,)  who  has  forewarned  us  that  without  him  we  can 
do  nothing  for  ourselves.  (John  xv.  5.)  As  we  believe  that  gifts  in 
the  ministry  are  bestowed  by  the  Head  of  the  Church,  so  we  presume 
not  to  limit  him  in  the  dispensation  of  them,  to  any  condition  of  life, 
or  to  one  sex  alone;  seeing  that  male  and  female  are  all  one  in 
Christ.  And  this  liberty  we  look  upon  as  a  fulfilment  of  prophecy, 
having  received  abundant  evidence  of  its  salutary  influence  in  the 
church.  (Acts  ii.  16,  17;  xxi.  9.) 

Our  testimonies  against  war,  slavery,  and  oaths,  are  generally 
well  known,  and  have  their  rise  in  the  convictions  of  the  spirit  of 
truth  in  our  minds,  amply  confirmed  by  the  precepts  and  commands 
of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  to  which  we  refer  the  reader. 

We  condemn  frivolous  and  vain  amusements,  and  changeable 
fashions  and  superfluities  in  dress  and  furniture,  shows  of  rejoicing 
and  mourning,  and  public  diversions.  They  are  a  waste  of  that 
time  given  us  for  nobler  purposes,  and  are  incompatible  with  the 
simplicity,  gravity,  and  dignity  that  should  adorn  the  Christian  cha- 
racter. 

We  refrain  from  the  use  of  the  plural  number  to  a  single  person, 
and  of  compliments  in  our  intercourse  with  men,  as  having  their 
origin  in  flattery,  and  tending  to  nourish  a  principle,  the  antagonist 
of  that  humility  and  meekness,  which,  after  the  example  of  Christ, 
ought  to  attach  to  his  disciples.  We  also  decline  giving  the  common 
names  to  the  months  and  days,  which  have  been  bestowed  on  them 
in  honour  of  the  heroes  and  false  gods  of  antiquity,  thus  originating 
from  superstition  and  idolatry. 

We  inculcate  submission  to  the  laws  in  all  cases  where  the  "rights 
of  conscience"  are  not  thereby  violated.  But  as  Christ's  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world,  we  hold  that  the  civil  power  is  limited  to  the  main- 
tenance of  external  peace  and  good  order,  and  therefore  has  no  right 
whatever  to  interfere  in  religious  matters. 


332  HISTORY  OF  THE 


OF  THE  DISCIPLINE  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 

The  purposes  of  our  discipline  are,  the  relief  of  the  poor,  the  main- 
tenance of  good  order,  the  support  of  our  testimonies,  and  the  help 
and  recovery  of  such  as  are  overtaken  in  faults. 

In  the  practice  of  discipline,  we  think  it  indispensable  that  the  order 
recommended  by  Christ  himself  be  invariably  observed:  "If  thy 
brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between 
thee  and  him  alone.  If  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother ; 
but  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  established. 
And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church."  (Matt, 
xviii.  15,  16,  17.) 

To  effect  the  salutary  purposes  of  discipline,  meetings  were  ap- 
pointed at  an  early  period  of  the  society,  which,  from  the  times  of 
their  being  held,  were  called  quarterly  me'etings.  It  was  afterwards 
found  expedient  to  divide  the  districts  of  those  meetings,  and  to  meet 
more  frequently ;  whence  arose  monthly  meetings,  subordinate  to  those 
held  quarterly.  At  length  in  1669,  a  yearly  meeting  was  established, 
to  be  held  in  London,  to  superintend,  assist,  and  provide  rules  for  the 
whole.  Previously  to  this  time,  general  meetings  had  been  held 
occasionally. 

A  monthly  meeting  is  usually  composed  of  several  particular  con- 
gregations, situated  at  convenient  distances  from  each  other.  These 
are  called  preparative  meetings ;  because  they  prepare  business  for 
the  monthly  meetings.  It  is  the  business  of  the  monthly  meeting  to 
provide  for  the  subsistence  of  the  poor,  and  for  the  education  of  their 
offspring ;  to  judge  of  the  sincerity  and  fitness  of  persons  appearing 
to  be  convinced  of  the  religious  principles  of  the  society,  and  desiring 
to  be  admitted  into  membership ;  to  excite  due  attention  to  the  dis- 
charge of  religious  and  moral  duty  ;  and  to  deal  with  disorderly  mem- 
bers. Monthly  meetings  also  grant  to  such  of  their  members,  as 
remove  into  other  monthly  meetings,  certificates  of  their  membership 
and  conduct,  without  which  they  cannot  gain  membership  in  such 
meetings ;  and  they  grant  certificates  to  ministers  concerned  to  visit 
neighbouring  meetings  in  the  service  of  the  gospel,  setting  forth  that 
their  concern  has  been  laid  before  their  own  meeting  and.  approved 
of.  Each  monthly  meeting  is  required  to  appoint  certain  persons, 
under  the  name  of  overseers,  who  are  to  take  care  that  the  rules  of 
our  discipline  be  put  in  practice ;  and,  when  any  case  of  delinquency 
comes  to  their  knowledge,  to  visit  the  offending  member,  agreeably 


I 
1 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS.  333 

to  the  gospel  rule  before  mentioned,  previously  to  its  being  laid  before 
the  monthly  meeting. 

When  a  case  is  introduced,  a  committee  is  appointed  to  visit  the 
offender,  to  endeavour  to  convince  him  of  his  error,  and  to  induce 
him  to  condemn  or  forsake  it.  If  this  be  done  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  meeting,  a  record  is  made  accordingly,  and  the  case  is  dismissed. 
If  not,  he  is  disow*lied  from  membership. 

In  disputes  between  individuals,  it  has  long  been  the  decided  judg- 
ment of  the  society,  that  its  members  should  not  sue  each  other  at 
law^.  It  therefore  enjoins  on  all  to  end  their  differences  by  speedy  and 
impartial  arbitration,  agreeably  to  rules  laid  dovv^n  in  the  discipline. 
If  any  refuse  to  adopt  this  mode,  or  having  adopted  it,  if  they  refuse 
to  submit  to  the  award,  they  are  liable  to  disownment. 

To  monthly  meetings  also  belongs  the  allowing  of  marriages ;  for 
our  society  has  always  scrupled  to  acknowledge  the  authority  of 
priests,  or  hireling  ministers,  in  the  solemnization  of  this  rite.  Those, 
who  intend  to  marry,  inform  the  monthly  meeting  of  their  intentions, 
when  a  committee  is  appointed  both  from  the  men's  and  women's 
meeting,  to  make  inquiry  if  the  parties  are  clear  from  other  similar 
engagements ;  and  if  found  to  be  so,  the  consent  of  parents  or  guar- 
dians being  shown,  the  marriage  is  allowed  by  the  meeting.  It  is 
performed  in  a  public  meeting  for  worship,  or  in  a  meeting  held  at 
the  house  of  one  of  the  parties,  towards  the  close  of  which  they  stand 
up,  and  solemnly  take  each  other  for  husband  and  wife.  The  cer- 
tificate is  then  signed,  read,  and  attested.  A  committee  appointed 
by  the  monthly  meeting  attends  the  marriage  to  see  that  it  be  orderly 
accomplished,  moderation  observed,  and  to  deliver  the  certificate  to 
the  recorder.  Of  such  marriages  the  meeting  keeps  a  record,  and 
also  of  the  births  and  burials  of  its  members. 

Births  and  burials  are  unaccompanied  with  rites  and  ceremonies. 
At  burials  a  solemn  pause  is  made,  and  an  opportunity  afforded  for 
those  who  may  be  concerned,  to  communicate  their  exercises. 

Several  monthly  meetings  compose  a  quarterly  meeting.  At  the 
quarterly  meeting  are  produced  written  answers  from  the  monthly 
meetings  to  certain  queries  respecting  the  conduct  of  their  members, 
and  the  meeting's  care  over  them.  The  following  are  the  principal 
subjects  thus  regularly  brought  into  view  by  the  queries :  Attendance 
of  all  the  meetings,  with  punctuality;  clearness  from  disorderly  con- 
duct therein ;  prevalence  of  love  and  unity ;  absence  of  tale-bearing 
and  detraction ;  speedy  endeavours  to  heal  differences ;  careful  educa- 
tion of  children;  their  frequent  reading  of  the  scriptures;  their  restraint 
from  reading  pernicious  books  and  from  corrupting  intercourse ;  ab- 


334 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


sence  of  tralTic  in  ardent  spirits,  and  of  the  use  of  them  as  a  drink ; 
avoiding  places  of  diversion,  and  the  frequenting  of  taverns;  obser- 
vance of  temperance  in  other  respects ;  providing  for  poor  members, 
and  schooling  their  children;  faithful  support  of  testimony  against 
oaths,  an  hireling  ministry,  war,  fraudulent  or  clandestine  trade,  deal- 
ing in  prize-goods  and  lotteries;  care  to  live  within  their  circumstances, 
and  to  keep  to  moderation  in  trade;  punctuality  to'promises,  and  just 
payment  of  debts ;  timely  attention  to  such  as  give  ground  for  uneasi- 
ness in  these  respects;  dealing  with  offenders  in  the  proper  spirit  and 
without  delay,  for  their  help,  and  when  necessary  to  disown,  seeking 
right  authority ;  support  of  schools  under  the  care  of  the  meeting.  At 
the  close  of  the  answers  to  the  queries,  certain  advices  are  read  in  the 
preparative  and  monthly  meetings,  in  the  conclusion  of  which  Friends 
are  enjoined  to  conduct  the  affairs  of  their  meetings  in  "  the  peaceable 
spirit  and  wisdom  of  Jesus,  with  decency,  forbearance  and  love  of 
each  other." 

A  summary  of  the  answers  to  the  queries  is  made  out  in  the  quar- 
terly meeting,  and  forwarded  to  the  yearly  meeting,  thus  setting  forth 
the  general  state  of  society.  Appeals  of  disowned  persons,  from  the 
judgment  of  the  monthly  meetings,  are  brought  to  the  quarterly  meet- 
ings for  revision.  It  is  also  the  business  of  these  meetings  to  assist 
in  any  difficult  cases  that  may  be  presented  by  the  monthly  meetings, 
or  where  remissness  appears  in  the  care  of  these  bodies  over  their 
members. 

The  yearly  meeting  has  the  general  superintendence  of  the  society 
within  the  limits  embraced  by  the  several  quarterly  meetings  of  which 
it  is  composed  ;  and  therefore,  as  the  accounts  which  it  receives  dis- 
cover the  state  of  inferior  meetings,  as  particular  exigencies  require, 
or  as  the  meeting  is  impressed  with  a  sense  of  duty,  it  gives  forth  its 
advice,  makes  such  regulations  as  appear  to  be  requisite,  or  excites 
to  the  observance  of  those  already  made,  and  sometimes  appoints 
committees  to  visit  those  quarterly  and  monthly  meetings  which 
appear  to  be  in  need  of  immediate  advice.  Each  yearly  meeting 
forms  its  own  discipline.  Appeals  of  disowned  members  from  the 
judgment  of  (juarterly  meetings  are  here  finally  determined.  A 
brotherly  correspondence,  by  epistles,  is  maintained  with  other  yearly 
meetings. 

As  we  believe  that  women  may  be  rightly  called  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  we  also  think  that  to  them  belongs  a  share  in  the  support 
of  our  discipline;  and  that  some  parts  of  it,  wherein  their  own  sex  is 
concerned,  devolve  on  them  with  peculiar  propriety.  Accordingly, 
they  have  monthly,  quarterly,  and  yearly  meetings  of  their  own,  held 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIEJNDS,  335 

at  the  same  time  with  those  of  the  men,  but  separately,  and  without 
the  power  of  making  rules. 

In  order  that  ministers  may  have  the  tender  sympathy  and  counsel 
of  those,  who  by  their  experience  in  religion,  are  qualified  for  that 
service,  the  monthly  meetings  are  advised  to  select  such,  from  both 
sexes,  under  the  denomination  of  elders.  These,  together  with  the 
approved  ministers,  have  meetings  peculiar  to  themselves,  called 
"  meetings  of  ministers  and  elders ;"  in  which  they  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  exciting  each  other  to  the  discharge  of  their  respective  duties, 
and  of  extending  advice  to  those  who  may  appear  to  need  it,  without 
needless  exposure.  Such  meetings  are  generally  held  within  the 
compass  of  each  monthly,  quarterly,  and  yearly  meeting.  They  are 
.conducted  by  rules  prescribed  by  the  yearly  meeting,  and  have  no 
authority  to  make  any  alterations  of,  or  additions  to  the  discipline. 
The  members  of  the  select  meeting,  as  it  is  often  called,  unite  with 
their  brethren  in  the  meetings  for  discipHne,  and  are  equally  amenable 
to  the  latter  for  their  conduct. 

Those  who  believe  themselves  required  to  speak  in  meetings  for 
worship,  are  not  immediately  acknowledged  as  ministers  by  their 
monthly  meetings  ;  but  time  is  taken  for  judgment,  that  the  meeting 
may  be  satisfied  of  their  call  and  qualification.  It  also  sometimes 
happens  that  such,  as  are  not  approved,  obtrude  themselves  as  minis- 
ters, to  the  grief  of  their  brethren.  But  much  forbearance  is  used 
towards  these,  before  the  disapprobation  of  the  meeting  is  publicly 
expressed. 

In  order  that  the  yearly  meeting  may  be  properly  represented 
during  its  recess,  there  is  a  body  called  the  Meeting  for  Sufferings,  or 
Representative  Committee,  composed  of  a  certain  number  of  members 
appointed  by  each  quarterly  meeting.  It  is  the  business  of  this  meet- 
ing to  receive  and  record  the  account  of  sufferings  from  refusal  to 
pay  fines  and  other  military  demands,  sent  up  annually  from  the 
quarterly  meetings;  to  distribute  useful  religious  books;  to  advise  or 
assist  our  members  who  may  incline  to  publish  any  manuscript  or 
work  tending  to  promote  the  cause  of  truth,  or  the  benefit  of  society ; 
and  in  general  to  act  on  behalf  of  the  yearly  meeting  in  any  case 
where  the  welfare  of  the  body  may  render  it  needful.  It  keeps  a 
record  of  its  proceedings,  which  is  annually  laid  before  the  yearly 
meeting.  Except  this  meeting  and  the  meeting  of  ministers  and 
elders,  all  our  members  have  a  right  to  attend  the  meetings  of  busi- 
ness, and  to  take  part  in  the  proceedings ;  and  they  are  encouraged 
to  do  so.  We  have  no  chairman  or  moderator,  and  the  duty  of  the 
clerks  is  limited  to  recording  the  proceedings.    We  decide  no  ques- 


336  HISTORY  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 

tion  by  vote,  but  by  what  appears  to  be  the  sense  of  the  meeting.  In 
matters  which  elicit  a  difference  of  sentiment,  personal  and  censorious 
remarks  are  discouraged,  and  care  is  taken  to  exercise  a  spirit  of  con- 
descension and  brotherly  love.  Thus  it  often  occurs  in  our  meetings, 
that  deference  to  the  views  and  feelings  of  a  few  consistent  members 
■will  prevent  the  body  from  adopting  a  measure  in  which  there  is 
otherwise  great  unanimity. 

The  Yearly  Meetings  of  New  York,  Genessee,  Baltimore,  Ohio, 
and  Indiana,  hold  an  epistolary  correspondence  with  Philadelphia 
Yearly  Meeting,  according  to  ancient  practice.  But  the  Yearly 
Meeting  of  London  has  declined  this  intercourse  since  the  separa- 
tion in  1827. 


GERMAN  EEFOEMED  CHUECH. 


BY  LEWIS  MAYER,  D.  D., 

YORK,  PA. 

The  German  Reformed  Church,  as  its  name  imports,  comprises 
that  portion  of  the  family  of  reformed  churches  who  speak  the  Ger- 
man language  and  their  descendants,  and  as  such  is  distinguished 
from  the  French  Reformed,  the  Dutch  Reformed,  &c.  It  embraces 
the  reformed  churches  of  Germany  and  of  the  German  part  of  Swit- 
zerland, and  their  brethren  and  descendants  in  other  countries,  par- 
ticularly in  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  founder  of  this  church  was  Ulric  Zwingli,  a  native  of  Swit* 
zerland.  He  was  born  on  the  1st  day  of  January,  1484,  at  Wildhaus, 
a  village  of  the  ancient  county  of  Tokkenburg,  then  a  dependency  of 
the  Benedictine  Abbey  of  St.  Gall,  under  the  guardianship  of  the 
canton  of  Schweitz,  but,  since  1803,  included  in  the  new  canton  of 
St.  Gall. 

About  the  time  of  Zwingli's  birth,  the  people  of  Tokkenburg  had 
effected  their  emancipation  from  the  condition  of  serfs  to  the  saintly 
abbey,  and  now  breathed  the  air  of  freedom  in  all  its  delightful  fresh- 
ness; and  the  future  reformer,  inhaling  the  same  enlivening  air  from 
his  infancy,  and  growing  up  to  manhood  under  its  influence,  became 
the  champion  of  liberty,  in  all  the  forms  in  which  the  human  mind  is 
by  nature  free. 

Possessing  talents  of  a  high  order,  and  cultivated  by  the  best  edu- 
cation which  the  times  could  afford,  and  a  lofty  genius  could  attain; 
taught,  at  the  same  time,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  guided  by  him 
into  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus :  Zwingli  rose  upon  the 
world  a  burning  and  shining  light,  and  showed  to  bewildered  men, 
groping  in  the  darkness  of  a  long  night,  the  way  to  God,  whose  mercy 
they  sought,  and  the  path  to  heaven,  for  which  they  sighed.  Dark 
clouds  often  intercepted  the  light ;  but  its  beams  burst  forth  again  in 
their  wonted  brightness ;  the  truth  prevailed,  superstition  gave  way, 
and  the  church  arose  in  her  strength,  the  fetters  falling  from  her 


838  HISTORY  OF  THE 

hands,  and  occupied  the  place  which  God  had  assigned  her  as  the 
bride  of  his  Son,  and  the  parent  of  true  piety  and  virtue. 

The  first  principle  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  is  contained  in 
the  proposition :  "  The  Bible  is  above  all  human  authority,  and  to  it 
alone  must  every  appeal  be  made."  This  principle  Zwingli  first  an- 
nounced in  151G,  when  he  was  yet  pastor  of  the  Church  of  Glarus; 
from  it  he  went  forth  in  all  his  subsequent  investigations  of  religious 
truth,  and  in  all  his  public  instructions ;  and  when  he  reformed  the 
church,  after  his  establishment  in  Zurich,  he  swept  away  from  her 
ritual,  as  well  as  from  her  doctrinal  system,  all  that  the  Bible  did  not 
authorize,  either  by  an  express  warrant  or  by  an  implied  one.  The 
interpretation  of  the  Bible  he  left,  where  God  had  left  it,  to  the  judg- 
ment and  the  conscience  of  every  man  who  can  apprehend  the  mean- 
ing of  words,  and  compare  one  passage  with  another ;  and  if  the 
truth  could  not  be  ascertained  in  this  way,  he  felt  assured  that  neither 
the  fathers,  nor  the  Pope,  nor  a  general  council,  could  be  trusted  as 
interpreters  of  the  sacred  oracles ;  for  these,  he  knew,  had  no  better 
way. 

The  Reformed  Church  differed,  at  first,  from  the  Lutheran  in  no- 
thing but  the  single  point  only  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  the  conference 
at  Marburg  in  1529,  which  had  been  procured  by  the  Landgrave  of 
Hesse  for  the  purpose  of  healing  the  breach  between  the  Saxon  and 
the  Swiss  divines,  and  where  Zwingli  and  CEcolampadius  disputed 
with  Melancthon  and  Luther,  this  was  the  only  point  on  which  they 
did  not  agree.  Neither  did  they  differ  concerning  the  whole  subject 
of  the  eucharist,  but  concerning  only  the  import  of  the  words,  "This 
is  my  body,"  "  This  is  my  blood."  Zwingli  took  them  as  a  trope, 
and  understood  them  to  mean  that  the  bread  was  a  sign  or  figure  of 
the  Lord's  body,  and  the  wine  of  his  blood.  Luther  insisted  on  a 
literal  meaning,  and  contended  that  these  words  were  the  irrefragable 
testimony  of  the  Lord  himself,  that  his  material  body  and  blood  were 
really  present  in  and  with  the  bread  and  wine,  and  were  received, 
together  with  them,  by  the  communicant ;  and  to  fix  this  notion,  he 
maintained  that,  like  the  bread  and  wine,  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ 
were  received,  not  by  faith,  but  by  the  mouth ;  not  by  the  believer 
•only,  but  by  every  communicant. 

The  Reformed  regarded  this  diflbrence  as  unessential,  and  acknow- 
ledged their  opponents  as  brethren  in  Christ,  whom  it  was  their  duty 
to  receive.  Luther  classed  it  with  the  essentials  of  Christianity,  and 
would  not  admit  that  those  who  denied  the  real  presence  were  Chris- 
tians at  all.  Zwingli  proffered  his  hand  to  Luther  and  besought  him 
with  tears  tx)  receive  him  as  a  Christian  brother,  saying  that  there 


GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH.  339 

were  no  people  in  the  world  with  whom  he  would  delight  more  to 
have  fraternal  communion  than  those  of  Wittemberg.  Luther  spurned 
his  hand  and  turned  away.  In  her  subsequent  history,  the  Reformed 
Church  often  sought  the  same  fraternity,  and  made  some  concessions 
for  that  object;  but  she  was  as  often  repelled ;  and  her  anxiety  for  a 
reunion  subjected  her  to  the  epithet  of  Gern-Briider,  i.  e.  Would-be- 
brethren. 

The  doctrine  of  predestination,  which  at  a  later  period  became  a 
prominent  subject  of  controversy  between  the  two  churches,  was 
held  by  all  the  reformers,  unless  Haller,  the  reformer  of  Berne,  and 
Bullinger,  Zwingli's  successor  in  Zurich,  be  exceptions.  Luther  con- 
tended for  it,  in  its  rigid  Augustinian  form,  in  his  tract  Be  Servo 
Arbitrio.  Melancthon  also  maintained  it  in  the  earlier  editions  of  his 
Loci  Communes  Theologici,  a  system  of  divinity  which  long  continued 
to  be  the  text-book  of  theological  students  in  the  Lutheran  church. 
Controversy  on  this  subject  between  theologians  of  the  two  churches 
first  arose  in  1561,  when  Zanchius  and  Marbach,  two  divines  of 
Strasburg,  took  opposite  sides ;  and  such  was  still  the  prevailing  sen- 
timent of  that  period,  that  this  strife  could  be  composed  by  submitting 
to  the  contending  parties,  as  the  terms  of  peace,  an  ambiguous  form 
of  words,  which  each  might  interpret  as  he  pleased.  Long  after  this 
time,  Melancthon's  theory  of  synergism,  or  co-operation  of  the  human 
will  with  divine  grace  in  the  sinner's  conversion,  was  condemned  as 
heresy  in  the  Lutheran  Church ;  and  in  the  synergistic  controversy 
between  the  Philipists,  or  followers  of  Melancthon,  and  the  rigid 
Lutherans,  while  the  former  ascribed  to  the  human  will  a  power  to 
co-operate  with  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  act  of  conversion,  the  latter 
not  only  denied  this  power,  but  maintained  in  all  its  rigour  the  Au- 
gustinian doctrine  of  absolute  predestination.  (See  Plank's  Gescli.  der 
Protestantisclien  Theologie,  Bd.  Ill,  p.  805,  &c.) 

A  third  cause  of  difference,  which  became,  at  a  later  period,  a  sub- 
ject of  controversy  between  the  two  churches,  was  the  use  of  certain 
religious  rites  and  institutions  which  to  the  Reformed  appeared  to 
favour  superstition,  while  the  Lutherans  regarded  them  all  as  tolera- 
ble, and  some  of  them  as  useful.  Such  were  the  use  of  images  in  the 
churches,  the  distinguishing  vestments  of  the  clergy,  private  confes- 
sion of  sins  and  absolution,  the  use  of  the  wafer  in  the  Lord's  Supper, 
lay-baptism,  exorcism  of  the  evil  spirit  previous  to  baptism,  altars, 
baptismal  fonts,  &c.  Most  of  these  usages  have  been  laid  aside,  and 
are  now  unknown  in  the  Lutheran  Church  in  this  country.  Little 
now  remains  to  distinguish  the  two  churches;  they  recognise  each  other 


340  HISTORY  OF  THE 

as  brethren,  worship  together,  and  abhor  the  controversy  that  would 
rupture  the  bond  of  mutual  love. 

After  the  death  of  Zwingli  and  (Ecolampadius,  in  1531,  none  of 
their  associates  enjoyed  so  decided  a  superiority  over  his  brethren,  as 
to  give  him  a  commanding  influence  over  the  whole  church,  and  to 
secure  to  him  the  chief  direction  of  her  councils.  This  honour  was 
reserved  for  John  Calvin,  the  French  reformer.  He  was  born  at 
Noyon,  in  France,  in  the  year  1509.  Driven  from  his  own  country 
by  persecution,  he  came  to  Basel  in  1534.  Here,  in  the  following 
year,  he  published  the  first  edition  of  his  "  Institutes  of  the  Christian 
Religion ;"  a  work  which  became  the  text-book  of  theology  in  the 
Reformed  Church,  and  which  he  enlarged  and  improved  in  succes- 
sive editions,  until  the  year  1559.  On  his  return  from  a  visit  to  the 
Duchess  of  Ferrara,  in  Italy,  who  was  friendly  to  the  Reformation, 
being  compelled  by  the  war  to  take  the  route  through  Geneva,  he 
came  to  that  city  in  August  1536,  and  was  persuaded  by  Farell  and 
Viret  to  remain  there,  and  complete  the  reformation  which  they  had 
begun.  A  violent  opposition  from  the  licentious  part  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, who  hated  the  strictness  of  his  moral  discipline,  resulted  in  his 
expulsion  in  1538.  He  repaired  to  Strasburg,  where  he  taught 
theology,  and  preached  to  a  French  congregation;  but  in  1541  he 
was  recalled  to  Geneva,  and  appointed  professor  of  theology  and 
principal  pastor  of  the  city.  He  was  now  enabled  to  prosecute  suc- 
cessfully, though  not  without  frequent  and  often  malicious  opposition, 
the  plan  of  reformation  which  he  had  formed.  Endowed  with  great 
natural  talents,  richly  furnished  with  stores  of  theological  learning, 
fired  by  an  ardent  zeal  for  what  he  conceived  to  be  truth,  and  pos- 
sessed of  a  spirit  of  diligence  that  never  tired,  he  rose  in  power  and 
reputation  above  all  his  cotemporaries,  and  caused  his  influence  to  be 
felt  wherever  the  Reformation  was  known,  or  became  known.  His 
design  was  vast  and  bold,  like  his  genius  :  not  content  with  reform- 
ing the  little  state  which  had  received  him  as  her  spiritual  father,  he 
meditated  the  extension  of  the  same  work  far  beyond  her  narrow 
bounds,  and  sought  to  make  Geneva  the  nursery  and  the  model  of 
all  the  Reformed  churches  throughout  the  world.  Neither  was  he 
wholly  disappointed.  The  splendour  of  his  name,  and  the  fame  of 
his  associate  and  successor,  Theodore  Beza,  who  maintained  his 
entire  system,  attracted  to  Geneva  the  studious  youth  who  looked  to 
the  Christian  ministry,  from  all  the  countries  upon  which  the  light  of 
the  Reformation  had  risen ;  the  university  over  which  they  presided 
cast  into  the  shade  the  University  of  Basel  and  the  Seminary  of 


GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


341 


Zurich,  and  reigned  long  almost  without  a  competitor ;  and  Geneva 
became  thus  the  nursing-mother  from  whom  the  whole  church  re- 
ceived her  pastors  and  derived  her  spiritual  instruction,  and  the 
model  after  which,  in  more  than  one  country,  her  ecclesiastical  con- 
stitution was  formed. 

The  influence  of  the  school  of  Calvin  was  felt  by  the  German  as 
well  as  by  the  other  Reformed  churches.  The  preachers  who  came 
from  Geneva  brought  with  them  the  doctrine  and  the  spirit  of  the 
new  reformer,  and  diffused  them  through  the  churches  over  which 
they  presided ;  and  Calvinism  thus  became  every  where  triumphant. 
Out  of  Switzerland,  Zwingli,  silent  in  death  that  came,  alas !  too 
soon,  was  by  degrees  neglected  and  forgotten ;  and  even  in  his  own 
country  his  spirit  was  checked  and  his  doctrine  modified  by  this 
foreign  influence. 

Calvin  differed  from  Zwingli  chiefly  on  three  points,  viz.,  on  the 
Lord's  Supper,  on  church-government,  and  on  religious  liberty. 

On  the  first  point  of  diflference  Calvin  took  a  position  that  was  less 
oflTensive  to  the  Papists  than  the  doctrine  of  Zwingli,  and  presented 
to  the  Lutherans  a  middle  ground  upon  which  they  might  unite  with 
the  Reformed.  Zwingli  had  taught,  that  to  eat  the  flesh  of  Christ 
and  to  dri,nk  his  blood,  was  simply  to  believe  in  him,  and  thereby  to 
obtain  pardon  and  eternal  life.  Calvin,  on  the  contrary,  maintained 
a  real  participation  of  the  material  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  of 
which  he  considered  the  partaking  of  the  bread  and  wine  the  visible 
sign  and  seal.  He  distinguished  between  believing  in  Christ  and  par- 
taking of  his  flesh  and  blood,  and  made  the  latter  consequent  upon 
the  former.  This  participation  of  Christ's  body  and  blood,  he  viewed 
as  necessary  to  spiritual  and  eternal  life.  It  is  confined  to  the  be- 
liever, and  is  effected,  he  thought,  by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  elevates  the  believer,  by  means  of  his  faith,  to  Christ,  in  heaven, 
and  makes  him,  in  a  mysterious  manner,  a  participant  of  the  Lord's 
body  and  blood ;  and  we  thus  become  united  with  Christ,  so  that  we 
are  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone,  and  constitute  one  body 
with  him,  which  is  governed  by  one  and  the  same  spirit.  He  differed 
from  Luther  in  separating  Christ  from  the  bread  and  wine,  and  deny- 
ing the  presence  of  his  body  and  blood  in  or  with  those  elements.  A 
consequence  of  this  was,  that  a  communicant  might  receive  the  ele- 
ments without  receiving  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  and  this,  he 
held,  was  the  case  of  all  who  were  destitute  of  true  faith.  (See  Cal- 
vin's Institutes,  Book  IV.  chap,  xvii.) 

Zwingli,  seeing  the  abuse  of  church-power  in  the  Roman  hierarchy, 
and  finding  no  authority  for  it  in  the  holy  scriptures,  subjected  the 


342  HISTORY  OF  THE 

church  to  the  civil  authority,  in  a  Christian  state,  in  all  things  relating 
to  its  government,  which  are  not  at  variance  with  the  divine  word. 
Calvin  separated  the  church  wholly  from  the  state,  claimed  for  it  the 
power  of  self-government,  and  left  to  secular  rulers  nothing  more 
than  the  duty  of  protection  and  sustenance,  as  nursing  fathers  and 
nursing  mothers. 

Zwingli  taught  the  doctrine  of  absolute  predestination  as  well  as 
Calvin  and  the  other  reformers  ;*  but  he  did  not  impose  it  as  an  arti- 
cle of  faith  upon  his  church.  Opposite  opinions  were,  therefore, 
freely  entertained;  and  even  his  successor,  Henry  Bullinger,  is  claim- 
ed as  an  asserter  of  the  universality  of  divine  grace.  In  the  canton 
of  Bern,  particularly,  controversy  on  this  subject  ran  high.  "  The 
preachers  and  professors  at  Lausanne,  who  were  friends  of  Calvin," 
says  Schrock,  "  demanded  a  general  synod,  and  authority  to  excom- 
municate, that  they  might  suppress  the  opinions  which  they  opposed ; 
but  the  Senate  of  Bern  rejected  this  ecclesiastical  tyranny,  as  Haller 
called  it." — (See  Schrock's  Kirch.  Gesch.  seit  der  Ref.,  vol.  v.  p.  179.) 
Calvin  did  not  tolerate  the  theories  on  this  subject  to  which  his  own 
was  opposed. 

Such,  however,  was  the  credit  of  Calvin,  and  such  his  perseverance, 
that  he  succeeded  in  1549,  notwithstanding  the  reluctance  of  the  Swiss, 
to  procure  the  formal  reception  of  his  doctrine  on  the  Lord's  Supper, 
in  Switzerland,  and  a  few  years  later,  to  obtain  for  his  doctrine  of 
predestination  a  recognition  as  an  article  of  faith,  in  the  same  country. 
But,  with  all  his  credit,  he  could  not  persuade  the  Swiss  to  accept  his 
form  of  church  government.  The  rulers  were  not  willing  to  relin- 
quish to  the  church  the  power  which  they  possessed ;  and  the  Re- 
formed Cantons  still  retain  that  ecclesiastical  polity  which  they  re- 
ceived from  the  hands  of  Zwingli. 

In  Germany,  as  well  as  in  Switzerland,  the  supreme  authority  in 
the  church  resides  in  the  civil  government.  The  immediate  adminis- 
tration of  church  power  is  vested  in  a  consistory  or  ecclesiastical 
council,  (kirchenratfi,)  which  is  a  mixed  body  of  clergy  and  states- 
men. The  clergy  of  a  given  district  constitute  a  chapter  or  classis, 
and  at  the  head  of  each  of  these  bodies  is  an  inspector  or  superinten- 
dent, whose  office  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  a  bishop  in  Episcopal 
churches.f  Several  chapters  or  classes  compose  a  synod,  and  two 
or  more  particular  synods  may  form  a  general  synod ;  which  may 

*  Dr.  Moshcim  errs  in  asserting  tiie  contrary,  as  the  reader  will  perceive  who  will 
take  the  pains  to  examine  this  reformer's  writings.  Sec  the  extracts  from  his  works 
published  by  VOgclin  and  Usteri,  vol.  i.  part  i.  chap.  v.  p.  187,  &c. 

t  In  Switzerland  the  chapter  has  at  its  head  the  dccanus  or  dean. 


GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH.  343 

either  consist  of  delegates  from  the  lower  judicatories,  or  embrace  all 
the  clergy  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  same  country,  or  in  several 
contiguous  countries.     In  Switzerland,  the  clergy  of  the  two  cantons 
of  Zurich  and  Thurgau,  and  of  the  Rhinethal,  now  included  in  the 
canton  of  St.  Gall,  constitute  one  synod,  at  the  head  of  which  is  the 
pastor  -primarius  of  the  Great-Minster  in  Zurich,  who  bears  the  title 
of  Antistes.     The  Reformed  Churches  of  Germany  have  elders  and 
deacons,  who  are  chosen  for  limited  periods.     The  elders  constitute  a 
presbytery,  who,  in  conjunction  with  the  pastor,  administer  the  spiri- 
tual government  of  the  congregation.     The  deacons  are  charged 
with  the  temporal  affairs,  particularly  with  the  care  of  the  poor ;  but 
where  the  number  of  elders  is  small,  the  deacons  take  part  with  them 
in  the  spiritual  administration.     The  inspectors  exercise  a  supervision 
over  the  clergy,  the  congregations  and  the  schools  of  their  respective 
districts,  and  report  to  the  consistory,  whose  decision  is  final,  if  not 
arrested  by  the  act  of  the  supreme  civil  authority.     In  some  countries, 
as  in  the  principality  of  Nassau,  whose  ecclesiastical  constitution  was 
taken  from  that  of  Holland,  classes  and  synods  have  legislative  autho- 
rity.    In  others,  as  in  the  county  of  Lippe,  their  meetings  are  held 
only  for  their  own  improvement  in  Christian  knowledge  and  piety. 
In  the  Reformed  German  part  of  Switzerland,  the  congregations  are 
without  elders  and  deacons.     What  are  there  called  deacons  are 
preachers  who  assist  the  principal  pastor  in  the  larger  churches. 
The  absence  of  the  presbytery  or  body  of  elders,  is  compensated  for 
by  the  Kirchen-Stilhldnde,  a  sort  of  sub-consistories,  whose  duty  it  is 
to  watch  over  the  morals  of  the  church  members,  and  to  correct 
abuses  in  the  conduct  of  life.     The  ecclesiastical  assemblies  of  this 
country  are  composed  of  the  clergy  only.     The  same  is  the  case  in 
Germany,  except  in  those  countries,  as  in  the  principality  of  Nassau, 
whose  church  polity  is  derived  from  Holland  or  Geneva. 

Admission  to  the  privilege  of  full  communion  in  the  church  is  ob- 
tained by  the  rite  of  confirmation,  which  is  preceded  by  a  course  of 
instruction  in  Christian  doctrine.  The  catechumens  solemnly  devote 
themselves  to  the  service  of  God  by  a  public  profession  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  congregation,  and  are  thereupon  received  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  hands  and  prayer.  In  the  case  of  unbaptized  adults,  baptism 
immediately  precedes  the  imposition  of  hands.  The  use  of  this  rite 
rests  upon  expediency,  no  divine  authority  is  claimed  for  it;  still  less 
is  it  viewed  by  the  Reformed  Church,  as  it  is  by  the  Church  of  Rome, 
in  the  light  of  a  sacrament. 

The  doctrinal  system  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  is  contained 
in  the  Heidelberg  Catechism — so  called  from  Heidelberg,  the  capital 


344  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  the  Electoral  Palatinate,  where  it  was  first  published,  in  the  reign 
of  the  Elector  Frederick  III.,  in  the  year  1503.     It  was  adopted,  as  a 
symbolical  book,  soon  after  its  publication,  by  almost  all  the  Reformed 
Churches  in  Europe,  and  became  particularly  the  symbolical  book  of 
the  Reformed  in  Germany.     This  formulary  observes  a  singular  mo- 
deration on  some  points  upon  which  the  several  parties  in  the  Protes- 
tant churches  differed,  or  respecting  which  good  men  might  entertain 
different  opinions.     The  wise  elector  selected  for  the  composition  of 
this  work  two  men,  of  whom  one,  Zacharias  Ursinus,  was  a  disciple 
of  Melancthon  ;  and  the  other,  Caspar  Olevianus,  a  disciple  of  Calvin; 
and  he  being,  himself,  a  Philipist,  controlled  their  deliberations.     The 
result  was  what  all  moderate  men  desired,  a  compromise.     The 
catechism,  in  its  general  character,  is  Calvinistic;  but  the  doctrine  of 
election  is  placed  in  the  background,  and  presented  in  a  form  which 
the  Philipist  as  well  as  the  Calvinist  could  easily  receive.     On  the 
Lord's  Supper  it  unites  the  theories  of  Zwingli  and  of  Calvin,  with 
the  latter  of  whom  Melancthon  was  essentially  agreed.     It  is  silent 
about  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin  to  his  posterity,  but  leaves  an 
open  door  for  the  introduction  of  that  theory.     The  atonement  is 
made  general  where  it  says  that  Christ  bore  the  wrath  of  God  against 
the  sins  of  all  mankind;  but  nothing  is  said  to  forbid  a  limitation  of 
it  to  the  elect  in  its  actual  effect.     It  asserts  the  total  inability  of  the 
unregenerate  to  do  any  good  until  he  is  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of 
God;  but  it  leaves  room  for  the  Philipist  to  say,  that  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  would  regenerate  us,  the  human  will  may  resist  or  assent  to  his 
operation.     If  it  were  objected,  that  assenting  before  regeneration 
would  be  a  good  work,  he  might  reply  that  it  was  not  in  the  proper 
sense  good;  or  that  it  was  not  completed  before  regeneration  was 
complete ;  and  this  answer  was  sufficient  for  the  object  contemplated, 
if  it  satisfied  himself. 

Though  the  theory  of  Calvin  on  the  Lord's  Supper  was  generally 
received  in  the  church,  that  of  Zwingli  always  had  many  friends;  it 
has  been  many  years  gaining  ground,  and,  if  we  be  not  greatly  mis- 
taken, is  now  predominant,  at  least  in  the  United  States. 

The  doctrine  of  absolute  predestination  to  eternal  life  has  never 
been  fully  established  as  an  article  of  faith  in  the  German  Reformed 
Church.  In  different  sections  of  the  church  it  has  from  time  to  time 
been  variously  modified,  and  in  some  wholly  rejected.  Though  con- 
stituted an  article  of  faith  in  Switzerland,  by  the  consensus  of  1554, 
recognised  as  such  in  the  Helvetic  Confession  of  1566,  and  confirmed 
by  the  Synod  of  Dort  in  1618-19:  it  was,  nevertheless,  so  far  sup- 
planted by  the  opposing  theories  in  1 075,  that  a  necessity  was  deemed 


GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


345 


to  e^ist  for  a  new  Formula  Consensus  of  the  Swiss  divines  to  sustain 
it.  Nor  did  this  new  Confession  maintain  its  authority  very  Ion o-; 
after  many  conflicts  it  fell  before  the  influence  of  the  French  and  the 
German  schools  about  the  year  1722,  when  subscription  to  it  ceased 
to  be  required.  (See  Schrock's  Kirch.  Gesch.  vol.  viii.  p.  661,  &c.) 

In  Germany  the  decrees  of  the  Synod  of  Dort  were  never  received 
in  some  of  the  states,  as  Brandenburg,  Anhalt,  and  Bremen ;  in  others 
they  have  long  since  lost  their  binding  authority ;  and  the  German 
Reformed  Church  is  now,  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  absolute  elec- 
tion, where  Zwingli  left  it.  Calvinism  is  again  reviving  in  the  church, 
both  in  Europe  and  America ;  but  the  doctrine  of  Melancthon,  or, 
what  is  essentially  the  same,  the  doctrine  of  Arminius,  on  this  point, 
is  predominant,  and  the  theory  of  absolute  predestination  is  generally 
regarded,  by  the  laity  at  least,  with  horror. 

The  German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  was  founded 
by  emigrants  from  Germany  and  Switzerland.  Her  origin  may  be 
dated  about  the  year  1740,  or  rather  somewhat  earlier.  The  prin- 
cipal seat  of  the  chm'ch  in  her  infancy  was  eastern  Pennsylvania ; 
though  settlements  were  made  also,  and  congregations  formed,  at  an 
early  period,  in  other  states,  particularly  in  the  Carolinas,  Virginia, 
Maryland,  New  Jersey,  and  New  York.  Her  doctrinal  system  is 
derived  from  Germany  and  Switzerland ;  but  her  ecclesiastical  polity 
is  formed  after  the  model  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  of  Holland, 
by  whom  she  was  nurtured  and  protected  in  her  infant  state,  and  to 
whom  she  owes  a  large  debt  of  gratitude. 

The  Heidelberg  Catechism  is  the  only  symbolical  book  of  the 
church  in  the  United  States,  though  both  in  Germany  and  Switzer- 
land she  has  others  besides;  and,  in  the  first  named  country,  adopts 
also  the  Lutheran  Confession  of  Augsburg,  as  altered  by  Melancthon, 
in  the  tenth  article,  relating  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the  later  editions 
that  were  published  under  his  direction. 

Subscription  to  the  catechism,  by  candidates  for  the  ministry,  is 
not  required  at  their  ordination ;  a  verbal  profession  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  church  being  deemed  suflicient.  A  professor  of  theology  is 
required,  at  his  ordination,  to  afiirm  to  the  following  declaration : 

"  You,  N.  N.,  professor  elect  of  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States,  acknowledge  sin- 
cerely, before  God  and  this  assembly,  that  the  holy  scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament,  which  are  called  the  canonical  scriptures, 
are  genuine,  authentic,  inspired,  and  therefore  divine  scriptures ;  that 
they  contain  all  things  that  relate  to  the  faith,  the  practice,  and  the 
hope  of  the  righteous,  and  are  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  in 

23 


g^g  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  church  of  God ;  that,  consequently,  no  traditions,  as  they  are 
called,  and  no  mere  conclusions  of  reason,  that  are  contrary  to  the 
clear  testimony  of  these  scriptures,  can  be  received  as  rules  of  faith 
or  of  life.  You  acknowledge,  farther,  that  the  doctrine  contained  in 
the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  as  to  its  substance,  is  the  doctrine  of  the 
holy  scriptures,  and  must,  therefore,  be  received  as  divinely  revealed 
truth.  You  declare  sincerely  that,  in  the  office  you  are  about  to 
assume,  you  will  make  the  inviolable  divine  authority  of  the  holy 
scriptures,  and  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  contained  in  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism,  as  to  its  substance,  the  basis  of  all  your  instructions.  You 
declare,  finally,  that  you  will  labour  according  to  the  ability  which 
God  may  grant  you,  that,  with  the  divine  blessing,  the  students  en- 
trusted to  your  care  may  become  enlightened,  pious,  faithful,  and 
zealous  ministers  of  the  gospel,  who  shall  be  sound  in  the  faith." 

The  government  of  the  church  is  Presbyterian.  All  ordained 
ministers  are  equal  in  rank  and  authority.  Licentiates  are  not  pas- 
tors, or  ministers,  but  candidates  for  the  ministry ;  they  cannot  ad- 
minister the  sacraments,  nor  be  delegates  to  synod,  and  have  no  vote 
in  the  classical  assemblies. 

Each  congregation  is  governed  by  its  consistory  or  vestry,  which 
is  usually  composed  of  elders  and  deacons,  and  of  which  the  pastor 
of  the  church  may,  or  may  not,  be  a  member.  In  chartered  congre- 
gations the  consistory  is  a  legal  corporation,  with  which  the  charter 
often  joins  others,  besides  elders  and  deacons,  as  counsellors,  or  trus- 
tees ;  and  all  these  usually  vote  by  custom,  and  by  authority  of  the 
charter,  on  every  question  that  comes  before  the  body. 

The  clergy  residing  within  certain  bounds  constitute  a  classis, 
which  must  consist  of  at  least  three  ministers.  A  classis  meets  sta- 
tedly once  a  year,  and  may  resolve,  or  be  called  by  its  president,  to 
hold  a  special  meeting,  as  often  as  urgent  business  may  demand  it. 
The  president  is  elected  annually,  and  presides  in  the  meeting  of 
classis,  for  the  maintenance  of  order,  as  'primus  inter  pares.  Every 
pastoral  charge  is  entitled  to  a  lay  delegate,  who  must  be  an  elder, 
and  has  the  same  right  to  deliberate  and  vote  in  the  classis  as  the 
clerical  member.  A  majority  of  the  whole  number,  of  which  at  least 
one  half  must  be  ministers,  constitute  a  quorum  ;  and  every  question 
is  decided  by  a  majority  of  those  actually  assembled. 

The  synod  is  composed  of  the  clerical  and  lay  delegates  appointed 
by  the  classes.  It  meets  statedly  once  a  year,  and  may  assemble  in 
special  meetings  by  its  own  appointment,  or  by  the  call  of  its  presi- 
dent. The  president  of  synod  is  in  like  manner  elected  annually.  A 
classis  consisting  of  not  more  than  six  ministers,  is  entitled  to  one 


GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH.  347 

minister  and  one  lay  delegate  to  represent  it  in  synod.  A  classis 
having  more  tiian  six,  and  not  more  tiian  twelve  ministers,  may  be 
represented  by  two  ministers  and  two  lay  delegates  ;  and  in  the  same 
ratio  increasing  for  any  larger  number.  Six  ministers  and  six  elders, 
from  a  majority  of  the  classes,  may  constitute  a  quorum,  as  the  con- 
stitution now  provides. 

A  general  convention  of  all  the  ministers  and  lay  delegates  of  the 
whole  church  can  be  authorized  by  an  act  of  synod,  and  not  other- 
wise. 

An  appeal  can  be  taken  from  the  consistory  to  the  classis,  and 
from  the  classis  to  the  synod,  whose  decision  is  final. 

The  German  Reformed  Church  in  this  country  is  now  spread  over 
the  whole  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  and  over  portions  of  Maryland, 
Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Missouri,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Michigan,  and 
New  York.  There  is  a  church  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans  ;  others 
formerly  subsisted  in  New  Jersey,  South  Carolina,  Tennessee,  and 
Kentucky ;  and  some  members  are  still  scattered  over  the  several 
states  of  the  Union. 

This  church  is  divided  into  two  bodies,  which  maintain  a  friendly 
correspondence,  but  are  wholly  independent  of  one  another.  Each 
is  governed  by  a  synod  and  its  lower  judicatories. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  church  is  the  original  and  parent  body; 
and  its  synod,  existing  before  the  other,  bears  the  title  of  "  The  Synod 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States."  Its  territory 
extends  in  Pennsylvania  westward  to  the  Alleghany  mountains  ;  north- 
ward it  includes  portions  of  New  York ;  and  on  the  south,  Maryland, 
Virginia  and  Carolina.  It  has  under  its  jurisdiction  ten  classes,  viz : 
Philadelphia,  Goshenhoppen,  East  Pennsylvania,  Lebanon,  Susque- 
hanna, Zion,  Mercersburg,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  North  Carolina. 
The  number  of  ministers  and  licentiates,  in  connexion  with  this  synod, 
was,  in  1842,  agreeably  to  the  statistical  report  of  that  year,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-one.  Of  this  number  thirty-two  were  without  a  pas- 
toral charge  ;  and  of  these,  sixteen  were  disqualified  by  age  or  other 
causes ;  eight  were  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  church  as  teachers, 
editors,  or  agents;  and  eight  were  expectants,  or  otherwise  employed. 
The  number  of  congregations  reported,  was  four  hundred  and  sixtyi 
six.  From  six  pastoral  stations  the  number  was  not  reported.  The 
whole  may  be  estimated  at  five  hundred. 

This  synod  has  under  its  care,  or  patronage,  a  theological  seminary, 
founded  in  1825;  a  grammar  school,  commenced  in  1832;  and  a 
college,  established  in  1836.  All  these  institutions  are  now  located 
permanently  at  Mercersburg,  a  pleasant  village,  in  Franklin  county, 


348  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Pennsylvania,  and  are  in  a  flourishing  state  under  able  professors  and 
teachers.  Two  spacious  edifices  have  been  erected  for  the  seminary 
and  grammar  school,  the  former  of  which  is  occupied  also  by  the 
students  of  college.  Measures  are  in  progress  for  the  erection  of  a 
suitable  college  edifice.  The  site  chosen  for  it,  as  well  as  the  situa- 
tions of  the  other  buildings,  is  picturesque  and  salubrious.  The  col- 
lege bears  the  name  of  Marshall  College,  as  a  mark  of  respect  for  the 
memory  of  the  late  John  Marshall,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States.  It  is  governed  by  a  board  of  trustees,  a  ma- 
jority of  whom  are  ministers  or  members  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church. 

Subordinate  to  this  synod  are  a  board  of  foreign  missions,  a  board 
of  domestic  missions,  and  a  board  of  education,  which  is  also  the 
board  of  visiters  of  the  theological  seminary ;  but  these  institutions 
are  yet  in  their  infancy. 

The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  which  is  of  quite  recent  origin,  has 
under  its  care  but  one  mission,  with  a  single  station,  and  one  mission- 
ary family.  The  mission  is  at  Broosa,  in  Asia  Minor,  the  same  which 
was  lately  under  the  care  of  the  Newcastle  Presbytery  in  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  The  missionary  family  are  the  Rev.  Benjamin 
Schneider  and  his  wife.  The  business  of  foreign  missions  is  trans- 
acted through  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions,  with  whom  a  connexion  for  that  object  has  been  formed. 

The  Board  of  Domestic  Missions  have  hitherto  done  but  little  in  their 
appropriate  office ;  but  they  have  created  a  printing  establishment, 
which  is  rendering  very  important  service  to  their  church.  In  addi- 
tion to  other  printing,  they  publish  two  religious  newspapers:  the 
"Weekly  Messenger  of  the  German  Reformed  Church,"  a  weekly 
paper  of  large  size,  in  the  English  language,  of  which  about  3000 
copies  are  issued  every  week ;  and  the  "  Christliche  Zeitschrift,"  a 
semi-monthly  in  the  German  language,  of  which  upwards  of  1700 
copies  are  issued  every  fortnight.  The  establishment  is  located  at 
Chambersburg,  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  a  convenient 
edifice  has  been  purchased  for  its  accommodation.  It  is  under  the 
immediate  control  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  board,  whose 
locality  is  in  the  same  place. 

The  Board  of  Education  are  charged  with  the  care  of  beneficiary 
students,  who  are  in  a  course  of  preparation  for  the  gospel  ministry 
in  the  church.  They  have  under  their  patronage  about  thirty  bene- 
ficiaries. 

The  western  part  of  the  church  is  located  principally  in  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania,  but  extends  also  into  the  adjoining  states,  and  has  for 


GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


349 


its  field  the  entire  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  About  the  year  1810  or 
1812,  the  Rev.  Jacob  William  Dechaut  was  sent  by  the  synod  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  located  himself  at  Miamisburg,  in 
Montgomery  county.  He  was  followed  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Winters, 
George  Weis,  and  others,  who  were  willing  to  cultivate  that  long 
necrlected  soil.  Prior  to  their  settlement  there  was  in  all  that  region 
only  one  German  Reformed  minister,  the  Rev.  I.  Larose,  who  was 
not  then  in  connexion  with  any  ecclesiastical  judicatory.  In  1819 
the  Classis  of  Ohio  was  formed,  and  in  1823  or  1824,  the  majority  of 
the  classis  separated  from  the  parent  body,  and  formed  themselves 
into  an  independent  judicatory,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Synod  of 
Ohio."  In  1836  the  Classis  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  obtained  per- 
mission to  unite  with  the  Synod  of  Ohio,  which  now  bore  the  title  of 
"  The  Synod  of  Ohio  and  the  adjoining  States ;"  and  by  a  late  act 
this  synod,  which  had  previously  been  subdivided  into  three  district 
synods,  received  a  new  organization  agreeably  to  the  plan  of  the 
constitution  of  the  eastern  church.  The  western  church  is  now 
divided  into  classes,  and  its  synod  is  a  delegated  body  composed  of 
the  representatives  of  the  classes. 

The  statistical  tables  of  1842,  published  as  an  appendix  to  the 
minutes  of  the  eastern  church  of  the  same  year,  states  the  number  of 
German  Reformed  ministers  in  the  west  to  be  fifty-one.  The  con- 
gregations reported  were  in  number  two  hundred  and  fourteen. 
Nine  pastoral  stations  had  made  no  report.  If  these  stations  ave- 
rage four  congregations  each,  the  whole  number  will  be  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty.  Some  of  the  ministers  preach  to  from  eight  to 
twelve  congregations;  only  two  limit  their  labours  each  to  one;  and 
only  five  others  do  not  exceed  three. 

This  synod  has  long  contemplated  the  establishment  of  a  theologi- 
cal seminary  in  the  west.  An  institution  of  this  kind  was  actually 
commenced  some  years  ago ;  but  after  a  very  brief  experiment  it 
failed.  It  will,  however,  doubtless  be  revived  at  no  distant  day. 
The  western  church  needs  an  institution  nearer  home  than  Mercers- 
burg,  and  will  feel  the  want  of  it  more  and  more,  as  her  numbers 
increase  and  her  borders  are  enlarged.  It  will  be  impossible,  with- 
out it,  to  keep  pace,  in  the  supply  of  ministers,  with  the  rapid  increase 
of  population  in  the  west ;  and  it  will  be  equally  impossible,  without 
a  thorough  education  of  her  ministers,  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  the 
pulpit  in  her  communion,  amidst  the  growth  of  knowledge  and  refine- 
ment in  the  community. 


THE  JEWS  AND   THEIE  RELIGION. 


BY  THE  REV.  ISAAC  LEESER. 

PASTOR  OF  THE  HEBREW  PORTUGUESE  CONGREGATION,  PHILADELPHIA. 

When  we  endeavour  to  trace  the  origin  of  the  civilization  which 
rules  with  its  benignant  sway  the  mightiest  nations  of  modern  times, 
and  none  more  so  than  the  people  inhabiting  the  United  States  of 
America,  we  shall  soon  discover  that  it  must  be  ascribed  to  a  great 
moral  influence  which  had  its  birth  in  the  gray  ages  of  antiquity. 
For,  disguise  it  as  you  will,  seek  with  candour  or  prejudice,  you  must 
at  length  arrive  at  the  conclusion,  that  the  sources  whence  the  modern 
rules  of  moral  government  are  in  the  main  drawn,  is  the  same  which 
refreshed  the  Chaldaean  shepherd  when  he  first  felt  moved  to  peril  his 
all  in  the  cause  of  that  truth  which  his  high-reaching  intellect  had 
discovered ;  that  is  to  say,  the  truth  of  the  existence  of  one  Su- 
preme, who  created  all  and  sustains  in  his  mercy  all  that  his  power 
has  called  into  being. — This  source  of  light  we  call  divine  revelation, 
and  it  is  contained  for  us,  who  live  at  this  day,  in  the  pages  of  that 
priceless  book  which  we  call  the  Bible. 

Long  indeed,  however,  had  this  Bible,  this  source  of  truth,  to 
struggle  against  the  furious  assaults  of  pagan  superstition  ;  long  even 
after  the  establishment  of  Christianity  was  the  leaven  of  ancient 
usages  too  powerful  for  the  simple  truths  of  the  Word  of  God ;  but 
with  all  this,  triumph  is  gradually  perching  upon  the  banners  of 
divinely  illuminated  reason ;  and  with  the  certain,  though  slow,  pro- 
gress of  mankind  in  the  path  of  science  and  enlightenment,  it  is  not  to 
be  doubted  that  pure  religion  will  also  become  more  and  more  the 
rule  of  life  for  the  sons  of  man.  There  may  be,  and  in  truth  are, 
many  retrogressions ;  we  find  indeed  that  from  some  unforeseen 
causes,  such  as  luxury,  devastating  wars,  the  irruption  of  barbarous 
nations,  mankind  have  appeared,  and  to  this  day  do  appear,  to  dete- 
riorate in  certain  periods ;  but  upon  the  whole  every  ago  becomes 
wiser  than  its  predecessor  through  the  light  of  experience  and  by  a 
knowledge  of  the  evils  which  others  had  to  endure.     The  storms 


THE  JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  35 1 

through  which  civilization  has  periodically  to  pass,  purify  it  from  the 
stagnant  air  which  entire  repose  would  necessarily  create  around  it; 
for  it  has  to  share  the  fate  with  every  other  gift  which  has  been 
bestowed  upon  mankind,  of  being  endangered  if  it  is  not  constantly 
watched,  and  guarded  against  the  enemies  which  have  been  wisely 
placed  around  our  happiness,  that  we  may  not  fall  into  inaction  and 
effeminacy. 

The  Jews,  and  their  predecessors  the  Israelites,  have  been  always 
regarded  with  suspicion,  and  not  rarely  with  aversion,  by  those  who 
hold  opinions  different  from  them  ;  but  if  an  inquirer  were  to  look  with 
the  eye  of  truth  into  the  source  of  this  suspicion  and  of  this  aversion, 
he  would  be  disappointed,  for  the  honour  of  mankind,  to  find  that 
both  are  without  sufficient  ground  to  warrant  their  being  indulged  in 
by  any  person  who  can  lay  the  least  claim  to  intelligence.  One 
would  suppose  that  the  Judoeophobia  must  be  owing  to  some  mon- 
strous doctrines  which  the  Jewish  religion  contains,  which  would 
render  its  professors  dangerous  to  the  state  as  unsafe  citizens  or 
rebellious  subjects,  by  teaching  them  to  imbrue  their  hands  in  blood, 
or  to  plunder  the  unwary  of  their  possessions.  Perhaps  calumny 
has  asserted  these  things ;  perhaps  ignorance  may  have  imagined 
that  this  could  be  so.     But  how  stands  the  case  ? 

In  the  days  when  the  wealth  of  many  nations  was  not  estimated 
by  the  gold  and  silver  in  their  houses,  and  by  the  ships  which  bore 
their  products  upon  the  face  of  the  ocean,  but  by  the  multitude  of 
their  herds  and  flocks  and  of  "  the  ships  of  the  desert"  the  patient 
and  burdensome  camels,  and  the  toilsome  asses,  and  the  number  of 
their  household :  there  arose  a  man  in  his  beginning  as  simple  as  his 
countrymen,  as  unostentatious  as  any  shepherd  of  them  all.  He  was 
called  Abraham ;  and  lived  in  that  fruitful  country  once  known  as 
Chaldsea.  Around  him  every  one  seemed  to  have  forgotten  the 
existence  of  one  Creator ;  for  gross  idolatry,  or  the  worship  as  gods 
of  things  which  have  no  power  to  sav^e,  was  the  prevailing  vice  of 
mankind.  It  is  well  to  inquire,  whether  notions  of  right  and  wrong 
based  upon  such  premises  can  be  of  real  utility  to  man  ?  whether  a 
belief  in  gods  full  of  human  vices,  according  to  the  ideas  even  of  their 
worshippers,  can  inspire  the  virtues  which  are  the  basis  of  true  civi- 
lization? The  candid  reasoner  will  answer  in  the  negative;  for 
debasing  conceptions  of  worship  will  naturally  debase  the  under- 
standing, and  one  is  but  too  apt  to  excuse  in  himself  what  he  dis- 
covers or  fancies  to  exist  in  the  being  to  whom  he  looks  up  with 
respect  and  adoration.  This  being  premised,  it  will  be  readily 
conceded  that  at  the  appearance  of  Abraham  the  pervading  popular 


352 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


opinions  were  unfriendly  to  the  advancement  of  civilization;  and  that 
therefore  his  promulgating  contrary  views,  granting  that  he  did  so, 
was  no  evidence  of  his  being  an  enemy  to  the  general  welfare.  Let 
us  then  sec,  what  did  Abraham  do  ?  Disgusted  with  the  folJies  sur- 
rounding him  on  all  sides,  convinced  that  the  works  of  human  hands 
were  not  proper  objects  of  worship:  he  resolved  in  his  heart  to  look 
from  the  creature  to  the  Cause,  and  thus  he  brought  himself  to  adore 
the  Creator ;  since  there  is  every  where  apparent  the  same  principle 
as  the  foundation  and  origin  of  all  that  exists.  Full  of  this  sublime 
thought  he  left  his  native  land,  his  father^s  roof,  and  wandered  to  the 
smiling  country  of  the  South,  where  the  most  horrible  superstition 
had  established  itself  in  the  shape  of  human  sacrifices  to  the  devour- 
ing Moloch.  It  was  here  he  proclaimed  the  "  God  who  is  the  living 
God  and  everlasting  King,"  and  exhibited  in  his  conduct  that  neigh- 
bourly love,  that  regard  for  justice  and  righteousness,  which  com- 
pelled even  the  followers  of  a  senseless  system,  if  system  it  may  be 
called,  to  look  upon  him  who  had  come  among  them  a  stranger,  who 
had  made  publicly  known  his  attachment  to  a  worship  which  they 
knew  not,  as  "a  prince  of  God  in  the  midst  of  them."  What  now 
were  the  principles  of  Abraham  ?  Simply  these :  first,  the  belief  in 
the  existence  of  one  God,  who  made  heaven  and  earth ;  secondly, 
obedience  to  the  dictates  of  this  God  ;  thirdly,  accountability  to  this 
God  for  all  deeds  by  intelligent  creatures;  fourthly,  charity  and 
neighbourly  love;  and  fifthly,  the  exercise  of  evenhanded  justice. 
We  will  not  insist  that  there  are  no  other  principles  involved  in  the 
doctrines  of  Abraham ;  but  we  give  these  points  merely  to  convey  a 
general  idea  of  what  he  did  in  the  fulfilment  of  his  mission.  Let  us 
now  examine  briefly  the  effect  such  a  system  must  have,  if  generally 
adopted  and  generally  cai'ried  out  in  practice.  Without  the  belief  in 
a  superior  Power  there  cannot  be  imagined  a  being  great  enough  to 
exercise  any  control  over  the  actions  of  man;  the  Being  to  be  adored 
must  be  eternal,  universal,  and  uniform.  Now  precisely  such  a  God 
Abraham  proclaimed.  The  God  of  the  scriptures  is  from  the  begin- 
ning; He  made  all  that  exists;  He  is  of  unending  endurance,  sur- 
viving all  that  can  ever  appear  in  the  world ;  He  is  in  every  imagi- 
nable part  of  the  creation — no  space  can  limit  Him,  no  obstacles 
can  bar  out  his  presence ;  and  finally,  He  is  uniform — there  are  no 
disturbing  causes  which  can  diminish  his  power,  weaken  his  ener- 
gies, or  abridge  his  wisdom  ;  there  are  no  discoverable  means  to 
divide  Him  into  parts,  or  to  add  aught  to  his  greatness,  felicity,  or 
perfection,  for  every  thing  is  his,  and  existing  only  by  his  will  and 
sufferance.     This  God,  according  to  Abraham's  doctrines,  has  given 


1 


.    JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  353 

certain  instructions  to  his  creatures,  which,  since  He  is  the  Source  of 
wisdom,  must  be  necessarily  wise,  useful  and  immutable  in  their  ten- 
dencies and  nature.  Farther,  the  Creator  expects  that  those  who 
have  a  knowledge  of  his  enactments  will,  under  pain  of  accounta- 
bility, and  with  a  certainty  of  recompense,  endeavour  to  obey  strictly 
what  they  are  certified  to  be  the  will  of  their  God.  Then  again 
these  enactments,  as  far  as  mankind  are  concerned,  demand  that 
every  man  shall  love  his  neighbour,  and  dispense  to  all,  whom  he  can 
reach,  those  acts  of  kindness  which  he  himself  would  desire  to  re- 
ceive in  the  hour  of  his  need.  But  such  a  system  would  be  incom- 
plete without  the  superaddition  of  that  principle  with  which  the 
Creator  governs  the  world,  and  this  principle  we  call  "Justice;"  this 
therefore  too  was  engrafted  upon  Abraham's  creed,  and  he  is  praised 
for  the  certainty  that  he  would  command  his  house  after  him  to 
exercise  this  principle  in  their  intercourse  with  others. 

That  Abraham  was  viewed  with  prejudice  by  those  who  profited 
by  the  superstition  of  the  times,  is  but  too  probable ;  that  the  priests 
who  kept  the  people  in  ignorance  with  regard  to  the  true  nature  of 
the  Deity  should  hate  a  man  who  cast,  so  to  say,  their  idols  to  the 
ground,  by  informing  every  one  who  came  to  him  of  the  pure  ideas 
he  had  of  the  Creator,  is  as  certain  as  that  the  doers  of  evil  hate  those 
whose  conduct  is  a  perpetual  rebuke  to  their  iniquity ;  that  the  tyrants 
who  governed  by  debasing  the  mind  of  their  subjects,  who  caused 
themselves  to  be  looked  upon  as  superior  to  the  mass  of  mankind,  did 
not  relish  the  presence  of  the  philosopher  whose  system  rendered  all 
men  equal  in  obedience,  in  hope,  as  creatures  of  the  same  Father, 
admits  of  not  the  smallest  doubt,  for  the  general  acknowledgment  of 
these  views  would,  if  not  destroy  the  power  of  kings,  greatly  circum- 
scribe the  same,  and  make  men  jealous  of  their  rulers.  We  do  not 
wonder,  therefore,  that  the  new  civilization,  as  we  will  term  it,  could 
not  advance  very  rapidly  in  the  then  state  of  the  world  ;  it  contra- 
dicted every  thing  which  was  assumed  as  true  by  so  many  interested 
persons,  and  offered  to  no  one  individual  any  prominence  among 
those  who  submitted  to  its  rule.  Nevertheless  it  is  not  to  be  doubted, 
that  the  entire  system  of  modern  civilization  is  based  upon  the  early 
dawning  thereof  in  the  person  of  Abrahan^  which  we  have  sketched 
as  above.  Although  the  constitutions  of  the  various  countries,  where 
an  enlightened  liberty  prevails,  do  not  in  all  cases  recite  a  belief  in 
the  existence  of  one  God  and  a  subjection  to  his  laws :  they  in  the 
main  acknowlege  these  ideas  in  legislation  and  jurisprudence  no  less 
than  in  domestic  life.  In  short,  the  Abrahamic  discoveries,  so  to  term 
them,  in  the  ethical  sciences,  have  become  the  standard  of  public 


354  HISTORY  OF  THE 

liberty,  the  safcgnard  of  justice,  and  the  prop  of  private  life,  wherever 
science  has  succeeded  in  dispelling  the  reign  of  ignorance,  and  where 
an  cnliglitencd  worship  has  chased  away  the  dark  clouds  of  super- 
stition. Under  many  appellations  the  God  of  Abraham  is  invoked ; 
climes  the  farthest  asunder  send  forth  praises  to  the  Everliving ;  and 
prayers  ascend  to  Him  from  Ethiopia's  sons  and  from  the  children  of 
the  Andes,  no  less  than  from  the  fair  Circassian  race ;  and  the  mighty 
Name  is  indeed  glorious  among  the  Gentiles. 

When  Moses  appeared  on  earth  to  accomplish  what  Abraham  had 
commenced,  it  was  not  a  new  theory  which  was  proclaimed,  but  a 
confirmation  of  the  ancient  covenant.  The  idea  of  belief  was  not 
enlarged,  because  there  could  be  no  addition  to  the  simplicity  and 
truth  of  its  first  inception  ;  the  creed  of  Abraham  was  one  God,  sole, 
uniform,  eternal ;  and  Moses  could  not  add  to  or  diminish  from  this 
unchangeable  truth.  What  then  was  Moses'  mission?  It  was  the 
establishment  of  a  consistent  code  of  laws  in  consonance  with  the 
acknowledged  universality  of  the  Almighty  power.  The  Lord,  in 
the  code  of  Moses,  became  the  chief  of  a  civil  state,  in  which  the 
people  were  citizens  and  equals  under  the  banner  of  obedience  to  the 
divine  will ;  there  was  no  one  equal  to  the  Lord,  there  was  no  one 
above  the  reach  of  the  laws.  Whoever  was  raised  to  dignity  among 
his  people,  held  a  power  delegated  from  on  high  with  the  concur- 
rence and  sufferance  of  the  governed  ;  and  w^hen  the  ruler  ceased  to 
shape  his  course  by  the  statutes  which  had  been  prescribed  for  the 
government  of  the  whole  people,  he  at  once  lost  the  authority  which 
he  had  abused,  at  times  by  direct  divine  interference,  at  times  by  the 
simple  action  of  the  people ;  of  this  the  scriptures  give  so  many  ex- 
amples that  it  is  needless  to  quote  them  here,  where  we  are  confined 
to  a  very  limited  space.  But  in  connexion  with  the  civil  code  based 
on  religion,  there  was  another  object  in  the  legislation  of  Moses ;  and 
this  was  the  uniting  of  the  belief  in  the  unity  of  the  divine  Essence 
with  outward,  tangible  rites,  which  should  ever  remind  the  people  to 
whom  they  had  been  given  of  tl)e  truth  which  they  had  inherited  from 
their  fathers.  It  is  obvious  that  neither  pictures  nor  the  works  of  the 
chisel  could  effect  this  great  end.  For  in  the  commemorative  w^orks 
of  art,  to  be  thus  produced,  the  Deity  also,  the  principal  agent  in  all 
these  transactions,  would  have  to  be  rfepresented ;  and  how  could  this 
be  done?  Where  could  we  possibly  find  a  likeness  or  an  image  to 
figure  Him  by  ?  He,  who  is  without  bodily  conformation,  without 
outward  shape,  could  He  be  shadowed  forth  by  the  puerile  invention 
of  genius, — puerile,  when  compared  with  his  greatness  and  puHty? 
And  besides,  admit  that  it  w^ere  possible  ;  still  how  would  it  have  com- 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  355 

ported  with  divine  wisdom  to  have  permitted  symbolical  representa- 
tions of  his  Being,  at  a  time  when  images  were  the  objects  of  adoration 
to  all  the  world  1  Would  not  the  recipients  of  the  law  also  have  soon 
lapsed  into  the  folly  of  venerating  ihe  symbols,  instead  of  the  Deity 
which  they  personified?  Wisely,  therefore,  did  the  law  proscribe 
graven  images  or  any  representation,  "  because  that  we  saw  no  figure 
whatever  on  the  day  the  Lord  spoke  with  us  at  Horeb  from  the  midst 
of  the  fire."  On  the  other  hand,  acts  once  past  fade  from  the  me- 
mory of  the  recipients  and  actors  themselves;  how  much  more  is  it 
but  too  certain  that  succeeding  ages  will  not  know  of  the  great  things 
that  were  done  before  their  days.  How  beautifully  therefore  did  the 
Lord  provide  for  the  remembrance  of  the  great  acts  which  He  did  for 
Abraham's  sons  when  they  went  forth  from  Egypt.  He  bound  the 
recollection  of  these  mighty  deeds  to  the  observance  of  many  cere- 
monials and  festive  institutions,  which  by  their  constant  recurrence 
should  as  constantly  remind  the  people  of  the  causes,  why  they  were 
ordained.  Let  us  instance  the  Passover.  The  household  of  every 
believing  Israelite  is  purified  from  all  leaven;  new  utensils,  different 
from  those  in  general  use,  are  procured ;  bread  of  a  difterent  nature 
than  that  used  during  the  other  parts  of  the  year  is  introduced  ;  and 
with  the  first  evening  of  the  festivals  peculiar  ceremonies  are  ob- 
served, which  from  their  striking  nature  will  always  arrest  the  atten- 
tion. Imagine  now  an  inquisitive  child  following  with  eager  eye  his 
parents  in  their  various  acts  of  purifying  and  arranging  the  house- 
hold, in  their  observance  of  the  ceremonies  relating  to  the  feast,  and 
he  will  naturally  ask  :  "  What  is  this  service  unto  you  ?"  And  then, 
what  a  noble  theme  has  the  intelligent  and  pious  father  for  dwelling 
on  the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  how  He  in  his  might  broke  the  chain  of 
captive  forefathers — how  He  humbled  the  idols  and  their  worshippers 
— how  He  proved  his  almighty  power  before  the  eyes  of  unbelieving 
men — how  He  demonstrated  that  He  alone  is  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of 
the  universe — and  how  He  ordained  a  law  of  duties  and  observances, 
inasmuch  as  "  He  commanded  us  to  do  all  these  things,  that  it  may 
be  well  with  us  all  the  days,  and  to  keep  us  alive,  as  we  see  this  day." 
In  brief,  the  ceremonies,  as  Mendelssohn  observes  in  his  Jerusalem, 
are  the  constant  topics  of  living  instruction,  which  by  exciting  the 
attention  of  the  inquirer  afford  a  constant  theme  and  an  ever-recur- 
ring occasion  to  expatiate  upon  the  noble  truths  of  revealed  religion, 
to  prevent  them  being  misunderstood  by  the  fixedness  and  obscurity 
of  outward  symbols,  and  of  being  lost  by  want  of  requisite  memorials. 
In  consequence  of  this  union  of  doctrine  and  acts  the  Israelitish 
people  became  contradistinguished  from  all  other 'portions  of  man- 


356  HISTORY  OF  THE 

kind,  by  a  peculiarity  which  exposed  them  at  once  to  the  animadver- 
sion and  suspicion  of  the  world.     They  were  men  who  believed  not 
in  ihc  gods ;  they  had  no  images  to  represent  what  they  worshipped, 
and  they  refused  to  mingle  by  marriage  and  social  enjoyment  with 
those  who  believed  not  in  their  code.     Hence  there  sprung  up  a 
species  of  repugnance  of  the  heathen  towards  the  Israelites;  they 
accused  them  of  atheism,  because  they  rejected  a  plurality  of  gods ; 
they  were  shocked  at  what  was  conceived  their  impiety,  because 
they  honoured  not  images  of  the  divinities  of  the  world ;  and  they 
charged  them  with  unsociality,  because  they  could  not,  consistently 
with  their  faith,  mingle  over  the  wine  cup  and  the  festive  board  with 
their  gentile  neighbours.     It  is  needless  to  argue,  at  this  late  day,  the 
folly  of  these  views.    The  worship  of  one  God  is  surely  no  atheism ; 
the  absence  of  images  is  no  impiety ;  and  the  ceremonial  restrictions 
upon  the  Israelites  have  been  long  since  justly  regarded  as  the  main 
props  for  the  upholding  of  the  monotheistic  doctrines  of  Abraham  and 
Moses ;  they  preserved  entire  a  people  to  whom  the  truth  had  been 
confided  by  the  Creator  himself;  and  nation  after  nation  has  more  or 
less  taken  up  the  same  belief,  and  followed  as  divine  the  precepts 
which  the  code  of  Israel  contains.     It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  the 
Jews  themselves  have  not  duly  honoured  their  divine  law ;  they  have 
often  been  rebellious ;  they  have  frequently  thrown  off  the  yoke ;  they 
have  again  and  again  walked  in  fhe  ways  of  the  heathen ;  still,  will 
any  one  deny  that  they  were  the  first,  and  for  a  long  time  the  only, 
nation  who  believed  truly  in  the  Creator  alone  1  who  possessed  and 
have  transmitted  to  the  world  at  large  a  code  of  law^s  which  is  the 
best  safeguard  of  liberty  ?  the  only  true  standard  of  justice?    Look  at 
the  decalogue  !  it  is  called  the  moral  constitution  of  the  world;  and 
where  do  you  find  precepts  so  just,  so  simple,  so  cogent,  embraced  in 
so  few  words?    Admit  they  are  divine,  (certainly  we  do  not  claim  to 
have  invented  them;)  still,  who  possessed  them  before  all  other  na- 
tions?    Do  we  then  boast  unjustly,  when  we  aver  that  our  law  is  the 
fountain  of  modern  civilization?  that  whatever  was  good  in  heathen 
ideas  had  to  be  purified  by  the  legislation  of  Moses  ?     Surely  we  are 
correct  in  this  assertion ;  and  sure  we  are  that  the  enlightened  Chris- 
tian and  philosopher  will  gladly  admit  the  truth  of  a  position  which 
scarcely  admits  of  a  doubt. 

If  heathen  communities  then  looked  with  disdain  and  contempt 
upon  the  unsociable  Israelites  and  accused  them  of  impiety :  a  man 
acquainted  with  the  operations  of  the  human  heart,  will  say  that  their 
ignorance  of  revelation  was  a  natural  cause  of  this  aversion  for  a 
system  which,  in  every  point,  contradicted  their  free  notions  in  belief 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  357 

and  conduct ;  since  heathenism  allowed  any  addition  to  the  catalogue 
of  their  deities,  ad  injinitum,  and  permitted  all  those  acts  of  licentious- 
ness which  disgraced  their  Olympus.  But  what  can  Christians 
allege  for  continuing  that  silly  prejudice  which  had  its  birth  in  periods 
of  darkness  1  Do  they  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  Being,  the  holiest, 
the  purest,  the  best  that  the  imagination  can  conceive,  who  is  the 
author  of  all  1  So  do  we.  Do  they  believe  in  the  revelation  of  the 
Most  High?  So  do  we.  Do  they  believe  themselves  accountable  for 
all  acts  done  by  them  in  contravention  to  the  declared  will  of  God  1 
So  do  we.  Do  they  hold  to  the  sublime  aphorism,  "  Love  God  above 
all,  and  thy  neighbour  like  thyself?"  So  do  we.  Is  there  not  sufficient 
agreement  in  our  respective  systems  for  us  all  to  meet  on  common 
ground,  and  prove  that  we  are  indeed  children  of  a  common  Parent? 
servants  of  the  same  God?  "But  no,"  say  the  bigots,  "the  Jews  do  not 
agree  with  us  in  all  points;  they  believe  not  in  a  mediator,  they  reject 
our  Messiah,  and  hold  themselves  bound  by  a  religion  of  ceremonial 
works,  long  since  abrogated,  at  the  coming  of  Christ ;  hence  we  must 
endeavour  to  convert  them,  or  condemn  them  to  the  pains  of  an  ever- 
lasting damnation  for  their  unbelief."  The  premises  are  indeed  true : 
we  totally  reject  the  idea  of  a  mediator,  either  past  or  to  come ;  we 
reject  him  whom  the  Christians  call  their  Messiah ;  and  we  assert 
that  for  our  part  the  law  is  of  the  same  binding  force  as  it  was  in  the 
beginning  of  its  institution.  But  what  has  that  to  do  with  the  preju- 
dice of  the  world  against  us  ?  Are  our  views  so  monstrous  as  to  ex- 
cite the  wrath  of  the  world  against  us  ?  Let  us  see :  we  assert  that 
the  Deity  is  one  and  alone ;  that  hence  no  mediator,  or  an  emanation 
from  the  Creator,  is  conceivable.  But  why  should  this  be  a  cause  of 
prejudice  against  us,  since  the  evident  words  of  the  Bible  teach  this 
doctrine,  as  we  understand  the  scriptures  ?  For  thus  it  says,  "  Hear, 
O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord  is  one."  (Deut.  vi.  4.)  "  Know 
therefore,  this  day,  and  consider  it  in  thine  heart,  that  the  Lord  he  is 
God,  in  heaven  above,  and  upon  the  earth  beneath ;  there  is  none 
else."  (Ibid.  iv.  39.)  "  See  now,  that  I;  even  I,  am  He,  and  there 
is  no  God  with  me ;  I  kill,  and  I  make  alive ;  I  wound,  and  1  heal ; 
neither  is  there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand."  (Ibid,  xxxii. 
39.)  "  Wherefore,  thou  art  great,  O  Lord  God :  for  there  is  none  like 
thee,  neither  is  there  any  God  beside  thee,  according  to  all  that  we 
have  heard  with  our  ears."  (2  Samuel  vii.  22.)  "  That  all  the  people 
of  the  earth  may  know  that  the  Lord  is  God,  and  that  there  is  none 
else."  (1  Kings  viii.  60.)  "  For  thou  art  the  glory  of  our  strength: 
and  in  thy  favour  our  horn  shall  be  exalted.  For  the  Lord  is  our 
defence:  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  is  our  king."  (Psalm  Ixxxix.  17, 


358  IIISTOllY  OF  THE 

18.)  "  Ye  arc  my  witnesses,  suith  the  Lord,  and  my  servant  whom  I 
have  chosen  :  that  ye  may  know  and  behevc  me,  and  understand  that 
I  am  He  ;  before  me  there  was  no  God  formed,  neither  shall  there  be 
after  me.  I,  even  I,  am  the  Lord,  and  beside  me  there  is  no  Saviour." 
(Isaiah,  xliii.  10,  11.)  "I  even  I,  am  He  that  blotteth  out  thy  trans- 
gressions for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins."  (Ibid. 
25.)  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  King  of  Israel,  and  his  Redeemer, 
the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  I  am  the  first,  and  I  am  the  last,  and  beside  me 
there  is  no  god."  (Ibid.  xliv.  G.)  "  But  Israel  shall  be  saved  in  the 
Lord  an  everlasting  salvation."  (Ibid.  xlv.  17.)  "Look  unto  me,  and 
be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is 
none  else."  (Ibid.  xlv.  22.)  •'  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel 
be  justified,  and  shall  glory."  (Ibid.  25.)  We  will  not  multiply 
texts,  in  the  limited  space  necessarily  assigned  to  this  article,  and  be 
content  with  the  few  already  given,  selected  at  random  almost,  from 
the  ordinary  version  of  the  Bible,  with  but  one  exception.  We  con- 
tend from  these  and  many  others,  that  the  scriptures  teach  an  abso- 
lute, not  a  relative  unity  in  the  Godhead,  that  the  same  Being,  who 
existed  from  the  beginning,  and  who  called  forth  all  that  exists,  the 
Lord  God  of  Hosts,  is  the  sole  Legislator  and  Redeemer  of  all  his 
creatures.  We  contend  that  a  divided  unity,  or  a  homogeneous 
divinity  composed  of  parts,  is  nowhere  spoken  of  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, our  only  rule  of  faith,  and  that  nothing,  not  contained  therein, 
can  become  by  any  possibility  matter  of  faith  and  hope  for  an  Israelite. 
We  know  well  enough  that  some  ingenious  accommodations  have  been 
invented  by  learned  men  to  reconcile  the  above  texts  with  the  received 
opinions  of  Christianity ;  but  we  have  always  been  taught  to  receive 
the  scriptures  literally ;  we  assert  that  the  law  is  not  allegorical ;  that 
the  denunciation  of  punishment  against  us  has  been  literally  accom- 
plished ;  and  that,  therefore,  no  verse  of  the  Bible  can  in  its  primary 
sense  be  taken  otherwise  than  in  its  literal  and  evident  meaning,  espe- 
cially if  this  is  the  most  obvious,  and  leads  to  no  conclusion  which  is 
elsewhere  contradicted  by  another  biblical  text.  Now  nothing  is  more 
evident  than  that  the  unity  of  God  is  the  fundamental  principle  of  the 
Bible  revelation;  since  it  was  contrived,  to  use  this  word,  by  divine  wis- 
dom, to  counteract  the  frightful  follies  of  polytheism,  which  had  over- 
spread the  world.  We  then  say,  if  God  be  absolutely  one,  if  He  is  not 
conceivable  to  be  divided  into  parts,  if  there  is  no  Saviour  beside  Him  : 
it  follows  that  there  can  be  no  personage  who  could  by  any  possibi- 
lity be  called  "  son  of  god,"  or  the  mediator  between  God  and  man. 
An  independent  deity  he  cannot  be,  neither  can  he  be  an  associate  ; 
and  if  he  be  neither,  how^  can  he  be  more  a  mediator  than  any  other 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  359 

creature  ?  since  one  man  cannot  atone  for  the  sins  of  another ;  as  we 
are  informed  in  Exodus,  xxxii.  33 :  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
Whosoever  hath  sinned  against  me,  him  will  I  blot  out  of  my  book," 
which  evidently  teaches  that  every  sinner  has  to  make  atonement  for 
himself,  and  can  obtain  pardon  only  through  the  undeserved  mercy  of 
the  Lord.  If  now  the  mediator  is  not  the  Creator  himself,  he  cannot 
offer  an  atonement,  nay  not  even  himself;  and  if  he  could,  he  would 
be  equal  to  the  One  from  whom  all  has  sprung,  and  such  a  being  is 
impossible,  in  accordance  with  the  testimony  of  the  Bible. 

From  this  it  follows,  that  we  Jews  cannot  admit  the  divinity  of  the 
Messiah  of  Christians,  nor  confide  in  his  mission  upon  unitarian  prin- 
ciples, since  the  books  containing  an  account  of  his  life  all  claim  for 
him  the  power  of  mediatorship,  if  not  an  equality  with  the  Supreme, 
both  of  which  ideas  we  reject  as  unscriptural. 

If  then  there  has  been  as  yet  no  manifestation  of  the  divine  will 
in  respect  to  a  repeal  of  the  law  (since  we  cannot  believe  a  mere 
man  to  have  by  simple  preaching  and  the  exhibition  of  miracles,  even 
admitting  their  authenticity,  been  able  to  abrogate  what  God  so 
solemnly  instituted) :  we  again  claim  that  the  whole  ceremonial  and 
religious  as  well  as  civil  legislation  of  )Sinai  is  to  this  day  unrepealed, 
and  is  consequently  binding  on  us  Israelites,  the  proper  recipients  of 
the  Mosaic  code,  as  on  the  day  of  its  first  promulgation. 

We  in  this  manner  acknowledge  and  maintain  that  we  do  not 
believe  in  the  mediatorship,  nor  in  the  mission  of  the  Messiah  of  the 
Christians,  nor  in  the  abrogation  of  the  Mosaic  law  of  works.  But 
we  nevertheless  contend  that  this  rejection  of  the  popular  religion  is 
no  cause  for  the  entertainment  of  any  ill-will  against  us,  nor  for  the 
efforts  which  some  over-zealous  people  every  now  and  then  make 
for  our  conversion.  We  have  already  exhibited  above,  how  the 
behef  of  Abraham,  enlarged  by  Moses,  and  now  acknowledged  by 
the  Jews,  is  one  of  purity  and  morality,  and  one  which  presents  the 
strongest  possible  supports  for  civil  society,  especially  a  government 
based  upon  principles  of  equality  and  liberty  of  the  person.  We 
challenge  contradiction  to  this  position,  which  we  sustain  as  impreg- 
nable both  to  the  shafts  of  witticism,  and  the  attacks  of  cold  reasoning. 
We  therefore  say,  that  our  presence  in  any  community  cannot  work 
any  injury  to  those  who  difler  from  us  in  religion,  since  we  are  peace- 
loving  and  loyal,  wishing  to  do  to  others  those  acts  of  benevolence 
which  we  may  desire  to  claim  from  them  in  our  day  of  need  ;  and 
that  our  speculative  opinions  cannot  work  any  injury  to  the  systems 
which  exist  around  us,  inasmuch  as  we  do  not  seek  to  aggrandize 
ourselves  at  the  expense  of  others,  and  abstain  from  weakening  the 


360  HISTORY  OF  THE 

religious  impressions  of  other  sects,  unless  it  be  in  self-defence.  For 
the  Iruth  of  this  we  appeal  to  the  history  of  the  United  States,  France 
and  Holland,  where  the  Jews  have  for  many  years  enjoyed  entire 
liberty  of  conscience,  without  any  injury  to  other  denominations  or 
the  state  at  large.  We  say,  that  we  endeavour  to  instil  principles  of 
honesty  in  our  people ;  and  hence  that  but  few  indeed  are  ever  brought 
to  the  bar  of  justice  or  encumber  the  poor  and  workhouses  to  the 
disgrace  of  their  name  and  the  reproach  of  their  fellows  in  belief.* 
So  much  with  respect  to  unjust  prejudice.  But  with  regard  to  the 
efforts  at  conversion  they  are  equally  senseless.  To  the  Jew  his  ex- 
istence is  a  manifestation  and  evident  display  of  the  divine  power. 
How  must  a  Christian  regard  it?  Let  us  see.  "  Who  had  the  Bible 
first?'  The  Jews.  "  Who  was  selected  by  God  as  the  people  to  bear 
•witness  of  his  being  ?"  The  Jews.  "  To  whom  did  the  Lord  promise 
love  and  protection?"  The  Jews.  "  To  whom  did  he  say  that  they 
should  never  cease  to  be  a  people?"  The  Jews.  It  then  follows 
that  Providence  must  have  had,  and  consequently  still  have,  some 
great  and  general  object  in  preserving  the  Jews  from  annihilation, 
and  this  must  be  acknowledged  upon  Christian  grounds,  since  Chris- 
tians too  admit  the  truth  of  the  scriptures.  Suppose  now  all  the  Jews 
were  converted,  which  however  is  an  idea  not  to  be  admitted,  their 
existence  would  of  a  certainty  be  at  an  end ;  for  it  requires  no  reason- 
ing to  prove  that  their  religion  is  their  only  preservative  in  their 
scattered  state  among  all  nations.  We,  as  a  distinct  class  of  men, 
have  always  been  the  best  evidence  of  the  truth  of  revelation ;  for 
our  being  in  existence  with  the  possession  of  a  distinct  code  of  laws 
founded  upon  reason  and  truth,  in  ages  of  darkness  and  falsehood, 
can  only  be  accounted  for  upon  the  supposition,  that  the  laws  and 
doctrines  which  are  so  wise  and  true  must  have  sprung  from  the  only 
Source  of  wisdom,  to  wit,  the  Author  of  all.  Whilst,  therefore,  the 
Israelites  maintain  their  identity ;  whilst  they  continue  steadfast  to 
Moses  and  the  prophets :  there  will  always  be  an  unanswerable  argu- 
ment in  favour  of  revelation  to  the  sceptical  unbeliever.  But,  once 
blot  out  our  memorial ;  let  our  name  be  only  a  matter  of  history, 
and  our  existence  the  subject  for  the  antiquarian's  researches :  and 
you  have  destroyed  the  very  evidence  on  which  your  system  must 
rest  for  support,  although  as  Christians  you  claim  a  new  revelation 

*  The  writer  of  tliis  had  lately  an  opportunity  of  conversing,  whilst  travelling,  with  one 
of  the  police  magistrates  of  the  city  of  New  York,  where  the  largest  portion  of  our  people 
in  this  country  is  settled ;  and  he  assured  him  that  but  seldom  arc  Jews  brought  before 
him  for  any  charge  whatever,  even  petty  crimes,  lliough  the  number  of  poor  Israelites  in 
New  York  is  proporiionalely  great. 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  REUGION.  361 

for  the  opinions  of  divine  things  which  you  entertain.  Still  more  than 
all  this,  all  such  attempts,  as  we  have  just  alluded  to,  are  acting 
against  Providence ;  He  called  Abraham  out  of  Chaldsea,  and  pro- 
mised him,  that  in  his  seed  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed ;  He  chose  Isaac,  and  confirmed  to  him  the  covenant  of  Abra- 
ham ;  He  loved  Jacob,  and  assured  him  the  blessings  of  Abraham  and 
Isaac ;  He  appeared  to  Moses  and  told  him :  "  I  am  the  God  of  thy 
father,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac  and  the  God  of  Jacob," 
(Exod.  iii.  6) ;  and  all  these  promises  are  to  be  made  void  by  the 
extermination  of  the  distinctive  character  of  Jacob's  descendants  ? 
how  are  they  to  be  distinguished  as  **  the  people  of  God,"  as  the  sons 
of  Israel,  if  they  mingle  with  you  in  communion  of  worship  and  inter- 
marriages, and  become  with  you  one  people  1  One  would  think  that 
the  many  abortive  attempts  at  force,  at  persuasion,  at  bribery,  had 
all  been  tried  in  vain  long  enough  to  prove  that,  if  God  wishes  our 
destruction,  these  are  not  the  means  to  effect  it ;  and  still  the  world 
is  but  little  wiser  for  all  these  failures,  and  the  same  routine,  all 
except  the  slaying  of  Jews,  is  gone  over  again  at  this  day,  to  bring 
about  the  conversion  of  our  people,  as  was  done  in  former  times. 
One  country  will  not  admit  our  people  to  an  equality  of  rights ;  an- 
other, more  barbarous  yet,  although  Christian,  enlightened  and  highly 
civilized,  restricts  the  number  of  Jews  in  its  dominions,  permits  only 
a  certain  number  to  marry,  and  confines  our  existing  population  to 
certain,  and  these  very  narrow,  limits  in  the  towns  where  they  dwell; 
elsewhere  they  are  taxed  for  the  right  of  protection — even  the  food 
they  consume  becomes  an  especial  source  of  revenue  to  the  govern- 
ment ;  in  other  places  again  they  cannot  hold  landed  estates ;  other 
countries  will  not  admit  them  within  their  boundaries;  whilst  every 
where,  even  in  free  and  enlightened  America,  other  denominations 
combine  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  about  their  conversion,  and 
raise  funds  and  form  especial  societies  to  bring  about  this  consum- 
mation so  devoutly  desired  by  many.  Who  does  not  see,  that  such 
.proceedings  are  only  too  well  calculated  to  keep  alive  prejudices, 
unfounded  and  unjust,  against  the  sons  of  Israel  1  Every  one  knows 
the  influence  which  ministers  of  religion  have  over  their  flocks ;  and 
if  the  heads,  then,  constantly  pray  for  the  conversion  of  the  Jews  ;  if 
they  constantly  league  together  for  this  purpose ;  if  they  hold  them 
up  as  children  of  damnation  for  their  unbelief:  it  would  be  wonderful 
indeed  if  the  masses  did  not  feel  a  certain  aversion  for  those  men 
whose  obduracy  and  unbelief  cause  so  much  pain  and  labour  to  the 
good  men  whom  they  are  accustomed  to  regard  with  love  and  vene- 
ration.   Where  we  are  known,  our  characters  and  our  course  of  life 

24 


362  HISTORY  OF  THE 

will  be  always  the  best  answers  to  all  complaints,  and  the  best  de- 
fence against  all  supposed  charges.  But  in  communities  even  where 
we  are  most  numerous,  there  are  many  who  are  necessarily  unac- 
quainted with  us  and  our  opinions ;  and  still  they  may  have  an  im- 
portant bearing  upon  our  happiness  and  welfare ;  we  are  therefore 
anxious  that  they  should  not  hold  an  unworthy  opinion  of  us  or  our 
creed.  Besides  this,  we  venerate  the  name  of  Israel,  we  hold  dear 
the  bond  which  entwines  our  destiny  with  the  lot  and  the  fame  of  the 
great  ones  of  old ;  and  therefore,  even  if  there  were  no  personal  dis- 
advantage connected  with  the  prejudice  against  ourselves,  we  would 
prize  it  beyond  all  could  we  have  the  happiness  of  witnessing  among 
the  world  at  large  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  services  to  religion, 
to  science,  to  government,  to  order,  to  humanity,  which  mankind 
owes  to  the  patriarchs,  the  prophets,  the  doctors,  the  martyrs  of  the 
house  of  Israel.  We  ask  for  no  prerogative  from  the  world ;  our 
faith  is  one  of  opinion,  and  can  flourish  as  well  under  persecution  as 
when  in  command  of  empires;  our  God  can  and  does  shield  us, 
whether  we  are  afflicted  or  in  prosperity :  but  we  ask  to  be  left  alone 
undisturbed  in  the  profession  of  those  peculiar  opinions  which  we  claim 
to  be  the  emanation  of  the  Supreme  Being ;  we  ask  of  all,  to  let  us 
pursue  the  even  tenor  of  our  way,  as  good  citizens  and  faithful  subjects 
to  the  laws  of  the  land;  and  no  one  will  ever  have  cause  to  complain 
that  the  Jews,  as  such,  have  interfered  with  his  rights,  or  diminished 
in  the  least  the  full  exercise  of  his  political  or  religious  privileges. 

THE    DOCTRINES    OF    THE    JEWS. 

Properly  speaking,  the  Jews  have  no  profession  of  faith;  they  hold 
the  whole  Word  of  God  to  be  alike  fundamental,  and  that  in  sanctity 
there  is  no  difference  between  the  verses  "  And  the  sons  of  Dan, 
Hushim,"  (Gen.  xlvi.  23,)  and  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,"  (Exod.  xx. 
2.)  The  whole  Bible  has  the  same  immortal,  infallible  Author; 
consequently  whatever  He  has  written  for  our  instruction  must  be 
equally  holy.  To  us  the  things  handed  down  may  appear  unim- 
portant ;  but  we  do  not  know  what  great  truths  may  be  connected 
with  the  simplest  word  embraced  in  the  Bible.  The  believing 
Israelite,  therefore,  searches  the  scriptures  as  the  most  mysterious, 
the  holiest  gift,  although  the  text  is  so  evident  as  to  aflbrd  a  sure 
guide  to  his  steps  through  his  earthly  pilgrimage,  and  to  point  his 
way  to  heaven.  He  endeavours  to  find  in  the  pages  thereof  the  best 
account  of  the  ways  of  God  with  man,  and  a  solution  of  the  question, 
"What  does  the  Lord  ask  of  me?"     Nothing  therefore  can  be  unim- 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  303 

portant  to  him  which  has  been  written  by  his  almighty  Father,  and 
every  word  he  finds  recorded  there  he  must  accordingly  receive  as 
his  rule  of  faith.  Let  it  be  understood,  that  the  Israelite's  religion, 
though  based  on  faith,  is  not  a  theoretical  system,  but  one  of  action 
and  duties;  for  when  the  Lord  revealed  himself  on  Mount  Sinai  it 
was  a  practical  course  of  life  He  pointed  out  in  preference  to  a  sys- 
tem of  belief  or  matters  of  credence.  Without  faith,  or  a  sincere 
conviction,  in  other  words,  of  the  truth  of  God  and  his  law,  no  one 
would  to  a  certainty  obey  a  code  which,  in  every  step  he  takes, 
places  some  restriction  upon  his  conduct  or  pursuits.  Nevertheless 
no  life  can  be  measured  by  the  standard  of  the  law,  which  is  only 
rich  in  sentiments,  but  poor  in  deeds.  This  being  the  case,  it  is  self- 
evident  that  the  ideas  which  are  the  foundation  of  our  religion  must 
spring  out  of  the  law  and  the  revelation  which  we  have  received  for 
our  guidance;  and  the  whole  series  of  doctrines  which  is  evolved  by 
a  study  of  the  law  and  the  prophets  must  be  accepted  by  all  Israel- 
ites as  the  truth  which  they  ought  implicitly  to  confide  in;  since  the 
ideas  of  religion  cannot  be  less  true,  than  the  duties  with  which  they 
stand  in  connexion,  are  the  infallible  will  of  Cod.  All  this  would  give 
us  then  the  doctrine  "that  the  whole  Bible  is  the  faith  of  the  Israelite." 
But,  though  to  the  thinking  and  pious  such  a  reference  might  be 
enough,  there'would  be  many  a  one  who  would  find  it  difficult  to 
trace  sufficiently  clearly  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  amidst  the  mass 
of  duties  on  the  one  hand,  and  narrations  and  predictions  on  the 
other,  which  the  various  books  of  scripture  so  bountifully  contain. 
Pious  men  therefore  have  endeavoured  to  condense  the  biblical  dog- 
mas for  the  use  of  the  nation  at  large,  in  order  to  afford  at  first  sight 
a  comprehensive  view  of  all  that,  which  according  to  our  received 
mode  of  interpretation  we  are  obliged  to  believe  in  with  an  entire 
faith  as  children  of  Israel.  Nevertheless  it  must  be  understood  that 
these  dogmas,  or  Articles  of  Faith,  though  universally  admitted  as 
true,  have  never  yet  become  a  test  of  a  Jewish  experience ;  since  it 
is  enough  for  us  if  we  admit  the  truth  of  the  whole  Bible,  which  of 
itself  includes  the  belief  in  what  have  been  termed  "  the  Articles  of 
Maimonides,"  which  learned  doctor  was  probably  the  first  who 
reduced  his  religion  to  a  limited  number  of  fundamental  principles, 
without  thereby  excluding  the  necessity  of  believing  implicitly  what- 
ever other  doctrines  might  otherwise  be  drawn  from  the  sacred  Text. 
In  other  words,  whatever  principles  are  deducible  from  Holy  Writ, 
and  whatever  doctrines  the  Bible  contains,  are  one  and  all  subjects 
on  which  no  Israelite  can  conscientiously  permit  himself  to  speculate, 


.3G4 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


much  less  to  doubt ;  and  the  articles  of  faith  arc  therefore  nothing 
but  a  summary,  serving  to  classify  in  a  simple  manner  the  chief  and 
evident  deductions  from  the  scriptures. 

Having  premised  this,  to  avoid  giving  a  false  view  of  our  creed,  of 
which  no  trace  as  an  entire  system  can  be  discovered  in  so  many 
words,  cither  in  the  Bible  or  in  the  writings  of  our  early  doctors :  we 
will  proceed  to  lay  down  the  three  great  bases  of  our  belief: 

I.  We  believe  in  the  existence  of  the  Deity,  the  Creator  of  all 
things. 

II.  We  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  revelation  by  the  Creator  of 
his  will. 

III.  We  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  just  system  of  reward  and 
punishment,  or  a  full  accountability  for  all  our  acts. 

Being  compelled  to  condense  as  much  as  possible  in  this  article, 
we  cannot  go  over  a  great  number  of  arguments  to  prove,  what  is 
otherwise  so  self-evident,  that  these  three  principles  are  the  sole  ra- 
tional foundation  of  all  religion  ;  since  the  belief  in  the  Creator  gives 
us  a  Supreme  Being  to  worship ;  a  revelation  furnishes  us  with  a 
knowledge  of  what  He  requires  at  our  hands;  and,  lastly,  the  exis- 
tence of  an  equitable  system  of  accountability  places  before  us  the 
most  urgent  motives  for  obedience  to  whatever  we  are  certified  to  be 
the  will  of  God. 

But  the  Bible  reveals  to  us  ampler  details  of  doctrines,  in  part  es- 
pecially applicoble  to  us  as  Israelites  to  whom  the  law  was  first  given, 
and  partly  of  universal  applicability.  Of  the  latter  we  have  generally 
assumed  thirteen  cardinal  principles  which  are  the  key  of  our  theolo- 
gical views ;  they  are — ■ 

1.  The  belief  in  an  almighty  Creator,  who  alone  has  called  all 
things  into  being,  and  still  continues  to  govern  the  world  which  He 
has  made. 

2.  The  belief  in  the  absolute  and  perfect  unity  of  the  Creator,  that 
He  is  therefore  indivisible  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  always  the  same, 
who  was,  is,  and  ever  will  be,  unchanged  as  from  the  beginning. 

3.  The  belief  in  the  incorporeality  of  the  Creator,  that  He  is  not  a 
material  being,  and  cannot  be  affected  by  accidents  which  affect  ma- 
terial things. 

4.  The  belief  in  the  absolute  and  perfect  eternity  of  the  Creator. 

5.  The  belief,  that  the  Creator  is  the  sole  being  to  whom  we  should 
pray,  since  there  is  no  one  who  shares  his  powers,  that  we  should  ad- 
dress our  prayers  to  him. 

0.  The  belief  in  the  truth  of  all  the  words  of  the  prophets. 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  REUGION.  3^5 

7.  The  belief  in  the  truth  of  the  prophecy  of  Moses,  and  that  he 
was  the  greatest  of  all  the  prophets  and  wise  men  who  have  lived 
before  him  or  will  come  after  him. 

8.  The  belief  in  the  identity  of  the  law  which  we  now  have,  and 
that  it  is  unchanged,  and  the  very  one  which  was  given  to  Moses. 

9.  The  belief  in  the  permanency  of  the  law,  and  that  there  has  not 
been,  nor  will  there  ever  be,  another  law  promulgated  by  the  Creator. 

10.  The  belief  in  the  omniscience  of  the  Creator. 

11.  The  belief  that  the  Creator  will  reward  those  who  keep  his 
commandments,  and  punish  those  who  transgress  them. 

12.  The  belief  in  the  coming  of  the  King  Messiah,  who  is  to  ac- 
complish for  the  world  and  Israel  all  that  the  prophets  have  foretold 
concerning  him.     And 

13.  The  belief  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  when  it  may  please 
the  Almighty  to  send  his  spirit  to  revive  those  who  sleep  in  the  dust. 

It  were  easy  enough  to  prove  all  the  above  from  scripture  pas- 
sages ;  but  it  is  deemed  unnecessary  in  this  mere  summary  of  our 
faith,  nothing  doubting  but  that  the  inquirer  will  look  for  farther  light 
in  works  treating  especially  on  this  important  subject.  It  will  be 
seen  that  a  distinctive  feature  in  our  belief  is  "  the  permanency  of  the 
law  revealed  on  Sinai  through  Moses  the  father  of  the  prophets," 
which  precludes  the  admission  of  any  new  revelation,  or  the  abroga- 
tion of  the  old  covenant.  Another,  "  the  belief  in  the  absolute  unity 
of  God,"  with  the  addition  that  "  there  is  no  being  but  the  Creator 
to  whom  we  should  pray,"  precludes  the  admissibility  of  a  mediator, 
or  the  mediating  power  between  God  and  us  mortal  sinners  of  any 
being  whose  existence  the  imagination  can  by  any  possibility  con- 
ceive as  possible.  We  think  and  maintain  that  these  principles  are 
legitimate  deductions  of  the  text  of  Holy  Writ ;  and  we  must  there- 
fore, if  even  on  no  other  grounds,  reject  the  principles  and  doctrines 
of  Christianity  which  teach,  first,  that  a  new  covenant  has  been  made 
between  God  and  mankind  other  than  the  revelation  at  Horeb ;  and, 
secondly,  that  there  is  a  mediator,  an  emanation  of  the  Deity,  through 
whose  merits  only  man  can  be  absolved  from  sin,  and  through  whose 
intercession  prayers  will  be  accepted.  All  this  is  foreign  to  our  view 
of  scriptural  truth,  and  as  such  we  reject  it,  and  hold  fast  to  the  doc- 
trines which  we  have  received  from  our  fathers. 

The  Messiah  whom  we  expect  is  not  to  be  a  god,  nor  a  part  of 
the  godhead,  nor  a  son  of  god  in  any  sense  of  the  word ;  but  simply 
a  man  eminently  endowed,  like  Moses  and  the  prophets  in  the  days 
of  the  Bible,  to  work  out  the  will  of  God  on  earth  in  all  that  the 


366 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


prophets  liavc  predicted  of  him.  His  coming,  we  believe,  will  be 
the  sit^nal  for  universal  peace,  universal  freedom,  universal  knowledge, 
universal  worship  of  the  One  Eternal ;  objects  all  of  high  import,  and 
well  worthy  to  be  attested  by  the  visible  display  of  the  divine  glory 
before  the  eyes  of  all  flesh,  just  as  was  the  presence  of  the  Lord 
manifested  at  Sinai,  when  the  Israelites  stood  assembled  to  receive 
the  law  which  was  surrendered  to  their  keeping.  In  the  days  of  this 
august  ruler  the  law,  which  was  at  first  given  as  "an  inheritance  of 
the  congregation  of  Jacob,"  will  become  the  only  standard  of  righteous- 
ness, of  salvation,  for  all  mankind,  when  will  be  fulfilled  to  its  fullest 
extent  the  blessings  conferred  upon  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  thai 
"in  their  seed  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed."  We 
believe  farther,  that  the  time  of  this  great  event  is  hidden  from  our 
knowledge,  and  is  only  known  to  the  Creator,  who  in  his  own  good 
time  will  regenerate  the  earth,  remove  the  worship  of  idols,  banish 
all  erroneous  beliefs,  and  establish  his  kingdom  firmly  and  ienmovably 
over  the  hearts  of  all  sons  of  man,  when  all  will  invoke  Him  in  truth, 
and  call  Him  God,  King,  Redeemer,  the  One  who  was,  is,  and  will 
be,  for  ever  and  ever.  We  believe  that  the  time  may  be  distant, 
thousands  of  years  removed ;  but  we  confidently  look  forward  to  its 
coming,  in  the  full  confidence  that  He  who  has  so  miraculously  pre- 
served his  people  among  so  many  trials  and  dangers,  is  able  and 
willing  to  fulfil  all  He  has  promised,  and  that  his  power  will  surely 
accomplish  what  his  goodness  has  foretold ;  and  that  He  will  not  rest 
in  the  fulfilment  of  his  word,  till  all  the  w^orld  shall  acknowledge  his 
power,  and  ceaseless  incense  ascend  to  his  holy  Name  from  the  rising 
of  the  sun  even  unto  his  setting ;  when  the  altars  of  falsehood  shall 
crumble  and  the  dominion  of  unbelief  be  swept  from  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

THE  JEWS   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

From  the  smallness  of  the  numbers  of  our  people,  compared  with 
the  rest  of  mankind,  it  will  be  readily  understood  that,  comparatively 
speaking,  but  few  Jews  will  be  found  in  America.  Still  despite  of 
this  fact,  they  are  found  in  every  portion  of  the  Union,  with  the  excep- 
tion almost  (for  there  are  a  few  even  there,)  in  the  northern  range  of 
states.  Probably  the  first  settlement  of  Jews  took  place  in  New 
Amsterdam,  when  it  was  under  the  Dutch  government,  about  IGGO. 
They  no  doubt  were  Spaniards  and  Portuguese  who,  like  their  brethren 
who  were  settled  in  Holland,  fled  from  the  bloody  Inquisition  to  seek 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  35-7 

refuge  under  the  equitable  protection  of  the  laws  of  the  Batavian  re- 
public. The  writer  of  this  has  learnt  that  a  correspondence  is  yet  in 
existence  which  took  place  between  the  Israelites  and  the  Dutch  au- 
thorities of  New  Amsterdam ;  but  he  has  never  seen  it,  wherefore  he  is 
unable  to  say  any  thing  with  precision  farther  than  he  has  stated  above. 
This  much,  however,  he  believes  certain,  that  the  number  of  our  people 
did  not  increase  rapidly,  since  we  are  not  friendly  to  making  proselytes, 
and  owing  to  the  great  difficulties  emigrants  of  our  persuasion  must  be 
exposed  to  in  new  communities  on  account  of  the  duties  of  our  religion. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  but  one  synagogue  was  needed  in  Nevi^  York,  till 
about  1827,  when  a  second  one  was  established  in  the  central  part  of 
the  city.  Since  that  period  four  other  congregations  have  been  or- 
ganized, and  all  the  places  of  worship,  though  so  rapidly  multiplied, 
are  frequently  over-full,  so  as  to  require  temporary  meeting  places. 
The  number  of  Jews  in  the  city  of  New  York,  is  said  to  be  about 
10,000,  and  rapidly  increasing  by  emigration  from  Europe,  owing  to 
the  oppressive  laws  enforced  against  us  in  many  countries  as  stated 
in  a  preceding  part  of  this  article.  There  are  two  congregations  in 
Albany,  and  one  or  more  in  the  country,  of  which,  however,  I  have 
too  vague  information  to  say  any  thing  with  certainty. 

A  few  years  before  the  American  revolution  a  congregation  as- 
sembled in  Newport,  Rhode  Island ;  but  with  the  falling  off  of  the 
business  of  that  place,  after  the  conclusion  of  the  peace  of  1783,  the 
Jewish  population  left  it  by  degrees,  some  going  to  New  York,  some 
to  Richmond,  and  others  to  different  other  towns.  There  are  a  syna- 
gogue and  burying  ground,  both  said  to  be  in  good  order, — a  legacy 
having  been  left  by  the  son  of  the  former  minister,  Touro,  to  keep 
them  from  falling  into  decay. 

In  Pennsylvania  Israelites  were  settled  long  before  the  revolution 
in  various  places.  But,  I  believe,  that  no  regular  congregation  was 
organized  till  about  1780,  when  the  occupation  of  New  York  by  the 
British  induced  many  from  that  place  to  come  hither  with  their  mi- 
nister, Gershom  Mendes  Seixas ;  and  a  synagogue  was  erected  upon 
the  site  of  the  present  building,  and  consecrated  about  the  fall  of  1781. 
There  are  now  three  congregations  in  Philadelphia,  numbering  about 
from  1500  to  1800  souls;  one  congregation  is  at  Easton,  one  in  Han- 
over, and  considerable  settlements  in  Franklin  county,  Bucks,  and  else- 
where, which  will  no  doubt  be  organized  as  congregations  before  long. 
In  Maryland  the  Jews  were,  until  lately,  excluded  from  a  partici- 
pation of  equal  rights;  but  soon  after  the  repeal  of  their  disabilities, 
many  Europeans  joined  the  former  few  settlers,  and  there  is  now  a 
considerable  congregation  of  about  1500  souls  in  Baltimore,  where 


3G8 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


there  is  a  synagogue.     There  are  also  a  few  families  in  Frederick, 
Hagerstown,  &c. 

In  Virginia  the  Jews  settled  about  1780,  or  even  earlier;  but  their 
number  is  small  in  that  state ;  and  there  are  but  two  congregations  in 
the  whole  state,  and  both  at  Richmond.  Others  dwell  at  Petersburg, 
Norfolk,  Lynchburg,  Wheeling,  but  they  amount  in  the  whole  state  to 
scarcely  more  than  600. 

In  North  Carolina,  where  the  constitution  excludes  us  from  the 
rights  of  citizens,  there  are  but  a  few  families. 

But  in  South  Carolina  we  are  much  more  numerous,  and  Israelites 
are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  state ;  still  there  is  but  one  regular  con- 
gregation, at  Charleston,  where  there  is  a  handsome  synagogue ;  the 
congregation  was  organized  in  1750. 

In  Georgia  there  is  a  synagogue  in  Savannah.  The  first  Jews 
came  over  soon  after  General  Oglethorpe,  in  1733;  but  they  have 
never  been  very  numerous ;  though  it  appears  from  present  indica- 
tions that  many  European  emigrants,  and  persons  from  the  north  will, 
it  is  likely,  soon  seek  a  home  in  that  state. 

In  the  southern  and  western  states  the  arrival  of  Israelites  is  but 
recent;  still  there  is  a  congregation  at  Mobile;  another,  numbering 
about  125  families,  in  New  Orleans;  another  at  Louisville ;  two  at 
Cincinnati ;  one  or  two  in  Cleveland,  and  one  at  St.  Louis.  There 
arc  probably  others,  but  thoy  have  not  become  generally  known.  A 
small  congregation  also  has  recently  been  formed  at  New  Haven,  in 
Connecticut,  probably  the  only  one  in  the  New  England  States,  \mless 
Boston  be  an  exception. 

We  have  no  ecclesiastical  authorities  in  America,  other  than  the 
congregations  themselves.  Each  congregation  makes  its  own  rules 
for  its  government,  and  elects  its  own  minister,  who  is  appointed 
without  any  ordination,  induction  in  office  being  made  through  his 
election,  which  is  made  for  a  term  of  years  or  during  good  behaviour, 
as  it  may  meet  the  wish  of  the  majority.  As  yet  we  have  no  colleges  , 
or  public  schools  of  any  kind,  with  the  exception  of  one  in  New  York, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Isaacs,  one  in  Baltimore, 
and  another  in  Cincinnati,  and  Sunday  schools  for  religious  instruction 
in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Richmond,  Charleston,  Columbia,  S.  C, 
Savannah,  and  Cincinnati.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  something 
will  be  done  for  education,  as  soon  as  we  become  more  numerous. 
The  American  Jews  have  but  one  religious  periodical,  and  this  is 
printed  in  Philadelphia ;  it  is  called  "  The  Occident  and  American 
Jewish  Advocate,"  and  appears  monthly. 

In  all  our  congregations  where  the  necessity  demands  it,  there  are 


JEWS  AND  THEIR  RELIGION.  3Q9 

ample  provisions  made  for  the  support  of  the  poor,  and  we  endeavour 
to  prevent,  if  possible,  any  Israelite  from  being  sent  to  the  poor  house, 
or  to  sink  into  crime  for  want  of  the  means  of  subsistence. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  have  increased  in  every  respect  within  the  last 
five  years ;  and  we  invoke  the  blessing  of  Heaven  that  He  may  pros- 
per our  undertakings,  and  give  us  the  means  to  grow  in  grace  and 
piety,  that  we  may  be  able  to  show  the  world  the  true  effects  of  the 
law  of  God  upon  the  life  of  a  sincere  Israelite,  which  must  render 
him  acceptable  to  his  neighbours  of  every  creed,  and  a  worthy  servant 
in  the  mansion  of  his  heavenly  Father. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTIIEEAN  CIIUECH.* 


BY  S.  S.  SCHMUCKER,  D.  D.. 

GETTYSBURG,  PA. 


The  name  of  Martin  Luther,  now  familiar  to  almost  every  school- 
boy, forms  one  of  the  most  prominent  waymarks  in  the  history  both 
of  the  world  and  the  church.  It  has  immortalized  his  age  among 
the  generations  gone  by ;  and  one  can  hardly  hear  it  pronounced 
without  being  at  the  same  moment  transported  back  to  the  scenes 
and  events  of  that  ecclesiastical  revolution  which  shook  Europe  to 
its  very  centre,  and  from  the  cell  of  a  monastery  opened  upon  the 
world  that  dawning  of  science  and  truth  which  shall  shine  on,  with 
unwaning  brightness,  to  its  perfect  day. 

But  while  all  recognise  the  name  of  the  Reformer,  and  its  con- 
nexion with  the  past  and  present  condition  of  Christendom  in  the 
general :  few,  comparatively,  are  well  acquainted  with  the  history  of 
his  peculiar  opinions  and  those  of  the  past  and  present  generations  of 
his  followers.  In  reviving  our  own  and  our  readers'  acquaintance 
with  our  Lutheran  brethren,  we  introduce  to  the  friends  of  the  Re- 
deemer of  lost  men,  an  ancient,  honoured,  and  most  efficient  branch 
of  that  church  which  he  ransomed  with  blood,  and  which  he  employs 
in  carrying  forward  the  triumphs  of  his  ^race  over  sin  and  the 
powers  of  darkness.f 

"The  Lutheran  Church  is  indebted  for  her  name  to  the  derision  of 
the  Catholics.  The  distinguished  Papal  theologian,  Dr.  Eckius,  the 
opponent  of  Luther  and  Carlstadt,  in  the  celebrated  disputation  at 
Leipsic,  in  the  year  1519,  wishing  to  show  his  contempt  for  Luther 

*  The  following  sketch  of  the  Lutlicran  Church  is  compiled  almost  entirely  from 
several  publications  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  S.  S.  Schmuckcr,  Professor  of  Tlicology  in  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania,  from  an  excellent  article  in  the  American 
Quarterly  Register,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harris  of  Boston,  which  is  derived  principally  from 
the  same  source,  and  from  the  Lutheran  Almanac  of  1843. 

t  Quarterly  Register,  of  1843,  p.  378. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH,  37 1 

and  his  cause,  and  not  dreaming  vvhereunto  this  matter  of  tlie  Re- 
formation would  grow,  first  stigmatized  the  friends  of  the  reformer 
as  Lutherans,  with  the  same  feelings  with  which  we  speak  of  the 
Owenites  and  Fanny  Wright  men  of  our  day.  The  term  being 
regarded  as  a  happy  conceit,  was  soon  spread  among  the  enemies  of 
the  cause ;  and  its  friends,  though  opposed  to  it  in  principle,  respond- 
ed to  the  name,  because  they  were  not  ashamed  of  their  leader.  But 
the  name  officially  adopted  by  the  Lutheran  reformers  was  that  of 
the  Evangelical  Church,  that  is,  the  gospel  church,  in  antithesis  to 
the  legal  ritual  of  the  Old  Testament,  the  very  name  recently  adopted 
by  the  united  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Church  in  Prussia.  Luther 
himself,  like  the  great  apostle  of  the  gentiles,  protested  most  deci- 
dedly against  the  use  of  his  name  as  the  Shibbolet  of  a  sect,  and  it  is 
to  be  regretted  that  his  advicetwas  disregarded."* 

"  The  Lutheran  Church  in  this  country  has,  in  common  with  that 
of  the  German  Reformed,  also  been  distinctively  termed  the  German 
church.  This  designation  must  not  be  understood  as  implying  the 
limitation  of  the  worship  of  either  of  these  churches  to  the  German 
language.  It  is  known  to  the  intelligent  reader,  that  in  different 
countries  the  services  of  the  Lutheran  Church  are  conducted  in  the 
Swedish,  the  Norwegian,  the  Daniel,  the  Icelandic,  the  Russian  and 
the  French,  as  well  as  in  the  English  and  German  languages.  Yet 
it  is  true,  that  as  Germany  was  the  cradle  of  the  Reformation,  she 
was  also  the  primitive  seat  of  that  church,  which  grew  out  of  the 
Reformation  in  the  land  of  Luther.  Germany  is  still  the  most  exten- 
sive seat  of  Lutheranism.  No  other  foreign  country  is  therefore 
fraught  with  such  interesting  and  hallowed  associations  to  the  great 
mass  of  American  Lutherans  as  Germany,  the  mother  of  the  Re- 
formation, the  cradle  of  Lutheranism,  the  land  where  our  fathers 
proclaimed  the  gospel  of  salvation,  where  Spener  sowed  the  seed  of 
truth,  where  Arndt  preached  and  wrote  and  lived  his  '  True  Chris- 
tianity,' where  Franke  wrought  his  works  of  love,  and  where  be- 
lieving Luther  poured  his  prayer  of  faith  into  the  lap  of  God! 
But  it  is  not  only  to  Lutheran  minds  that  Germany  is  encircled 
with  interesting  associations.  Although  the  populace  are  too  little 
acquainted  with  the  fact,  yet  what  intelhgent  scholar  does  not 
know  that  the  Germans  constitute  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
branches  of  the  human  family,  and  that  at  different  periods  through- 
out the  two  thousand  years  of  their  national  history,  they  have  ex- 
celled in  all  that  is  truly  noble  and  praiseworthy  in  heathen  virtue, 

*  Schmucker's  Portraiture  of  Lutheranism,  pp.  8,  9. 


372  HISTORY  OF  THE 

or  interesting  in  the  fruits  of  an  enlightened  and  active  Christian 
piety'?  Germany  was  originally  inhabited  by  a  heroic  and  martial 
people,  whose  origin  is  enveloped  in  some  obscurity.  Their  lan- 
guage and  religion  point  us  to  Asia.  They  certainly  proceeded  from 
the  north  of  the  Euxine  Sea,  and,  known  by  the  names  of  Scythians, 
Teutones,  Franks,  &c.,  overspread  all  western  Europe.  The  Eng- 
lish are,  both  as  to  language  and  population,  in  part  descended  from 
one  of  these  German  tribes,  the  Saxons,  who  at  an  early  day  con- 
quered Britain  and  formed  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  from  whom  a  por- 
tion of  our  citizens  are  descended.  When  first  visited  by  the  Ro- 
mans, about  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  the  Germans  had  already  for 
ages  inhabited  the  country,  and  had  lost  all  traces  of  their  earliest 
history.  Divided  into  many  independent  tribes,  and  often  engaged 
in  intestine  wars,  each  tribe  acknowledged  no  laws  but  those  enact- 
ed by  the  majority  at  a  general  council.  Far  removed  from  the 
refinement  and  literary  character  of  the  Romans,  they  were  alike 
free  from  their  licentiousness  and  effeminacy.  Hospitality  and  con- 
jugal fidelity  were  prominent  characteristics  of  the  Germans;  and  a 
promise,  given  to  friend  or  foe,  they  held  inviolable,  even  at  the  risk 
of  life.  They  cherished  a  firm  belief  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
and  of  future  retribution.  They  were  indeed  polythcists,  but  their 
religion  was  of  the  sublimer  cast.  They  neither  bowed  down  to 
idols,  nor  worshipped  in  temples  made  with  hands,  but  oflered  their 
devotions  in  open  groves,  under  the  broad  canopy  of  heaven  ;  for, 
says  the  Roman  historian,  they  regarded  their  gods  as  too  sacred 
and  great  to  be  confined  in  temples,  or  represented  by  idols  of  wood 
or  stone."* 

In  the  time  of  Julius  Cassar  the  Romans  marked  them  out  for  con- 
quest; but  after  repeated  attempts  to  subdue  them,  they  were  defeat- 
ed, and  they  relinquished  the  object  about  the  thirteenth  year  of  the 
Christian  era.  Subsequently,  after  numerous  internal  dissensions 
and  external  wars  between  their  different  tribes  and  the  Romans,  the 
latter,  with  the  Saxons,  under  the  Emperor  Probus,  succeeded  in 
conquering  the  Franks  and  the  Alemanni,  two  of  the  principal  Ger- 
man nations,  about  A.  D.  270.  This  conquest,  however,  the  last  of  a 
political  character  which  Rome  achieved,  was  not  permanent.  In 
the  fifth  century,  the  Roman  empire  was  assaulted  on  all  sides  by  the 
northern  and  eastern  barbarians,  who  rapidly  spread  their  ravages 
and  conquests  over  all  Europe. 

■"  Of  the  difTerent  tribes  of  this  numerous  family  which  overspread 

»  Schmucker's  Portraiture,  pp.  10,  11. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  373 

all  western  Europe,  those  only  retain  the  name  of  Germans,  in  mo- 
dern history,  who  reside  in  the  territory  denominated  Germany. 
Their  martial  spirit  rendered  difficult  the  introduction  of  Christianity 
among  them,  which  was  however  effected,  at  least  in  name,  succes- 
sively among  the  different  tribes,  from  the  third  to  the  eighth  cen- 
tury. The^  forgiving  and  submissive  spirit  of  the  gospel  gained  a 
tardy  victory  over  their  warlike  minds  ;  as  was  strikingly  illustrated 
in  the  instance  of  Clovis,*  King  of  the  Franks,  a  tribe  that  settled  in 
Gaul.  On  one  occasion,  whilst  Remigius  was  preaching  to  them, 
and  depicting  in  glowing  colours  the  sufferings  of  the  Saviour  when 
suspended  on  the  cross,  the  king,  no  longer  able  to  restrain  his  spirit, 
cried  out  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  '  Ah,  if  I  had  been  there 
with  my  Franks,  the  Jews  should  not  have  crucified  the  Lord  V 
Unhappily  the  Christianity  first  introduced  among  them  was  strongly 
tinctured  with  the  corruptions  of  Rome,  and  in  the  progress  of  ages, 
the  Germans  participated  extensively  in  the  increasing  superstitions 
and  degeneracy  which  reigned  at  the  fountain  head.  But  in  the 
providence  of  God  it  was  reserved  for  this  heroic  and  undaunted 
people,  to  take  the  lead  in  breaking  the  bonds  by  which  Europe  had 
for  ages  been  held  in  subjection.  *  Whilst,'  says  the  distinguished 
Lutheran  historian,  Dr.  Mosheim,  '  the  Roman  poniifi'  slumbered  in 
security  at  the  head  of  the  church,  and  saw  nothing  throughout  the 
vast  extent  of  his  dominion  but  tranquillity  and  submission,  and  while 
the  worthy  and  pious  professors  of  genuine  Christianity  almost  de- 
spaired of  seeing  that  reformation,  on  which  their  ardent  desires  and 
expectations  were  bent :  an  obscure  and  inconsiderable  person  arose, 
on  a  sudden,  in  the  year  1517,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  this  long- 
expected  change,  by  opposing  with  undaunted  resolution  his  single 
force  to  the  torrent  of  Papal  ambition  and  despotism.  This  remarka- 
ble man  was  Martin  Luthe?;  of  Eisleben,  in  Saxony ,f  an  Augustinian 
monk,  and  professor  of  theology  in  the  university  which  had  been 
erected  at  Wittenberg  a  few  years  before.'  It  was  this  interesting 
people,  after  they  had  thrown  off  the  yoke  of  Rome,  and,  through  the 
instrumentality  of  their  countryman  Luther  and  others,  received  the 
pure  and  unadulterated  word  of  God,  that  constituted  themselves  a 
reformed,  an  evangelical  church,  which  has  been  denominated  Lu- 
theran."J 

"  In  the  year  1507,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  in  the  seclusion 
of  monastic  life,  Luther,  by  what  we  call  accident,  but,  in  reality,  by 

*  Clovis  belonged  to  the  German,  Salian  tribe;  Henke,  vol.  i.  p.  387. 

t  Mosheim,  vol.  iii.  p.  25.  t  Schmucker's  Portraiture,  pp.  12-14. 


374  HISTORY   OF   THE 

the  ordering  of  Him  whose  empire  is  universal,  found  among  the 
musty  tomes  of  the  convent  library  a  long-neglected  Latin  Bible. 
This  immediately  became  his  daily  counsellor.     The  light  of  inspired 
truth  soon  disclosed  to  him  the  errors  and  deficiency  of  the  Romish 
creed,  even  before  he  could  plainly  discern  the  more  excellent  way. 
His  attainments  placed  him,  the  following  year,  in  a  situation  which 
compelled  him  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  Hebrew  language.     In 
the  year  1517,  while  engaged  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  of  a  pro- 
fessor and  ecclesiastic,  particularly  at  the  confessional,  he  discovered 
the  influence  of  Rome's  corrupt  system  of  indulgences.    He  refused  ab- 
solution to  those  who  pleaded  them  as  a  substitute  for  penance.  This  of 
course  led  them  to  complain  to  the  friar  from  whom  they  had  procured 
them.     A  violent  controversy  ensued  between  the  friar  and  Luther, 
which  ultimately  brought  the  Reformer  to  an  open  rupture  with  the 
See  of  Rome.     At  two  of  the  principal  universities,  as  well  as  at  the 
Papal  court,  the  indignation  of  the  church  was  expressed  by  a  public 
conflagration  of  his  published  writings.     And  in  return,  Luther,  after 
previous  notice,  and  in  the  presence  of  an  immense  concourse  of 
spectators,  committed  the  authoritative  books  of  the  Roman  hierarchy, 
together  with  the  condemnatory  bull  of  the  pontiff,  to  the  flames. 
The  Papal  bull  was  renewed,  accompanied  by  a  sentence  of  excom- 
munication ;  but  its  reception  served  only  to  show  its  diminished 
power  against  the  advancing  public  sentiment.     Recourse  was  now 
had  to  the  civil  authorities ;  and  the  assembled  princes  and  nobles  of 
Germany  were  urged  to  bring  the  Reformer  to  their  bar  for  trial. 
A  summons  was  issued  accordingly ;  and  Luther,  notwithstanding 
the  remonstrance  of  influential  and  powerful  friends,  fearlessly  placed 
himself  at  their  tribunal.     Here  again  the  public  sympathies  were 
with  him.     His  reception  was  marked  with  a  higher  degree  of  enthu- 
siastic attention  and  favour,  than  that  of  the  emperor  himself.    When 
confronted  with  his  prosecutors,  he  respectfully  but  firmly  maintained 
the  stand  he  had  taken ;  avowed  himself  the  author  of  the  writins:s 
which  bore  his  name;  boldly  vindicated  the  truth  of  his   opinions; 
and  refused  to  recant,  unless  convinced  and  refuted  from  the  scrip- 
tures themselves.     He  left  the  council  unmolested,  but  was  followed 
by  a  royal  edict  of  condemnation.     And  though  placed  for  a  time  in 
confinement  for  his  security,  by  the  hand  of  friendship,  he  did  not 
cease  his  labours  to  expose  and  refute  the  corruptions  and  heresies 
of  Papal  Rome,  and  in  defence  of  the  doctrines  which  he  had  espoused 
and  promulgated.     In  the  mean  lime,  almost  every  city  of  Saxony 
embraced  his  doctrines,  and  the  principles  of  the  Reformation  spread 
and   prevailed.     On  his  return  to  Wittenberg,   the  place  of  his  rcsi- 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  375 

dence,  he  resolved  that  the  '  lamp  of  life,'  the  scriptures,  which  had 
illumined  and  scattered  the  darkness  of  his  own  mind,  and  which  he 
had  in  part  translated  into  German,  at  Wartburg,  in  his  confinement, 
should  be  given  to  the  community  around  him  ;  publishing  and  circu- 
lating each  portion  as  soon  as  it  was  revised  or  translated,  until  in 
the  course  of  twelve  years  the  whole  was  completed.  The  people 
soon  began  to  see  the  contrast  between  the  laws  of  Christ's  kingdom 
and  those  of  the  Roman  hierarchy ;  and  both  princes  and  their  sub- 
jects openly  renounced  the  Papal  supremacy.  Wrath  was  kindled 
against  them  to  the  uttermost.  The  Vatican  thundered  its  anathemas; 
the  civil  power  was  extended  to  crush  the  heresy  and  its  advocates 
together;  but  it  was  all  in  vain;  'so  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God 
and  prevailed.'  Luther  maintained  his  stand  against  both  the  civil 
and  ecclesiastical  hostility ;  till  in  1524,  seven  years  after  he  com- 
menced the  work  of  reform,  he  threw  aside  the  monastic  dress,  as- 
sumed the  garb  of  a  preacher,  abjured  his  vow  of  celibacy  and  united 
himself  in  marriage  with  a  nun,  which  caused  the  impotent  rage  of 
his  adversaries  to  burn  with  still  greater  fury.  The  German  princes, 
however,  either  from  political  or  religious  motives,  treated  him  with 
clemency.  Many  of  them  were  his  firm  friends ;  and  the  Elector  of 
Saxony,  who  had  been  his  constant  patron,  instituted  measures  by 
•  which  the  Lutheran  religion  was  established  throughout  his  domi- 
nions."* 

Unhappy  divisions,  however,  arose  among  the  reformers  themselves. 
And  while  the  doctrines  which  Luther  taught  became  popular  even 
in  France  and  England :  these  divisions  weakened  their  cause  at  home, 
and  put  arguments  against  them  into  the  mouths  of  their  enemies. 
Repeated  efforts  were  made  to  turn  the  political  influence  of  the 
country  against  the  Reformation  and  its  friends,  and  in  1529  the  Ger- 
man Diet  proceeded  to  adopt  measures  to  check  its  progress.  These 
were  resisted  by  that  portion  of  the  Diet  who  were  favourable  to  the 
cause  of  reform ;  and  when  they  found  that  their  remonstrances 
availed  nothing,  they  entered  a  solemn  protest  against  the  proceed- 
ings, and  appealed  to  the  emperor  and  a  future  council.  Hence  arose 
th&  name  Protestant,  which  has  ever  since  distinguished  the  other 
portions  of  the  Christian  world  from  the  adherents  of  the  Church  of 
Rome.  At  a  subsequent  Diet,  held  at  Augsburg,  Melancthon,  who 
had  been  directed  to  prepare  a  statement  of  the  doctrines  of  the  re- 
formed, presented  the  celebrated  confession  of  their  faith,  which  has 

*  Quarterly  Register,  pp.  379,  380. 


370  HISTORY  OF  THE 

since  been  known  as  the  "  Augsburg  Confession."  The  opposition  of 
the  Papists  to  this  gave  rise  to  another  controversy;  to  quell  which, 
imperial  edicts  and  the  secular  power  were  put  in  full  requisition. 
This  led  to  political  union  and  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  Protes- 
tants, and  an  alliance  between  them  and  the  governments  of  France 
and  of  England,  whose  sovereigns  having  each  a  personal  pique 
against  the  German  emperor,  were  disposed  to  fan  this  flame  of  poli- 
tical discord.  All  attempts  to  abolish  heresy  by  force  were  now  rehn- 
quished  by  the  emperor,  and  a  truce  followed,  during  which  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Reformation  made  still  farther  advances.  Many  who 
had  feared  to  avow  their  enmity  to  the  Pope  now  publicly  renounced 
their  allegiance  to  him,  and  whole  cities  and  provinces  of  Germany 
enlisted  under  the  religious  standards  of  Luther.  Various  unsuccess- 
ful attempts  were  made  by  the  emperor  and  the  Roman  Pontiff  to 
terminate  the  religious  controversies,  through  the  space  of  several 
years,  during  which  a  revised  confession  of  the  Protestant  faith  was 
prepared  by  Luther,  commonly  known  as  "  The  Articles  of  Smal- 
cald,"  which  usually  accompanies  the  published  creeds  and  confes- 
sions of  the  Lutheran  Church.  The  emperor  and  the  Protestants  also 
proposed  various  methods  of  reconciliation,  but  these  were  uniformly 
defeated  by  the  artifices  of  the  Romanists.  At  length,  wearied  with 
the  opposition  of  the  Protestants  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the  Papists 
on  the  other,  to  every  measure  proposed  for  settling  their  disputes :  he 
began  to  listen  to  the  suggestions  of  the  Pontiff  to  end  the  controver- 
sies by  the  force  of  arms.  The  Elector  of  Saxony  and  the  Landgrave 
of  Hesse,  who  were  the  chief  supporters  of  the  Protestant  cause,  made 
corresponding  arrangements  for  defence.  But  before  the  commence- 
ment of  these  sanguinary  conflicts,  Luther  died  in  peace  in  his  native 
town,  (Eisleben,)  Feb.  18,  1546,  aged  62  years.  The  first  contest 
resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  Protestants,  chiefly  through  the  perfidy  of 
the  nephew  of  the  elector.  Discouragement  and  gloom  seemed  now 
to  gather  around  their  cause.  Through  fear  and  by  compulsion,  they 
were  made  to  yield  up  the  decision  of  their  religious  disputes  to  a 
council  to  be  assembled  by  the  Pope.  The  providence  of  God  inter- 
posed at  this  juncture.  A  rumour  of  the  plague  in  the  city  where 
they  were  convened  caused  them  to  disperse,  and  the  emperor  could 
not  prevail  on  "  his  Holiness"  to  re-assemble  them.  The  Popedom, 
however,  having  in  1548  passed  into  other  hands,  measures  were 
taken  for  convening  another  general  council.  The  Elector  of  Saxony, 
perceiving  some  mischievous  designs  on  the  part  of  the  emperor 
against  the  liberties  of  the  German  princes,  determined  to  crush  his 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  377 

project  and  his  ambition.  He  secretly  directed  the  Saxon  divines 
not  to  proceed  as  far  as  Trent,  the  place  of  assennbly,  but  to  stop  at 
Nurenaberg.  He  also  formed  a  secret  alliance  with  the  King  of 
France  and  several  of  the  German  princes,  for  defending  and  securing 
their  liberties  ;  and  in  1552,  he  marched  with  a  powerful  army  against 
the  emperor  at  Inspruck,  who  finding  himself  unexpectedly,  and  without 
preparation,  in  the  power  of  the  Protestant  chieftain,  was  compelled  to 
accede  to  such  terms  as  the  latter  should  propose ;  and  the  result  was 
the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of  Passau,  which  was  considered  by  the 
Protestants  as  the  basis  of  their  religious  freedom.  By  the  terms  of 
this  treaty  a  Diet  was  to  be  assembled  in  six  months  to  determine  an 
amicable  settlement  of  the  controversies.  This  Diet  after  much  delay 
at  length  met  at  Augsburg,  in  the  year  1555,  and  brought  their  long- 
continued  troubles  to  a  peaceful  termination.  After  various  and  pro- 
tracted discussions,  it  was  finally  enacted  by  the  Diet,  on  the  25th  of 
September  of  that  year,  "  that  the  Protestants  who  adopted  the  Augs- 
burg Confession  should,  for  the  future,  be  considered  as  entirely  free 
from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Roman  Pontiflf,  and  from  the  authority 
and  supervision  of  the  Roman  bishops;  that  they  were  at  perfect 
liberty  to  enact  laws  for  themselves  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  their 
religious  sentiments,  discipline  and  worship ;  that  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  German  empire  should  be  allowed  to  judge  for  themselves  in 
religious  concerns ;  and  to  join  themselves  to  that  church  whose 
doctrine  and  worship  they  deemed  the  most  pure  and  consonant  to 
the  spirit  of  true  Christianity ;  and  that  all  who  should  injure  or  per- 
secute any  person  under  religious  pretences,  and  on  account  of  their 
opinions,  should  be  treated  as  enemies  of  the  empire,  invaders  of  its 
liberties,  and  disturbers  of  its  peace."* 

It  was  from  the  church  thus  reformed,  indoctrinated  and  esta- 
blished, that  the  German  Lutheran  Christians  in  the  United  States 
descended.  "  After  the  establishment  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in 
Germany,  by  the  labours  of  Luther,  Melancthon,  and  others,  about 
1525,  when  the  Elector  John  of  Saxony  first  publicly  adopted  the 
amended  system,  the  Lutheran  doctrines  were  introduced  into  Sweden 
by  the  instrumentality  of  Olaus  Petri  in  1527,  under  the  sanction  of 
King  Gustavus  Vasa  Ericson.  Into  Denmark  the  Lutheran  doctrines 
were  fully  introduced  in  1527,  in  the  reign  of  Frederick,  after  some 
preparatory  steps  by  Christiern  II.  The  Lutheran  Church  is  also 
established  in  Norway,  Lapland,  Finland,  and  Iceland,  and  has  some 
congregations  in  Hungary,  France,  and  Asia. 
f 

*  Quarterly  Register,  p.  381, 
25 


378  HISTORY  OF  THE 

According  to  the  best  authorities,  the  Lutheran  population  in  the 
world  in  1836,  was  as  follows  :* 

Prussia,  -            ...            -  8,000,000 

Austria,          ....  2,250,000 

Saxony,               ....  2,000,000 

Wiirtemberg,             -            -             -  1,125,000 

Hanover,             ....  1,000,000 

The  other  German  States,     -             -  2,000,000 

France,  .....  1,500,000 

Denmark,      ....  2,000,000 

Norway  and  Sweden,      -            -            -  4,000,000 

Russia  in  Europe,      -             -            -  2,500,000 

Russia  in  Asia,                 ...  100,000 

Poland,           .             -             -             .  500,000 

Netherlands,        ....  120,000 

Turkey  in  Europe,     ...  15,000 

England,             ....  40,000 

Italy,              ....  500 

United  States,     ....  600,000 

In  Russia  there  were  820  Lutheran  churches  in  the  year  1835,  and 
493  Lutheran  ministers. 

The  United  Brethren  (Moravians),  though  peculiar  in  their  church 
government,  have  always  retained  the  Lutheran  Confession  of  Augs- 
burg, as  their  symbol,  and  may  be  regarded  as  a  branch  of  the  Lu- 
theran Church.f 

The  whole  Lutheran  population  in  the  world  has  been  estimated 
by  the  best  authorities  at  from  27  to  30,000,000. 

"  The  earliest  settlement  of  Lutherans  in  this  country,  was  made 
by  emigrants  from  Holland  to  New  York,  soon  after  the  first  esta- 
blishment of  the  Dutch  in  that  city,  then  called  New  Amsterdam, 
which  was  in  1621.  This  fact,  which  is  of  some  historic  interest, 
rests  upon  the  authority  of  the  venerable  patriarch  of  American  Lu- 
theranism,  Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg.  *  As  I  was  detained  at  New 
York,  (says  he  in  his  report  to  Halle,)  I  took  some  pains  to  acquire 
correct  information  concerning  the  history  of  the  Lutheran  Church 
in  that  city.  This  small  congregation  took  its  rise  almost  at  the  first 
settlement  of  the  country.  Whilst  the  territory  yet  belonged  to  Hol- 
land, the  few  Low  Dutch  Lutherans  were  compelled  to  hold  their 
worship  in  private;  but  after  it  passed  into  the  possession  of  the 

•  See  the  Berlin  (Prussia)  Kirchenzeitung  of  1836. 
t  See  Schmucker's  Popular  Theology,  p.  32,  3d  ed. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  379 

British,  in  1664,  liberty  was  granted  them  by  all  the  successive  go- 
vernors to  conduct  their  worship  publicly  without  any  obstruction.'* 
The  establishment  of  Lutherans  was  therefore  made  little  more  than 
a  century  after  the  re-discovery  of  America  by  Columbus,  in  1492  ;t 
within  a  few  years  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  on  Plymouth  Rock, 
1620,  and  whilst  the  Thirty  Years'  WarJ  was  raging  in  Germany, 
and  threatening  to  exterminate  Protestantism  from  Europe.  Their 
first  minister  was  Jacob  Fabricius,  who  arrived  in  1669,  but  after 
eight  years'  labour,  left  them  and  connected  himself  with  the  Swedish 
Lutherans.^  The  names  of  his  immediate  successors  we  have  not 
found ;  but  from  1703  to  1747,  their  pastors  were  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Falkner,  from  1703  till  1725,  Berkenmayer,  and  Knoll,  and  subse- 
quently Rochemdahler,  Wolf,  Hartwick,  and  others.  The  first  church 
(a  log  building)  was  erected  1671,  and  Mr.  Muhlenberg  says,  it  was 
in  a  dilapidated  state  when  it  was  taken  down  and  its  place  supplied 
by  one  of  stone,  in  the  time  of  Mr.  Berkenmayer.  The  cause  of  the 
emigration  from  Holland  we  have  not  seen  stated  ;  but  it  may  easily 
be  conjectured,  as  the  emigrants  left  that  country  a  few  years  after 
the  famous  Synod  of  Dort  (1618),  and  whilst  the  government  was  en- 
forcing the  intolerant  decrees  of  that  body.]] 

"  To  this  settlement  succeeded  that  of  the  Swedes  on  the  Delaware, 
in  1636,  about  ten  or  twelve  years  after  that  in  New  Amsterdam,  and 
sixteen  years  after  the  arrival  of  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth.  This 
colony  was  first  contemplated  during  the  reign  of  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
and  was  sanctioned  by  that  enlightened  and  illustrious  king.  It  was 
delayed  by  the  commencement  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War  in  Germany  ; 

*  The  Lutheran  Herald,  vol.  iii.  No.  1,  contains  the  following  particulars:  "  Indeed,  so 
great  was  the  number  of  Lutherans,  even  at  this  time,  that  the  very  next  year,  1665, 
after  the  English  flag  had  been  displayed  from  Fort  Amsterdam,  they  petitioned  for 
liberty  to  send  to  Germany  a  call  for  a  regular  pastor.  This  petition  Governor  Nicols  of 
course  granted,  and  in  February,  1669,  two  years  after  he  had  left  the  government,  the 
Rev.  Jacobus  Fabricius  arrived  in  the  colony  and  began  his  pastoral  labours."  "  On  the 
]  3th  of  October,  1669,  Lord  Lovelace,  who  had  succeeded  Gov.  Nicols,  publicly  pro- 
claimed his  having  received  a  letter  from  tlie  Duke  of  York,  expressing  his  pleasure  that 
the  Lutherans  should  be  tolerated." 

t  It  is  now  highly  probable  that  America  was  not  first  discovered  by  Columbus  ;  but 
Greenland  had  been  visited  by  Eirek,  the  Red,  and  New  England  by  Biarni  Heriulphson, 
the  former  in  982,  the  latter  in  985.     See  Discoveries  of  the  North  Men. 

t  This  most  memorable  of  all  the  wars  in  the  history  of  Protestantism,  which  deluged 
Germany  in  blood,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  magnanimous  aid  of  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
and  his  brave  Swedes,  would  perhaps  have  extirpated  Protestantism  from  the  earth,  was 
commenced  in  1618  and  ended  in  1648. 

§  Fabricius  took  charge  of  the  Swedish  church  at  Wicaco,  now  Southwark,  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  laboured  fourteen  years,  during  nine  of  which  he  was  blind.  He  died  1692. 

II  Schmucker's  Retrospect,  pp.  5-7. 


3S0  HISTORY  OF  THE 

but  after  Sweden's  noble-ljeartcd  monarch  had  poured  out  his  hfe's- 
blood  on  the  plains  of  Liitzen,  it  was  revived  and  executed  under  the 
auspices  of  his  distinguished  prime  minister  Oxenstiern.  For  many 
years  this  colony  prospered,  but  receiving  no  accessions  from  the 
parent  country,  it  never  increased  much  in  numbers;  the  rising  gene- 
ration commingled  with  the  surrounding  English  and  Germans,  and 
at  the  present  day  the  Swedish  language  is  entirely  abandoned  in 
their  worship.  For  many  years  their  ministers,  who  were  generally 
men  of  sterling  character,  were  in  habits  of  the  most  friendly  inter- 
course and  ecclesiastical  co-operation  with  their  German  Lutheran 
brethren;  but  the  prevalence  of  the  English  language,  having  early 
placed  them  under  obligation  to  our  Episcopal  brethren  who  supplied 
them  with  ministrations  in  that  language,  these  churches,  three  or 
four  in  number,  have  successively  fallen  into  Episcopal  hands.* 

"  The  third  settlement  of  Lutherans  in  this  country  was  that  of  the 
Germans,  which  gradually  spread  over  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Vir- 
ginia and  the  interior  of  New  York  and  the  Western  States.  The 
grant  of  Pennsylvania  was  given  to  Penn  by  Charles  IL  in  1680;  and 
from  this  date,  till  about  twenty  years  afterwards,  many  hundreds  of 
families  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania.  The  tide  of  German  emigration, 
however,  fairly  commenced  in  1710,  when  about  3000  Germans, 
chiefly  Lutheran,  oppressed  by  Romish  intolerance,  went  from  the 
Palatinate  to  England  in  1709,  and  were  sent  by  Queen  Anne  to  New 
York  the  succeeding  year.  In  1713  one  hundred  and  fifty  families 
settled  in  Schoharie;  and  in  1717,  we  find  in  the  Colonial  Records  of 
Pennsylvania,  that  the  governor  of  the  province  felt  it  his  duty  to 
call  the  attention  of  the  '  Provincial  Council'  to  the  fact  '  that  great 
numbers  of  foreigners  from  Germany,  strangers  to  our  language  and 
constitution,  had  lately  been  imported  into  the  province.'  The  council 
enacted,  that  every  master  of  a  vessel  should  report  the  emigrants  he 
brought  over,  and  that  they  should  all  repair  to  Philadelphia  within 
one  month  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  government,!  that  it 
might  be  seen  whether  they  were  '  friends  or  enemies  to  his  majesty's 
government.'  In  1727,  the  year  memorable  alike  for  Francke's 
death,  and  the  origin  of  the  Moravians,  a  very  large  number  of  Ger- 
mans came  to  Pennsylvania  from  the  Palatinate,  from  Wurtemberg, 
Darmstadt  and  other  parts  of  Germany.     This  colony  was  long  des- 

*  That  these  churches  have  dwindled  away  to  ahiiost  nothing,  would  seem  to  appear 
from  the  fact  that  when  their  present  amiable  rector,  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Clay,  was  elected, 
Dec.  5t}),  1831,  the  entire  number  of  votes  given,  was,  at  the  Wicaco  church  (Philadel- 
phia) 16,  at  Upper  Mcrion  29,  and  at  Kingsessing  37.     (Clay's  Annals,  p.  133.) 

t  Colonial  Records,  vol.  iii.  p.  18, 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  381 

titute  of  a  regular  ministry;  there  were  however  some  schoohnasters 
and  others,  some  of  whom  were  probably  good  men,  who  undertook 
to  preach  ;  and  as  many  of  the  emigrants  brought  with  them  the  spirit 
of  true  piety  from  Germany,  they  brought  also  many  devotional  books 
and  often  read  Arndt's  True  Christianity  and  other  similar  works  for 
mutual  edification,*  For  twelve  years,  from  1730  till  the  arrival  of 
the  patriarch  of  American  Lutheranism,  Dr.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlen- 
berg, the  Swedish  ministers  kindly  laboured  among  the  Germans,  as 
far  as  their  duties  to  their  own  churches  admitted.  But  before  we 
pursue  the  history  of  this  colony  any  farther,  our  attention  is  claimed 
by 

"  The  fourth  settlement  of  Lutherans  in  this  country,  who  established 
themselves  in  Georgia,  in  1733,  and  to  designate  the  gratitude  of  their 
hearts  to  the  God  who  had  protected  them,  styled  their  location 
Ebenezer.  These  emigrants  were  from  Saltzburg,  formerly  belonging 
to  Bavaria,  and  restored  to  the  Austrian  dominions  at  the  peace  of 
1814.  Persecuted  at  home  by  those  enemies  of  all  righteousness,  the 
Jesuits.f  and  by  Romish  priests  and  Romish  rulers,  this  band  of  dis- 
ciples sought  a  resting  place  in  these  western  wilds,  where  they  could 
worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences,  under  their 
own  vine  and  fig  tree,  without  molestation  or  fear.  Through  the 
instrumentality  of  Rev.  Mr.  Urlsperger,  of  Augsburg,  who  was  a  cor- 
responding member  of  the  British  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Chris- 
tianity, pecuniary  aid  was  afforded  by  that  liberal  and  noble-minded 
association,  and  the  oppressed  Saltzburgers  were  enabled  to  reach  the 
place  of  their  destination.  Happily,  they  were  immediately  supplied  by 
two  able  and  faithful  pastors',  Messrs.  Bolzius  and  Gronau.  The  latter 
was  taken  away  by  death  after  twelve  years'  labour  among  the  emi- 
grants, but  Bolzius  was  spared  to  the  church  about  thirty  years.  In 
1738  these  colonists  erected  an  orphan-house  at  Ebenezer,  to  which 
work  of  benevolence  important  aid  was  contributed  by  that  distin- 
guished man  of  God,  George  Whitefield,  who  also  furnished  the  bell 
for  one  of  the  churches  erected  by  them.  The  descendants  of  these 
colonists  are  still  numerous,  and  are  connected  with  the  Lutheran 
Synod  of  South  Carolina  and  adjacent  states. 

"  Soon  after  the  above  colonization,  numerous  Germans  coming  from 
Pennsylvania  and  other  states,  settled  in  North  Carolina,J  who  en- 
joyed the  labours  of  many  excellent  servants  of  Christ,  Nussman, 


*  See  Hallische  Nachrichten,  p.  665. 

t  Heinsius'  unparteiische  Kirchenliistorie,  vol.  iii.  p.  23L 

I  Shober's  Luther,  p.  137. 


382 


IIISIXDRY  OF  THE 


Arndt,  Storch,  Roschcn,  Bernhard,  Shober  and  others,  and  whose  de- 
scendants constitute  the  present  nunnerous  churches  in  the  Carolinas. 

"  In  1735  a  settlement  of  Lutherans  was  formed  in  Spottsylvania,  as 
Vir<Tinia  was  then  sometimes  called,*  which  we  suppose  to  be  the 
church  in  Madison  county  of  that  state.  Their  pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Stoever,  visited  Germany  for  aid,  and,  together  with  several  assis- 
tants, obtained  three  thousand  pounds,  part  of  which  was  expended 
in  the  erection  of  a  church,  the  purchase  of  a  plantation  and  slaves  to 
work  it  for  the  support  of  their  minister,  and  the  balance  expended 
for  a  library,  or  consumed  by  the  expenses  of  the  town.*  As  might 
have  been  expected,  this  church  seems  never  to  have  enjoyed  the 
smiles  of  our  Father  in  heaven. 

"  In  1739  a  few  Germans  emigrated  to  Waldoborough,  Maine,  to 
whose  number  an  addition  of  1500  souls  was  made  thirteen  years 
afterwards.  But  the  title  to  the  land  given  them  by  General  Waldo 
proving  unsound,  many  left  the  colony,  and  its  numbers  have  never 
greatly  increased.  For  many  years  they  enjoyed  the  pastoral  labours, 
successivelyof  Re  V.Messrs.  Schaefier  (from  1762),Croner  (from  1785), 
and  Ritz,  and  since  1811  are  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Starman.f 

"  Of  all  these  colonies,  that  which  in  the  providence  of  God  has  most 
increased,  and  has  hitherto  constituted  the  great  body  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  this  country,  is  that  in  the  Middle  States,  Pennsylvania,  in- 
terior New  York,  Maryland,  &c.,  whose  history  was  traced  in  its 
proper  place  till  1742.  This  was  a  memorable  year  for  the  Lutheran 
Church.  It  was  rendered  so  by  the  arrival  of  Henry  Melchior  Muh- 
lenberg, whose  high  intellectual  and  moral  qualifications,  whose  in- 
defatigable zeal  and  long  life  of  arduous  and  enlightened  labour  for 
the  Master's  cause,  constitute  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  our  Ameri- 
can Zion,  and  justly  entitle  him  to  the  appellation  of  patriarch  of  the 
American  Lutheran  Church.  There  had  indeed  been  Lutherans  in 
Pennsylvania  sixty  years  earlier.  There  had  been  churches  built  at 
New  Hanover,  and  near  Lebanon  (the  Bergkirche)  where  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Stoever  laboured  in  1733,  and  at  York  in  1734.  In  Philadelphia  also 
the  Lutherans  had  worshipped  jointly  with  their  Reformed  brethren 
in  an  old  log  house  in  Arch  Street.  But  in  general  they  had  enjoyed 
no  regular  ministry,  until  1742.     Muhlenberg  came  to  this  country 

*  Hallische  Nachrichten,  p.  331. 

+  Heinsius  speaks  of  a  colony  of  Swiss  Lutherans,  who,  tired  of  Romish  oppression, 
also  sought  refuge  in  tiiis  western  world.  They  came  by  way  of  England,  under  the 
direction  of  Col.  Pury,  who  established  them  in  a  place  called  after  himself  Purysburg. 
This  colony,  if  we  mistake  not,  was  in  South  Carolina,  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  find 
any  account  of  its  progress  or  present  condition.  (Heinsius'  Kirchcngeschichte,  vol.  iii. 
page  291.) 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  333 

with  qualifications  of  the  highest  order.  His  education  was  of  the 
very  first  character.  In  addition  to  his  knowledge  of  Greek  and 
Hebrew,  he  spoke  English,  German,  Hollandish,  French,  Latin,  and 
Swedish.  But  wha't  was  still  more  important,  he  was  educated  in 
the  school  of  Francke,  and  had  imbibed  a  large  portion  of  his  hea- 
venly spirit.  Like  Paul,  he  had  an  ardent  zeal  for  the  salvation  of 
'  his  brethren,  his  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh.'  He  first  landed 
in  Georgia,  and  spent  a  week  with  the  brethren  Bolzius  and  Gronau, 
to  refresh  his  spirit  and  learn  the  circumstances  of  the  country ;  and 
then  pursuing  his  course  by  a  dangerous  coasting  voyage,  in  a  small 
and  insecure  sloop,*  which  had  no  accommodations  for  passengers, 
he  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  Nov.  25, 1742.  Having  reached  his  place 
of  destination,  and  surmounted  the  opposition  of  Count  Zinzendorf, 
who,  under  the  assumed  name  of  Thurnstein,  had  passed  himself  off 
as  a  Lutheran  minister  and  inspector,!  he  was  cordially  received, 
and  entered  on  his  labours  with  comprehensive  and  well-directed 
views  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  church.  He  continued  to  labour 
for  near  half  a  century,  with  indefatigable  zeal  Whilst  Edwards 
was  co-operating  with  the  extraordinary  outpourings  of  God's  spirit 
in  New  England,  and  the  Wesleys  were  labouring  to  revive  vital 
godliness  in  England ;  whilst  Whitefield  was  doing  the  same  work  in 
England  and  America,  and  the  successors  of  Francke  were  labouring 
to  evangelize  Germany :  Muhlenberg  was  striving  with  similar  zeal 
and  fidelity  to  do  the  work  of  God  among  his  German  brethren  in 
this  western  world.  Of  him,  as  also  of  some  of  his  earliest  asso- 
ciates, it  may  be  truly  said,  that  '  he  was  in  journeyings  often,  in 
perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  by  his  own  countrymen, 
in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  v/ilder- 
ness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false  brethren,  in  weariness, 
and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings 
often,  and  in  cold  and  nakedness.'  He  preached  in  season  and  out 
of  season,  in  churches,  in  dwellings,  in  barns,  and  in  the  open  air, 
until  at  last  that  divine  Master,  whom  he  so  faithfully  served,  received 

*  During  this  voyage  all  on  board  endured  many  privations ;  and  being  delayed  and 
tossed  about  by  contrary  winds,  suffered  much  for  want  of  water.  So  great  was  the 
destitution  of  water,  that  even  the  rats  ate  out  the  stoppers  of  the  vinegar  bottles,  and  by 
inserting  their  tails,  extracted  the  cooling  liquid,  and  drew  them  through  their  mouths. 
And  some  of  these  animals  were  also  seen  licking  the  perspiration  from  the  foreheads  of 
the  sleeping  mariners.  (Hallische  Nachrichten,  p.  9.) 

t  The  writer  has  in  his  library  a  volume  of  sermons,  published  in  Budingen,  174G,  evi- 
dently by  Count  Zinzendorf,  the  title  page  of  which  represents  their  author  to  have  been 
Lutheran  Inspector  and  Pastor  in  Philadelphia  in  1742. 


384 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


him  into  the  society  of  the  apostles  and  prophets  at  his  right  hand, 
October  7tTi,  1787.* 

"  Such  was  Muhlenberg.  Throughout  his  long  life  he  was  regarded 
by  all  as  the  leader  of  the  Lutheran  phalanx,  Ss  the  father  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  in  this  country.  Although  we  see  no  necessity  for 
attaching  a  season  of  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  divine  good- 
ness, to  any  specific  date,  as  it  is  at  all  times  proper;  yet  if  such  a 
date  be  sought,  no  one  more  appropriate  could  be  found  than  the 
year  of  Muhlenberg's  call  to  this  work,  (September,  1741,)  or  his 
actual  arrival  in  this  country  in  1742. 

"  Muhlenberg  was  soon  joined  in  the  American  field  by  other  highly 
respectable  men,  of  excellent  education  and  of  spirit  like  his  own ; 
the  greater  part  of  whom  were  in  like  manner  sent  from  Germany, 
such  as  Brunnholtz  and  Lemke,  174.5;  Ilandshuh,  Hartwick,  the 
generous  founder  of  the  seminary  that  bears  his  name,  and  Wey- 
gand,  1748  ;  Heinxelman  and  Schultz,  1751  ;  Gerock,  Hausil,  Wort- 
man,  Wagner,  Schartlin,  Shrenk,  and  Rauss,  1753;  Eager,  1758; 
Voigt  and  Krug,  1764;  Helmuth  and  Schmidt,  1769;  and  Kunze, 
1770.  In  company  with  Mr.  Brunnholtz  came  also  Messrs.  N. 
Kurtz  and  Schaum,  who  were  ordained  in  1748  and  were  among 
the  most  faithful  and  useful  of  our  ministers.  The  former  was  the 
father  of  the  venerable  servant  of  Christ  whom  we  are  permitted  this 
morning  to  welcome  in  our  midst,  the  oldest  Lutheran  minister  in 
the  United  States,  bereft  of  late  of  the  partner  of  his  life,  himself  yet 
kindly  spared  amongst  us  as  a  relic  of  a  former  generation.  The 
increase  of  ministers  was  slow.  When  the  first  synod  was  held,  in 
1748,  there  were  only  eleven  regular  Lutheran  ministers  in  the  United 
States.f  Three  years  after  that  time  the  number  of  congregations 
was  rated  at  about  40,  and  the  Lutheran  population  in  America  at 
60,000. 

"  The  greater  part  of  these  men  were  indefatigable  in  their  labours. 
Numerous  and  arduous  were  the  difficulties  in  their  way.  The  popu- 
lation was  unsettled,  ever  tending  farther  into  the  interior  ;J  intem- 
perance had  already  made  sad  havoc  in  the  land ;  the  semi-civilized 
habits  so  natural  to  pioneers  in  colonization,  the  various  frolics,  the 
celebrations  in  honour  of  Tammany,  the  Indian  chief,  &c.,  which 
were  then  extensively  observed,  were  formidable  obstacles  to  religion. 
Inadequate  ministerial  support;  difficulty  of  travelling  from  want  of 

*  Schmucker's  Retrospect,  pp.  9-11. 

tin  1743,  Naesseman,  the  Swedish  minister,  reported  to  Sweden,  that  there  were  at 
that  time  twenty  German  Lutheran  congregations  in  America.     (Heinsius,  iii.  p.  687.) 
t  Muhlenberg  states  that  in  five  years  half  his  congregation  had  changed. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  395 

roads  in  many  directions ;  and  not  unfrequently  the  tomahawk  and 
scalping-knife  of  the  Indian  impeded  their  progress.     I  cannot  stop 
to  tell  the  soul-stirring  story  of  many  an  Indian  massacre.     A  single 
instance,  from  the  pen  of  Father  Muhlenberg  himself,  may  teach  us 
alike  to  appreciate  the  security  of  our  worship  and  the  bitter  cost  at 
which  our  fathers  provided  it ;  may  teach  us  that  we  are  reaping  the 
fruits  of  their  sweat  and  blood.     The  case  was  that  of  a  man  whose 
two  grown  daughters  had  attended  a  course  of  instruction  by  Mr. 
Muhlenberg,   and    been   solemnly  admitted  by  confirmation  to  the 
communion   of  the   church.     This   man  afterwards  went  with  his 
family  some  distance  into  the  interior  to  a  tract  of  land  which  he 
purchased.     When  the  war  with  the  Indians  broke  out,  he  removed 
his  family  to  their  former  residence,  and  occasionally  returned  to  his 
farm  to  attend  to  his  grain  and  cattle.     On  one  occasion  he  went 
accompanied  by  his  two  daughters  to  spend  a  few  days  there,  and 
bring  away  some  wheat.     On  Friday  evening,  after  the  wagon  had 
been  loaded,  and  every  thing  was  ready  for  their  return  on  the  mor- 
row, his  daughters  complained  that  they  felt  anxious  and  dejected, 
and  were  impressed  with  the  idea  that  they  were  soon  to  die.     They 
requested  their  father  to  unite  with  them  in  singing  the  familiar  Ger- 
man funeral  hymn :  *  Who  knows  how  near  my  end  may  be  V*  after 
which  they  commended  themselves  to  God  in  prayer  and  retired  to 
rest.     The  light  of  the  succeeding  morning  beamed  upon  them,  and 
all  was  yet  well.     Whilst  the  daughters  were  attending  to  the  dairy, 
cheered  with  the  joyful  hope  of  soon  greeting  their  friends,  and  being 
out  of  danger,  the  father  went  to  the  field  for  the  horses,  to  prepare 
for  their  departure  home.     As  he  was  passing  through  the  field,  sud- 
denly he  saw  two  Indians,  armed  with  rifles,  tomahawks,  and  scalp- 
ing-knives,  rushing  towards  him  at  full  speed.     The  sight  so  terrified 
him,  that  he  lost  all  self-command,  and  stood  motionless  and  silent. 
When  they  were  about  twenty  yards  from  him,  he  suddenly,  and 
with  all  his  strength,  exclaimed,  "  Lord  Jesus,  living  and  dying  I  am 
thine.'     Scarcely  had  the  Indians  heard  the  words   '  Lord  Jesus,' 
(which  they  probably  knew  as  the  white  man's  name  of  the  '  Great 
Spirit,')  when  they  stopped  short,  and  uttered  a  hideous  yell.     The 
man  ran  with  almost  supernatural  strength  into  the  dense  forest,  and 
by  taking  a  serpentine  course  the  Indians  lost  sight  of  him  and  relin- 
quished the  pursuit.     He  hastened  to  an  adjoining  farm,  where  two 
German  families  resided,  for  assistance.    But  on  approaching  near  it, 
he  heard  the  dying  groans  of  the  families,  who  were  falling  beneath 

*  The  well-known  German  hymn,  "  Wer  weiss  wie  nahe  mir  mein  Ende." 


380  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  murderous  tomahawk  of  some  other  Indians.  Having  providen- 
tially not  been  observed  by  them,  he  hastened  back  to  learn  the  fate 
of  his  dauiihtcrs.  But,  alas !  on  coming  within  sight,  he  found  his 
house  and  barn  enveloped  in  flames  !  Finding  that  the  Indians  had 
possession  here  too,  he  hastened  to  another  adjoining  farm  for  help. 
Returning  armed,  with  several  men,  he  found  the  house  reduced  to 
ashes,  and  the  Indians  gone  !  His  eldest  daughter  had  been  almost 
entirely  burnt  up,  a  few  remains  only  of  her  body  being  found!  And 
awful  to  relate,  the  younger,  though  the  scalp  had  been  cut  from  her 
head,  and  her  body  was  horribly  mangled  from  head  to  foot  with  the 
tomahawk,  was  yet  living!  'The  poor  worm,'  says  Muhlenberg, 
*  was  yet  able  to  state  all  the  circumstances  of  the  dreadful  scene.' 
After  having  done  so,  she  requested  her  father  to  stoop  down  to  her 
that  she  might  give  him  a  parting  kiss  and  then  go  to  her  dear 
Saviour;  and  after  she  had  impressed  her  dying  lips  upon  his  cheek, 
she  yielded  her  spirit  into  the  hands  of  that  Redeemer,*  who,  though 
his  judgments  are  often  unsearchable  and  his  ways  past  finding  out, 
has  nevertheless  said,  '  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  if  any  man 
believe  in  me,  though  he  die  yet  shall  he  live.'  "f 

The  interests  of  the  Lutheran  Church  shared  alike  with  those  of 
other  religious  denominations  and  with  the  country  generally  in  the 
disastrous  influences  of  the  American  revolution,  as  well  as  in  the 
happy  results  that  have  followed  the  triumph  which  the  spirit  of 
patriotism  and  liberty  then  achieved.  "  Many  of  the  churches  were 
destroyed  throughout  the  land,  and  especially  in  New  England.  Zion 
Church,  the  largest  in  Thiladelphia,  was  occupied  as  a  hospital  by 
the  British  army  in  1778,  and  the  congregation  for  a  season  wholly 
expelled.  And  their  other  church,  St.  Michael's,  which  had  been 
built  in  1743,  the  year  after  Muhlenburg's  arrival,  was  used  by  the 
enemy  as  a  garrison  church,  half  of  every  Lord's  day,  the  congrega- 
tion having  the  use  of  it  in  the  afternoon."J 

"  In  178G,  the  Lutheran  ministry  in  the  Middle  States  numbered  24. 
From  that  time  until  1820,  the  year  of  the  formation  of  their  General 
Synod,  the  number  of  congregations  and  ministers  was  much  in- 

•  Hallish.  Nachr.  p.  1007-8.  Tlie  case  here  narrated  was  neither  extreme  nor  rare. 
The  elder  Mr.  Kurtz  on  the  2d  of  July,  1757,  states  that  on  that  ay  the  lifeless  bodies  of 
no  less  than  seven  members  of  his  congrregation  were  brought  to  the  church  for  burial, 
Uiey  having  been  murdered  by  the  Indians  the  evening  before.  Being  anxious  to  im- 
prove this  solemn  scene  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  hearers,  Mr.  Kurtz  deferred  the 
interment  until  the  succeeding  day,  and  suifercd  the  mangled  bodies  to  remain  in  the 
church  until  the  congregation  convened ;  a  pleasing  evidence  this,  of  his  solicitude  fur 
souls. 

+  Schmucker's  Retrospect,  pp.  11-13.  t  Ibid.,  p.  15. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  387 

creased,  but  owing  to  the  want  of  a  suitable  institution  for  their  edu- 
cation, and  to  other  causes,  the  proportion  of  men  destitute  of  a  learned 
education  was  also  augmented."*  From  the  influence  of  the  revolu- 
tion, and  the  war  of  1812,  as  well  as  the  wars  in  their  mother  country, 
from  amid  the  baleful  effects  of  which  the  German  immigrants  in  this 
period  came ;  from  the  temptations  presented  by  the  state  of  this 
country  to  pursue  the  accumulation  of  wealth,  and  consequently  to 
neglect "  the  true  riches  :"  our  Lutheran  brethren  were  now  compelled 
to  mourn  in  common  with  other  denominations  the  low  and  declining 
state  of  piety  in  their  churches.  But  towards  the  close  of  this  period 
a  manifest  improvement  in  this  respect  began  to  cheer  their  hearts 
and  illumine  their  prospects. 

The  year  1820  has  been  already  mentioned  as  the  date  of  the  for- 
mation of  the  General  Synod  of  the  American  Lutheran  Church. 
•'  Prior  to  this  era,  the  church  had  gradually  become  divided  into  five 
or  six  different,  distant,  and  unconnected  synods.  Having  no  regular 
intercourse  with  each  other,  these  several  portions  became  more  or 
less  estranged,  and  lost  all  the  advantages  of  mutual  consultation, 
confidence  and  co-operation. "f  The  formation  of  the  General  Synod 
was  the  precursor  of  union  and  improvement,  and  the  commencement 
of  the  most  propitious  era  in  their  history.  Much  prejudice  and  hos- 
tility were  encountered  in  the  enterprise  to  institute  this  body ;  but  by 
the  prudence  and  kindness  of  its  leaders,  and  particularly  by  the  good 
fruits  which  were  soon  seen  to  result  from  it,  these  obstacles  were 
overcome.  The  result  was  not  accomplished,  however,  without  a 
serious  shock  to  the  church,  which  occurred  two  years  afterwards, 
in  the  recession  of  the  largest  and  oldest  of  the  district  synods,  that 
of  Pennsylvania.  This  was  the  result  of  an  ignorant  clamour  of 
"  Union  of  Church  and  State,"  which,  in  the  case  of  those  who  had 
lately  fled  from  this  evil  as  it  existed  on  the  other  side  the  Atlantic,  is 
not  marvellous ;  but  which  is  not  peculiar  to  this  case.  Protestants  of 
other  denominations  in  this  country  seem  too  ready,  to  raise  against 
each  other  the  same  outcry,  at  every  attempt  among  themselves  for 
the  promotion  of  their  own  denominational  interests ;  while  the  open 
and  exclusive  efforts  of  Catholics,  the  sworn  and  inalienable  devotees 
of  a  foreign  despot,  to  keep  themselves  separate  from  all  others,  and 
to  bend  state  funds  and  political  influence  to  the  accomplishment  of 
this  object,  have  scarcely,  until  of  late,  received  a  passing  notice, 
except  by  here  and  there  a  solitary  pen.  But  while  the  vital  and  in- 
destructible distinction  between  Catholics  and  Protestants,  the  fruit  of 

*  Schmucker's  Retrospect,  p.  16.  t  Ibid.  p.  18. 


388  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  Reformation,  is  thus  boldly  and  tenaciously  maintained  by  the 
former,  the  latter  are  too  prone  to  treat  the  distinction  as  a  mere 
nullity,  as  if  its  transfer  to  American  soil  could  annihilate  it. 

The  salutary  influence  of  this  general  organization  in  the  Lutheran 
Church  was  soon  felt  in  every  department  of  her  interests.  Some  of 
the  permanent  benefits  which  have  sprung  from  it  are,  the  formation 
of  a  scriptural  formula  of  government  and  discipline ;  a  selection  of 
psalmody  of  a  higher  order,  both  as  to  devotional  sentiment  and  com- 
position, than  any  previously  used ;  a  theological  seminary  and  a 
college.  The  theological  seminary  was  established  in  1825,  and  went 
into  operation  the  following  year.  Its  beginning  was  feeble,  but  by 
the  efforts  of  its  faculty  and  friends,  it  has  become  a  fountain  of  rich 
blessings  to  the  church.  Upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  ministers 
have  gone  forth  from  this  institution  preaching  the  word.  Its  edifice, 
which  is  of  brick,  four  stories  in  height,  100  feet  in  length,  and  40  in 
breadth,  and  the  dwellings  of  its  professors,  also  of  brick,  are  situated 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  114 
miles  from  Philadelphia,  180  from  Pittsburg,  and  52  from  Baltimore. 
Its  faculty  are  the  Rev.  Samuel  S.  Schmucker,  D.  D.,  Professor  of 
Didactic  and  Polemic,  Homiletic  and  Pastoral  Theologv,  and  Chair- 
man of  the  Faculty;  Rev.  Charles  P.  Krauth,  D.  D.,  Professor  of 
Sacred  Philology  and  Exegesis ;  Henry  I.  Smith,  A.  M.,  Professor  of 
German  Language  and  Literature.  It  has  a  library  of  upwards  of 
7,500  volumes,  consisting  of  works  of  almost  every  age,  language 
and  size.* 

"Pennsylvania  College"  is  established  and  located  at  the  same 
place,  as  an  auxiliary  to  the  Seminary,  and  "  to  promote  liberal  edu- 
cation among  the  descendants  of  Germans  in  the  United  States." 
It  being  found  that  some  of  the  applicants  for  admission  into  the 
theological  seminary  were  deficient  in  classical  attainments,  the  board 
resolved,  May  16,  1827,  to  establish  a  preparatory  school,  to  be  under 
their  direction,  and  appointed  Professor  Schmucker  and  the  Rev.' 
John  Herbst,  to  select  a  teacher,  and  carry  their  resolutions  into  effect. 
The  Rev.  D.  Jacobs,  A.  M.,  was  selected,  and  in  June  1827,  the  school 
w^ent  into  operation.  From  this  humble  beginning,  it  rose  gradually 
in  importance  and  influence.  In  1829  it  was  changed  into  a  gym- 
nasium, and  in  1831,  the  number  of  students  had  so  much  increased 
and  its  prospects  become  so  flattering,  that  measures  were  adopted, 
chiefly  through  the  exertions  of  Dr.  Schmucker,  to  obtain  a  charter 
from  the  Legislature,  erecting  it  into  a  college.f    The  institution  was 

*  See  Quarterly  Register,  and  the  Lutheran  Almanac,  1843. 
t  See  Lutheran  Almanac,  for  1 842. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  ggg 

organized  in  July  1832,  under  the  above  title.  It  went  into  operation 
in  October  following.  In  the  fall  of  1834,  it  received  a  president,  the 
Rev.  C.  P.  Krauth,  D.  D.,  and  subsequently  the  professorships  were 
all  filled  by  the  successive  election  of  Professors  Baugher,  Jacobs, 
Reynolds  and  Smith.  So  that  the  present  faculty  consists  of  the  pre- 
sident, four  professors,  one  lecturer  on  anatomy  and  physiology,  and 
two  tutors  in  the  preparatory  department.  It  has  also  a  well  selected 
library,  to  which  annual  accessions  are  made ;  besides  the  two  libra- 
ries of  the  two  literary  societies  and  the  German  society.  The  number 
of  students  has  annually  increased,  and  by  the  report  of  1840-41,  their 
number  was  157.  In  establishing  the  seminary  and  college,  and  in 
sustaining  the  General  Synod,  there  was  a  noble  band  of  co-workers 
engaged,  including,  at  a  later  day,  many  of  the  alumni  of  the  semi- 
nary itself.  Among  those  who  were  contemporaneous  with  Dr. 
Schmucker,  at  the  commencement  of  the  seminary,  and  active  in  its 
establishment  and  support,  deserve  to  be  particularly  named,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  B.  Kurtz,  who  made  a  successful  tour  through  Germany,  Den- 
mark, &c.,  to  collect  funds  and  books  for  the  institution.  Dr.  C.  P. 
Krauth,  Dr.  D.  F.  Schaefier,  Rev.  J.  Herbst,  Rev.  B.  Keller,  Rev.  J. 
Ruthrauf,  Sr.,  and  Dr.  J.  G.  Schmucker  of  York. 

It  ought  not  to  be  overlooked,  that  from  her  earliest  history  the 
Lutheran  Church  has  held  learning  in  the  greatest  reverence,  as  the 
instrument  of  her  emancipation  from  the  thraldom  of  the  dark  ages. 
The  Universities  of  Jena  and  Konigsberg,  Wittenberg  and  Leipzig, 
were  among  the  first  testimonials  of  her  zeal  in  this  respect.  And 
had  her  early  pastors  in  this  country  had  the  courage  and  the  means 
for  imitating  their  ancestors,  and  founded  the  institutions  which  now 
adorn  and  bless  the  American  branch  of  this  venerable  portion  of  the 
church,  her  influence  and  success  would  have  placed  her  now  among 
the  foremost  of  the  "  sacramental  host."  As  it  was,  "  in  addition  to 
their  pastoral  labours,  several  of  the  clergy  occupied  important  posts 
in  literary  institutions."  Dr.  Kunze,  of  whom  Dr.  Miller  of  Princeton 
says,  •'  his  oriental  learning  has  long  rendered  him  an  ornament  of 
the  American  republic  of  letters,"  was  German  professor  of  the 
Greek,  Latin,  and  Hebrew  languages  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, established  in  1779.  In  1785,  Dr.  Helmuth  was  appointed  to 
the  same  station.  And  they  were  confessedly  as  learned  men  as  any 
connected  with  the  institution.*  In  the  same  year  "  Messrs.  Helmuth 
and  Schmidt,  then  pastors  in  Philadelphia,  commenced  a  private 
seminary,  and  for  twenty  years  continued,  so  far  as  their  numerous 

*  Retrospect,  p.  16. 


300 


HISTORY  OP^  THE 


pastoral  duties  would  permit,  to  instruct  candidates  for  the  Lutheran 
ministry;  but  old  age,  and  eventually  death  also,  terminated  these 
efforts."*  In  1787,  the  Legislature,  out  of  gratitude  for  the  revolu- 
tionary services  of  the  Germans,  and  respect  for  their  industry  and 
excellence  as  citizens,  endowed  a  college  in  Lancaster  for  their  special 
benefit,  to  be  for  ever  under  their  control.  Of  this  institution,  Dr. 
Muhlenberg,  then  pastor  in  Lancaster,  was  chosen  president.  And 
in  1791,  the  same  body  passed  an  act  appropriating  5000  acres  of 
land  to  the  flourishing  free  school  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  Phila- 
delphia, in  which,  at  that  time,  eighty  poor  children  were  receiving 
gratuitous  education-! 

An  incident  illustrative  of  German  integrity  is  connected  with  the 
early  history  of  their  Philadelphia  churches,  and  is  worthy  of  notice. 
A  debt  due  by  the  church  to  several  mechanics  was  paid  by  the 
trustees  in  continental  money  at  the  time  when  that  currency  was 
good  and  at  par  value.  Not  long  after,  however,  it  depreciated  and 
became  nearly  worthless ;  when  without  any  obligation  legal  or 
moral,  but  merely  that  no  one  should  be  a  loser  through  their  instru- 
mentality, they  repaid  the  debt  in  specie.  It  is  also  an  interesting 
fact,  that  in  the  same  church,  as  early  as  1804,  a  flourishing  Sabbath 
school,  numbering  two  hundred  scholars,  with  forty  teachers,  was  in 
active  operation ;  showing  that  religion  was  then  prospering  among 
them. 

In  addition  to  the  Seminary  and  College  at  Gettysburg,  there  is 
also  a  Literary  and  Theological  Institute  at  Columbus,  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Ohio  Synod  ;  another  at  East  Hart  wick,  Otsego  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  another  in  the  village  of  Lexington,  South  Carolina,  under 
the  charge  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hazelius,  and  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Synods  of  North  and  South  Carolina.  All  these  institutions  have  for 
their  object,  the  preparation  of  candidates  for  the  holy  ministry,  and 
are  all  free  from  debt  and  flourishing,  though  not  independent  of  the 
aid  of  the  churches.  There  is  also  an  institution  for  the  education  of 
poor  orphan  children,  called  the  "Emmaus  Institute,"  located  at 
Middletown,  Dauphin  Co.,  Pa.,  and  liberally  endowed  by  Mr.  George 
Fry ;  but  the  funds  have,  until  lately,  been  unavoidably  and  greatly 
diminished  by  unfaithful  managers  and  pretended  heirs. 

In  the  Lutheran  Almanacs  for  1842  and  1843,  we  have  the  follow- 
ing summary  of  statistics  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  in  the 
United  States,  viz. :  424  ministers  of  the  gospel ;  1,371  congregations; 
146,300  communicants;  18,000  scattered  members  (estimated);  1 
General  Synod,  and  19  District  Synods.     Under  their  care  arc  4 

•  Schtnucker's  Retrospect,  p.  23.  t  Ibid.  p.  IG. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 


391 


Theological  Seminaries ;  1  College ;  4  Classical  Schools ;  1  Orphan- 
house  ;  a  Parent  Education  Society ;  a  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
and  a  Book  Establishment.* 

We  have  only  space  for  a  passing  notice  of  the  Parent  Education 
Society.  It  was  formed  in  1835,  by  a  convention  of  ministers  and 
laymen  at  York,  Pa.  They  seem  to  have  assembled  and  acted  with 
great  unanimity  and  definiteness  of  purpose,  as  their  session  continued 
but  two  days,  in  which  time  a  constitution  was  adopted,  and  the  ne- 
cessary officers  elected.  The  total  receipts  from  its  formation  to 
March  1,  1842,  (seven  and  a  half  years,)  amounted  to  upwards  of 
$21,200.  The  number  of  its  beneficiaries  to  May  1,  1842,  was  120; 
of  whom  35  are  now  in  different  stages  of  their  preparatory  course ; 
38  have  entered  on  their  work ;  16  have  withdrawn,  several  of  whom 
are  still  aided  by  congregations ;  10  discontinued,  as  incompetent ;  and 
6  have  terminated  their  mortal  pilgrimage.f  ^ 

From  the  Lutheran  Almanac  of  1843,  we  add  the  following  statis- 
tics, which,  though  carefully  collected,  are  necessarily  imperfect. 


STATISTICS. 

SYNODS. 

Minis. 

Cong. 

Baptis. 

Comm. 

Confir. 

Sunday 
School. 

Year 
of 

Report. 

Synod  of  Pennsylvania  and  the 

adjacent  States, 

63 

234 

4451 

30251 

2597 

69 

1841 

Synod  of  West  Pennsylvania,   . 

58 

195 

4329 

17219 

2011 

100 

1841 

Synod  of  New  York,    .... 

38 

47 

1473 

6668 

400 

34 

1841 

Hartwick  Synod, 

16 

27 

373 

4354 

318 

30 

1841 

Synod  of  Maryland,     .... 

27 

59 

898 

6557 

393 

33 

1841 

Eastern  District  Synod  of  Ohio, 

14 

89 

932 

10500 

471 

8 

1841 

Western  District  Synod  of  Ohio, 

26 

118 

1589 

10288 

776 

24 

1841 

English  Synod  of  Ohio,    .     ,     . 

7 

25 

253 

1842 

184 

6 

1841 

Synod  of  North  Carolina,      .     . 

14 

38 

365 

2613 

150 

10 

1841 

Synod  of  South  Carolina,      .     . 

28 

37 

328 

2143 

154 

16 

1841 

Eng-lish  Synod  of  Ohio  and  ad- 

jacent  Slates, 

24 

80 

706 

4770 

521 

23 

1841 

Synod  of  Virginia, 

17 

31 

180 

1771 

209 

1841 

Franckean  Synod,  

25 

37 

300 

1868 

280 

20 

1841 

Synod  of  the  West,      .... 

21 

41 

453 

2622 

268 

15 

1841 

Synod  of  South  Western  Vir- 

ginia,       

6 

15 

38 

778 

58 

1841 

Synod  of  East  Pennsylvania,     . 

9 

18 

178 

2114 

185 

15 

1842 

Synod  of  Indiana, 

9 

20 

164 

1050 

83 

1841 

Synod  of  Tennessee,    .... 

16 

80 

176 

4000 

154 

1841 

Alleghany  Synod,  org.  1842, 1st 

meeting  in  Sept.,  1B4Q. 

Vacant  congregations,      .     .     . 

180 

9000 

1842 

Scattered  members,  principally 

in  the  Western  States,  .     .     , 

25000 

1842 

*  Of  these,  about  one-third  are  found  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  wherein  1840,  they 
numbered  328  churches,  36,516  communicants,  and  111  ministers,  of  whom  64  were  con- 
nected witli  the  East  Synod,  and  40  with  the  West  Synod  of  that  State,  and  7  with  the 
Synod  of  Ohio. 

t  Quarterly  Register. 


3Q2  inSTOKY  OF  THE 

GOVERNMENT    AND    DISCIPLINE. 

Tliis  was  a  subject  over  which  the  early  Reformers  could  exert 
little  or  no  influence.  Their  efTorts  in  breaking  the  shackles  of  spiri- 
tual despotism,  could  not  change  the  political  constitutions  by  which 
the  Church  and  the  State  were  joined  together  for  mutual  accommo- 
dation. Like  all  the  other  established  churches  of  Europe,  therefore, 
the  Lutheran  was  prevented  from  adopting  her  scriptural  and  inde- 
pendent system  of  discipline.  The  consequence  has  been,  that  in  the 
different  kingdoms  and  provinces  of  Europe,  their  systems  of  eccle- 
siastical government  are  very  various  and  inefficient;  in  no  section 
retaining  strictly  the  principle  of  ministerial  parity,  with  perfect  free- 
dom from  state  control.  On  their  arrival  in  this  country,  that  impe- 
diment no  longer  obstructed  their  zeal  for  improvement  in  ecclesiasti- 
cal government  and  discipline.  "  They  at  once  adopted  the  form 
which  Luther  and  the  Lutheran  divines  generally  have  always  re- 
garded as  the  primitive  one,  viz. :  the  parity  of  ministers,  the  co-ope- 
ration of  the  laity  in  church  government,  and  the  free  voluntary 
convention  of  synods."  Such  was  the  character  of  the  first  synod 
held  in  Philadelphia  in  1748,  six  years  after  the  arrival  of  Muhlen- 
berg. It  was  composed  of  a  due  proportion  of  lay  delegates,  who 
took  an  equal  part  with  the  clergy  in  the  transaction  of  business. 
The  laity  were  also  united  in  the  calling  of  ministers.  An  instance 
illustrative  of  this  occurred  in  1748,  on  the  occasion  of  the  settlement 
of  the  Rev.  Nicholas  Kurtz.  "  After  his  examination  by  Messrs. 
Muhlenberg,  Brunnholtz,  Handschuh,  and  Hartwick,  we  are  told,  the 
elders  and  deacons  of  the  church  in  which  he  had  laboured  as  a 
licentiate,  were  called  on  to  sign  his  vocation." 

Speaking  of  a  synod  held  in  1700,  at  New  Providence,  a  viJJage 
then  the  place  of  his  residence,  and  now  called  Trap,  after  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Gerock  had  preached  a  German  sermon  in  the  forenoon,  and  the 
excellent  Provost  Wrangel  of  the  Swedish  Church,  an  English  dis- 
course in  the  afternoon,  Muhlenberg  says  :  "  After  the  close  of  public 
worship  all  the  ministers  convened  at  my  house,  and  held  a  biblical 
colloquy  {colloquium  bihUcum)  on  the  essential  characteristics  of 
genuine  repentance,  faith,  and  godliness ;  in  which  they  endeavoured 
to  benefit  each  other  according  to  the  grace  given  them,  by  commu- 
nicating the  results  of  their  own  experience  and  self-examination,  so 
that  it  was  a  cheering  and  delightful  season.  The  residue  of  the 
evening  was  spent  in  singing  spiritual  hymns  and  psalms  and  in  con- 
versation about  the  spiritual  condition  of  our  churches;  and  so  short 
did  the  time  appear,  that  it  was  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  before 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 


393 


we  retired  to  rest.  Oh,  (he  adds)  how  delightful  it  is  when  ministers, 
standing  aloof  from  all  political  and  party  contests,  seek  to  please 
their  Lord  and  Master  Jesus  Christ,  and  have  at  heart  the  welfare  of 
their  churches  and  the  souls  entrusted  to  their  care ;  and  are  willing 
rather  to  suffer  reproach  with  the  people  of  God,  than  choose  the 
treasures  of  Egypt."* 

In  the  discipline  of  the  church,  Muhlenberg  adopted  virtually  the 
Congregational  mode;  calling  on  the  members  to  vote  in  the  case 
of  restoring  a  penitent  offender,  after  a  public  acknowledgment  or 
confession.  And  the  most  rigid  and  scriptural  course  was  adopted 
and  pursued  for  maintaining  the  purity  of  the  church.  Public  ex- 
communication was  administered  to  the  immoral,  and  the  most  scru- 
pulous precautions  were  observed  to  prevent  their  intrusion  within 
its  hallowed  precincts.  "  In  1772,  Helmuth,  in  order  more  effec- 
tually to  prevent  the  approach  of  unworthy  members,  introduced  the 
practice  of  requiring  all  who  desired  to  commune,  to  communicate 
their  names  to  him  beforehand.  The  register  of  names  was  read 
before  the  congregation,  and  those  of  immoral  members  publicly 
erased."  In  the  Lancaster  church,  and  in  the  church  of  Philadelphia, 
as  early  as  1663,  power  was  given  to  the  pastors  to  reject  all  immo- 
ral members  from  the  sacramental  table.  With  the  advance  of  her 
other  interests,  the  American  Lutheran  Church  has  continued  to  fos- 
ter and  defend  this  vital  part  of  her  system.  In  describing  its  present 
state.  Professor  Schmucker  says,  "  The  government  and  discipline  of 
each  individual  church  is  essentially  like  that  of  our  Presbyterian 
brethren.  Our  synods  also,  in  structure  and  powers,  most  resemble 
their  presbyteries,  having  fewer  formalities  in  their  proceedings,  and 
frequently  couching  their  decisions  in  the  form  of  recommendations. 
Our  General  Synod  is  wholly  an  advisory  body,  resembling  the  con- 
sociations of  the  Congregational  churches  in  New  England.  In  addi- 
tion to  these  regular  ecclesiastical  bodies,  constituting  our  system  of 
government,  we  have  special  conferences  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
stated  protracted  meetings.  These  are  subdivisions  of  synods,  contain- 
ing ordinarily  from  five  to  ten  ministers  each,  who  are  annually  to 
hold  several  protracted  meetings  within  the  bounds  of  their  district. 
The  chief  object  of  these  meetings  is  to  awaken  and  convert  sinners, 
and  to  edify  believers  by  close  practical  preaching.  This  feature 
mainly  resembles  the  quarterly  meetings  of  our  Methodist  brethren, 
and  presents  to  pious  and  zealous  ministers  who  are  thirsting  for  the 
salvation  of  souls,  the  most  direct  opportunity  they  can  desire  to 

*  Hall.  Nach.  p.  855. 
26 


29  J  HISTORY  OF  THE 

glorify  God  and  advance  his  scriptural  kingdom.  Yet  all  llicse 
meetings  are  to  be  conducted  as  the  scriptures  enjoin,  '  decently  and 
in  order.'  This  system  of-  government  is  not  yet  adopted  by  all  our 
synods;  yet  its  general  features,  with  perhaps  a  greater  admixture  of 
Congregationalism,  substantially  pervade  those  synods  also  which 
have  not  yet  united  with  the  General  Synod."* 


DOCTRINAL    VIEWS. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Reformation,  all  Protestants,  as  has 
been  stated,  were  called  Lutherans  by  the  Papists,  in  contempt  and 
derision ;  but  subsequently  they  adopted  and  gloried  in  the  title,  be- 
cause Luther  was  the  great  leader  in  that  work.  Afterwards,  as 
other  reformers  arose,  their  followers  were  called  the  Reformed,  in 
distinction  from  the  immediate  followers  of  Luther.  This  name  was 
first  adopted  in  France,  as  early  as  1521.  The  distinction,  however, 
was  afterwards  connected  with  a  difference  in  sentiment  respecting 
the  presence  of  Christ's  material  body  in  the  sacramental  elements, 
and  on  some  minor  points ;  those  who  adopted  Luther's  peculiar 
views  were  called  Lutherans,  and  all  other  Protestants,  "  the  Re- 
formed." There  has  been  a  difference  of  opinion  among  different 
writers  respecting  Luther's  doctrinal  views,  some  maintaining  that 
he  lived  and  died  firm  in  the  Augustinian  or  Calvinistic  faith,  (except- 
ing on  the  eucharist,)f  others  affirming  that  his  views  on  the  distin- 
guishing doctrines,  set  forth  by  the  Acts  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  were 
always  unadjusted  and  inconsistent  with  each  other,  and  that  long 
before  he  died,  he  preached  the  sentiments  on  these  points  which  his 
successor  Melancthon  and  his  followers  since  have  held.  All  agree, 
however,  that  in  the  beginning  Luther's  views  on  predestination  and 
other  kindred  doctrines  were  fully  Augustinian.  There  has  also 
been  a  difference  of  representation  with  regard  to  Luther's  views 
respecting  the  corporeal  presence  in  the  eucharist ;  some  contending 
that  the  language  of  the  Lutheran  symbols  on  that  subject,  viz.: 
"That  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  actually  present  under  the 
form  or  emblems  of  bread  and  wine,  and  dispensed  to  the  communi- 
cants," (Augsburg  Confession,  German,  Art.  10,)  means  the  real 
presence,  or  consubstantiation.    Others,  and  especially  our  American 

*  Quarterly  Register.  This  Formula  of  Government  and  Discipline  may  be  found 
annexed  to  the  English  Hymn  Book  of  the  General  Synod,  as  also  to  the  Popular  Theo- 
logry  of  Dr.  Sclimucker,  by  whom  (excepting  the  latter  part,  relating  to  the  General  Synod) 
it  was  composed. 

t  See  Hawe's  Church  Hist.,  vol.  ii. 


i 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  395 

Lutheran  brethren,  mahitahi  that  this  language  is  not  stronger  than 
that  employed  on  the  same  subject  by  Calvin,  Cranmer,  Ridley,  and 
other  English  reformers,  whose  meaning  nevertheless  has  always 
been  admitted  to  be  a  spiritaal  presence  only.  But  whatever  was 
the  precise  meaning  of  those  who  formed  the  "  Symbols"  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  it  is  not  denied  that  "  she  did  entertain  opinions  on 
this  topic  different  from  the  other  churches,"  and  at  least  spoke  unin- 
telligibly when  she  taught  the  spiritual  presence  of  a  material  body. 
And  on  this  point,  among  others,  our  American  Lutheran  brethren 
profess  to  have  made  an  improvement  corresponding  with  their  Ameri- 
can character  generally.  It  should  therefore  be  distinctly  understood, 
that  the  American  Lutheran  Church  no  longer  requires  of  her  mem- 
bers assent  to  the  doctrine  of  the  real  -presence  of  the  Saviour  in  the 
eucharist*  Indeed,  leniency  in  respect  to  human  creeds,  is  one  of 
her  present  general  features.  She  rejects  the  authority  of  the 
Fathers  in  ecclesiastical  controversy,  to  which  the  Reformers  inju- 
diciously appealed,  and  fully  adopts  the  principle  that  the  Bible 
alone  should  be  the  standard  of  faith,  and  the  umpire  in  all  religious 
discussions.  On  this  point,  Professor  Schmucker,  our  guide  in  this 
synopsis,  has  the  following  remarks : 

"  It  is  the  practice  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  this  country  not  to 
bind  her  ministers  to  the  minulicB  of  any  human  creed.  The  Bible, 
and  the  belief  that  the  fundainental  doctrines  of  the  Bible  are  taught 
in  a  manner  substantially  correct  in  the  Augsburg  Confession,  is  all 
that  is  required.  On  the  one  hand,  we  regard  it  as  certain,  that  if 
we  would  be  faithful  to  the  injunction  '  not  to  receive  any  who  come 
to  us  bringing  another  doctrine,'  an  examination  of  applicants  for 
admission  among  us  is  indispensable.  Such  an  examination  is  vir- 
tually a  requisition  of  their  creed,  that  we  may  compare  it  with  our 
own.  Now  whether  the  articles  to  which  we  require  their  assent  be 
few  or  many,  be  written  or  oral,  they  are  a  creed ;  and  obviously  its 
reduction  to  paper  presents  some  material  facilities  in  the  examina- 
tion. A  written  creed  therefore  seems  necessary  to  the  purity  of  the 
church.  On  the  other  hand,  history  informs  us  that  for  several  hun- 
dred years  after  the  days  of  the  apostles,  no  other  creed  was  used  in 
the  whole  church  than  that  called  the  Apostles'  Creed,  because 
admitted  by  all  to  contain  the  principal  doctrines  taught  by  the 
apostles.  This  creed  embodied  only  the  cardinal  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  which  all  the  so  called  orthodox  denominations  of  the  present 

*  Portraiture,  p,  40. 


39G 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


day  do  actually  believe ;  and  yet  the  assent  to  these  few  doctrines 
did,  for  centuries  after  the  apostolic  age,  secure  admission  to  any 
and  every  part  of  the  universal  church  on  earth."  "  The  duly  of  all 
parts  of  the  Christian  church  seems  to  be  to  return  to  the  use  of 
shorter  doctrinal  creeds  as  tests  of  ecclesiastical,  ministerial,  and 
sacramental  communion.  This  noble  course  the  Lutheran  Church 
has  already  virtually  taken,  by  requiring  assent  only  to  the  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  together  with  an 
approval  of  our  principles  of  government  and  worship."* 

This  extract  may  serve  to  show  the  polity  of  our  Lutheran  bre- 
thren on  this  point.  As  our  object  is  simply  to  present  a  condensed 
view  of  American  Lutheranism  from  their  own  standard  authorities, 
we  have  no  space  for  comments  on  any  part  of  the  system. 

The  reader  ought  not  to  suppose,  however,  that,  because  the 
Lutheran  Church  has  adopted  the  leading  principle  already  stated, 
she  has  no  regard  to  those  other  formularies  of  doctrine  which  her 
founders  prepared,  and  maintained  as  of  vital  importance  in  their 
day.  "  There  are  indeed,"  says  Dr.  Mosheim,t  "  certain  formularies 
adopted  by  this  church,  which  contain  the  principal  points  of  its  doc- 
trine, ranged,  for  the  sake  of  method  and  perspicuity,  in  their  natural 
order.  But  these  books  have  no  authority  but  what  they  dei^v^e  from 
the  scriptures  of  truth,  whose  sense  and  meaning  they  are  designed 
to  convey."  "  The  principal  books,"  says  Professor  Schmucker, 
"  here  referred  to  as  subsidiary  to  the  Bible,  were  of  two  classes ; 
first,  the  confessions  of  the  primitive  centuries,  the  so  called  Apostles' 
Creed,  the  Nicene  Creed,  and  the  Athanasian  Confession,  by  which 
the  Lutheran  Church  established  her  identity  with  the  church  of  the 
apostolic  and  succeeding  ages ;  and  secondly,  the  Augsburg  Confes- 
sion ;  the  Apology  or  Defence  of  this  confession ;  the  Smalcald  Arti- 
cles by  Luther,  and  also  his  Catechisms."J 

The  following  are  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
as  set  forth  in  the  Augsburg  Confession,  and  adopted  by  the  whole 
body  of  Lutherans  in  this  country : 

L  "  That  there  is  one  divine  essence,  which  is  called,  and  is  God, 
eternal,  incorporeal,  indivisible,  infiryte  in  power,  wisdom,  and  good- 
ness ;  and  yet  that  there  are  three  persons  who  are  of  the  same 
•essence  and  power,  and  are  co-eternal :  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy^Spirit." 

2.  "  That  the  Word,  that   is  the  Son  of  God,  assumed  human 

*  Portraiture,  pp.  55,  56.  t  Eccl.  Hist.,  vol.  iii.  p.  208.  t  Portraiture,  p.  20. 


I 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  397 

nature  in  the  womb  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  so  that  the  two 
natures,  human  and  divine,  inseparably  united  into  one  person,  con- 
stitute one  Christ,  who  is  true  God  and  man," 

3.  "  That  since  the  fall  of  Adam  all  men,  who  are  naturally  engen- 
dered, are  born  with  a  depraved  nature,  that  is,  without  the  fear  of 
God,  or  confidence  towards  him,  but  with  sinful  propensities." 

4.  **  That  the  Son  of  God  truly  suffered,  was  crucified,  died,  and 
was  buried,  that  he  might  reconcile  the  Father  to  us,  and  be  a  sac7-i- 

fce  not  only  for  original  sin,  but  also  for  all  the  actual  sins  of  men. 
Tliat  he  also  sanctifies  those  who  believe  in  him,  by  sending  into  their 
hearts  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  governs,  consoles,  quickens,  and  defends 
them  against  the  devil  and  the  power  of  sin." 

5.  "  That  men  cannot  be  justified  before  God  by  their  own  streno-th, 
merits,  or  works;  but  that  they  are  justified  gratuitously,  for  Christ's 
sake  through  faith." 

0.  "  That  this  faith  must  bring  forth  good  fruits ;  and  that  it  is  our 
duty  to  perform  those  good  works  which  God  commanded,  because 
he  has  enjoined  them,  and  not  in  the  expectation  of  thereby  meriting 
justification  before  him." 

7.  "That  in  order  that  we  may  obtain  this  faith  the  ministerial  office 
has  been  instituted,  whose  members  are  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  ad- 
minister the  sacraments  (viz.  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper).  For 
through  the  instrumentality  of  the  word  and  sacraments  as  means  of 
grace,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  given,  who  in  his  own  time  and  place,  pro- 
duces faith  in  those  who  hear  the  gospel  message,  viz.  that  God  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  not  on  account  of  any  merit  in  us,  justifies  those 
who  believe  in  Christ." 

8.  "  That  at  the  end  of  the  world  Christ  will  appear  for  judgment ; 
that  he  will  raise  all  the  dead  ;  that  he  will  give  to  the  pious  and  elect 
eternal  life  and  endless  joys,  but  will  condemn  wicked  men  and  devils 
to  be  punished  without  end." 

FORMS    OF    WORSHIP    AND    CHURCH    ORDER. 

In  her  rites  of  worship  the  Lutheran  Church  in  Europe  employs 
liturgies,  "  differing  in  minor  points,  but  agreeing  in  essentials,"  simi- 
lar to  those  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  except  in  extension, 
being  not  more  than  one  third  as  long.  In  this  country,  a  short  uni- 
form liturgy  has  been  adopted,  the  use  of  which,  however,  is  left  to 
the  option  and  discretion  of  each  minister,  as  "  he  may  deem  most 
conducive  to  edification." 

The  festivals  of  Christmas,  Good  Friday,  Easter,  the  Ascension, 


398 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  Whitsunday,  are  retained  and  observed  in  the  Lutheran  Ciiurch 
as  commemorative  of  the  "fundamental  facts  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion," and  for  the  purpose  of  leading  her  clergy  to  preach  annually 
on  the  events  which  they  severally  represent. 

She  also  maintains  the  institution  of  infant  church  membership  and 
baptism,  and  in  connexion  with  it,  the  rite  of  confirmation.  And,  as 
from  the  beginning,  so  now,  she  extends  her  parental  care  and  vigi- 
lance over  the  religious  education  of  her  baptized  children.  "  It  is 
regarded  as  the  duty  of  every  minister  occasionally  to  convene  the 
children  of  each  congregation  for  instruction  in  the  catechism.  An- 
nually, also,  and  if  necessary  oftener,  the  minister  holds  a  series  of 
meetings  with  those  who  are  applicants  for  admission  to  sacramental 
communion,  or,  as  in  reference  to  the  infant  baptism  of  the  applicant, 
it  is  called  confirmation,  and  for  all  who  feel  a  concern  for  their  sal- 
vation." "  Every  succeeding  meeting  is  occupied  in  conversational 
lectures  on  experimental  religion,  and  in  examination  of  the  catechu- 
men on  the  fundamental  doctrines  and  duties  of  religion,  as  contained 
in  the  Bible  and  Luther's  Catechism."  "  At  the  close  of  these  meet- 
ings, which  are  continued  through  from  six  to  twelve  weeks,  once  or 
twice  each  week,  and  in  the  last,  if  convenient,  daily,  the  church 
council  are  convened  to  examine  the  catechumens  on  their  qualifica- 
tions for  sacramental  communion."  "  Although  in  the  hands  of  an 
unconverted  minister,  this  duty,  like  all  others,  will  be  mere  formality, 
and  attended  with  little  profit,  yet  we  have  never  met,  nor  do  we  ex- 
pect to  meet,  a  pious  minister,  who  faithfully  practised  this  system, 
who  did  not  regard  it  as  a  most  blessed  and  successful  method  of 
bringing  souls  to  Christ."* 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  earliest  reformers  should  be  slow  to 
abolish  every  vestige  and  form  of  Romanism  to  which  they  had  been 
so  long  and  so  zealously  attached.  Luther,  after  he  had  begun  to  see 
the  extent  of  its  corruptions,  and  to  expose  them,  did  not  at  once  tear 
himself  away  from  the  church  in  which  he  had  been  nurtured,  but 
suffered  long  and  much  before  he  renounced  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Pontiff*.  His  immediate  followers  also  retained  for  several  years 
many  of  their  ancient  superstitions,  as  exorcism  in  baptism,  the  wafer 
in  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  private  confession.  These,  however,  espe- 
cially in  the  United  States,  have  been  expurgated  even  in  form,  from 
the  Lutheran  Church.  The  last  mentioned,  (private  confession,)  it 
ought  to  be  observed,  as  retained  by  the  Lutherans,  had  no  affinity  to 
the  vile  principles  and  practice  of  the  Romish  confessional,  viz.:  that  to 

*  Portraiture,  page  31. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  399 

the  priest,  as  to  God's  vicegerent,  all  the  secret  thoughts  and  feelings, 
as  well  as  actions,  must  be  detailed,  in  order  to  obtain  pardon ;  and 
that  the  priest  has  power  to  dispense  such  pardon.  But  the  Reformers 
had  established  what  they  deemed  a  necessary  custom  preparatory 
to  communion,  that  of  a  private  interviev/  between  the  pastor  and 
each  communicant,  in  which  the  latter  gave  an  account  of  his  reli- 
gious experience,  trials,  hopes,  &c.,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  such 
counsel  and  instruction  as  his  peculiar  state  of  mind  and  heart  might 
require.  This  practice  they  injudiciously  denominated  confession. 
"  But  even  this  custom  has  been  almost  entirely  abandoned  in  this 
country,  and  the  preparation  for  communion  consists  in  a  public  pre- 
paratory discourse,  public  and  united  confession  of  sins,  and  rehearsal 
of  the  promises  of  divine  mercy;  similar  to  the  preparatory  exercises 
of  other  churches ;  except,  that,  as  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  they  are 
generally  conducted  according  to  a  form." 

Respecting  the  order  of  the  cinirch.  Dr.  Mosheim  says,  "  The  go- 
vernment of  the  Lutheran  Church  seems  equally  removed  from  Epis- 
copacy on  the  one  hand,  and  from  Presbyterianism  on  the  other,  if 
we  except  the  kingdoms  of  Sweden  and  Denmark,  which  retain  the 
form  of  ecclesiastical  government  that  preceded  the  Reformation, 
purged  indeed  from  the  superstitions  and  abuses  that  rendered  it  so 
odious."  Dr.  Maclaine  (the  translator)  adds,  "  The  Archbishop  of 
Upsal  is  primate  of  Sweden,  and  the  only  archbishop  among  the 
Lutherans;"  and  his  "  revenues  do  not  amount  to  more  than  £400 
yearly,  while  those  of  the  bishops  arc  proportionably  small."* 

Yet  even  in  those  kingdoms  where  the  Lutheran  is  the  established 
church,  and  where  she  retains  nominal  bishops,  she  discards,  as  she 
ever  has  done,  the  "  divine  right"  of  ministerial  imparity  as  anti- 
scriptural;  holding,  with  her  great  founder,  and  with  all  her  standard 
writers,  that  in  the  primitive  church  the  terms  bishop  and  presbtjler 
were  but  different  names  for  the  same  office.  Hence  Luther  himself, 
though  merely  a  presbyter,  was  in  the  habit  of  ordaining  ministers, 
and  took  a  part  in  that  ceremony,  without  the  assistance  of  a  prelate, 
only  a  few  days  previous  to  his  death.f  But  the  Reformers  deemed 
it  expedient,  as  promotive  of  order  and  harmony  in  the  churches,  to 
introduce  some  diversity  and  subordination  among  their  clergy  in 
rank  and  duty,  under  the  titles  superintendents  and  seniors,  and  in 
Sweden  and  Denmark,  bishops.  "  In  the  United  States,"  says  Pro- 
fessor Schmucker,  "  entire  parity  is  maintained,  and  even  the  nominal 
office  of  Senior  Ministerii  is  retained  by  only   one  out  of  all   our 

*  Eccl.  Hist.  vol.  iii.  pp.  211,  212.  t  See  Life  of  Luther  by  Justus  Jonas. 


400 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


svnods."  "  Altliougli  our  ministers  arc  strenuous  advocates  of  parity, 
they  pretty  extensively  favour  the  idea  of  returning  to  the  use  of  the 
word  bishop  in  its  scriptural  sense,  as  applicable  to  every  minister  of 
the  gospel ;  the  sense  in  which,  as  Luke  informs  us,  (Acts  xx.  28,)  in- 
stead of  one  bishop  having  oversight  over  a  large  district  of  country 
or  diocese,  there  were  several  bishops  in  the  one  city  Ephesus." 

"  In  this  country,  the  Lutheran  ('hurch,  in  common  with  her  Pro- 
testant sister  churches,  deprecates,  as  unwarranted  and  dangerous, 
all  interference  of  civil  government  in  religious  affairs,  excepting  the 
mere  protection  of  all  denominations  and  all  individuals  in  the  unre- 
stricted right  to  worship  in  any  and  every  way  they  think  proper."* 

The  validity  of  Luther's  ordination  as  a  presbyteur  in  the  Church  of 
Rome,  has  sometimes  been  questioned,  because  of  the  corruptions 
which  destroyed  her  title  to  the  standing  of  a  Christian  church.  But 
when  Luther  received  ordination  from  the  hands  of  the  Romish 
hierarchy,  the  corruptions  which  branded  that  church  as  Antichrist, 
had  not  been  formally  and  officially  adopted;  nor  were  they,  until 
enacted  into  the  essential  features  of  her  system,  and  made  integral 
parts  of  her  prescribed  formularies  of  faith  by  the  Council  of  Trent, 
A.  D.  1542.  And  when  she  excommunicated  the  Reformer,  and 
thundered  her  anathemas  against  him,  he  had  previously  renounced 
her  jurisdiction,  by  burning  her  standard  works  and  the  Bull  of  her 
Pontiff.  His  ordination,  therefore,  and  that  of  all  his  Protestant  suc- 
cessors, is  as  valid  as  that  of  the  Romish  priesthood  at  the  beginning 
of  the  sixteenth  century  ;  i.  e.  he  was  ordained  by  ministers  properly 
accredited  at  the  time  of  its  performance.  With  regard  to  the  sub- 
ject of  ordination  in  general,  our  Lutheran  brethren,  in  common  with 
most  other  Protestants,  understand  the  various  Greek  words  em- 
ployed by  the  sacred  writers  to  express  it,  to  mean  simply  induction 
into  office — an  appointivg  to  the  particular  duties  of  the  ministry  by  a 
prescribed  form,  to  preserve  the  sacred  office  from  indiscriminate  and 
of  course  unworthy  usurpation  ;  utterly  discarding  the  Romish  super- 
stition that  by  the  "  laying  on  of  hands"  some  mystic  influence  is  im- 
parted by  apostolic  succession.  They  maintain,  therefore,  that  as  in 
the  only  three  instances  of  ordination  after  the  time  of  our  Saviour, 
mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  the  rite  was  performed  not  by  one 
man,  called  a  "  diocesan  bishop,"  but  by  several  persons ;  [as  that  of 
Barnabas  and  Saul  by  Simeon,  Lucius,  and  Manaen  (Acts  xiii.  3) ; 
liiat  of  the  presbyters  or  elders  of  the  churches  in  Iconium,  Lystra, 
Anlioch,  &c.,  by  Paul  and  Barnabas   (Acts  xiv.  23) ;  and  that  of 

*  Quarterly  Register. 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  401 

Timothy  by  the  hands  of  the  eldership  or  presbytery  (I  Tim.  iv.  14);] 
and  as  in  other  cases,  individual  ministers,  as  Timothy  and  Titus, 
were  directed  to  induct  or  appoint  others :  they  regard  ordination  as 
valid  when  performed  in  either  way,  whether  they  who  perform  it  be 
called  bishops,  presbyters,  ministers,  or  pastors.*  And  in  cases  of 
necessity,  they  further  maintain,  that  a  minister  may  be  set  apart  and 
constituted  by  the  laity  themselves.  "  As  to  the  doctrine  of  Papal 
apostolic  succession,"  Dr.  Schmucker  very  justly  remarks,  "  it  is  a 
mere  figment,  and  can  never  be  proved  by  the  Papists  themselves. 
To  say  nothing  of  their  doctrine  oi  intention,  which,  Cardinal  Bellar- 
mine  himself  asserts,  renders  doubtful  the  validity  of  every  Romish 
sacrament,  {Bellarm.  Lib.  Just.  cap.  8,)  where  was  their  Papal  suc- 
cession when  Liberius,  the  occupant  of  the  Holy  See,  professed  Ari- 
anism,  A.  D.  357  ?  Where  was  it  in  the  fourteenth  century,  during 
the  so  called  great  western  schism,  from  A.  D.  1378  to  1414,  when 
two  diflerent  lines  of  contending  Pontiffs  reigned  simultaneously,  each 
having  a  portion  of  the  church  adhering  to  him ;  each  excommuni- 
cating the  other  ;  and  finally  both  deposed  as  heretical  by  the  Council 
of  Pisa,  inl409?"t 

We  have  thus  traced,  in  as  brief  and  comprehensive  a  form  as  was 
consistent  with  our  limits  and  the  nature  of  the  subject,  the  history, 
progress,  and  present  state  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  especially  as 
planted  on  our  own  soil.  To  qyote  once  more  the  language  of 
her  advocate,  who  has  been  our  authority  and  guide  in  most  of  these 
statements:  "She  may  be  emphatically  styled  the  Church  of  the 
Reformation.  She  holds  the  grand  doctrines  of  Christianity  with 
fewer  appended  peculiarities  than  most  other  denominations.  With 
the  Calvinist  she  holds  the  graciousness  of  salvation  ;  with  the  Con- 
gregationalist  she  believes  that  Christ  tasted  death  for  every  man ; 
with  the  Methodist  she  approves  of  regularly  recurring  protracted 
meetings ;  with  the  Episcopalian  she  occasionally  employs  a  liturgy 
and  forms  of  prayer ;  with  the  German  Reformed  she  agrees  in  the 
instruction  and  confirmation  of  catechumens  ;  and  with  all  she  unites 
in  ascribing  all  the  glory  of  our  privileges  on  earth  and  hopes  in 
heaven,  to  that  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world."J 

Li  closing  this  sketch,  we  would  congratulate  our  Lutheran  bre- 
thren on  the  past  and  present  indications  that  they  share  the  smiles  of 
Him  who  is  King  in  Zion,  and  whose   favour  is  life.     In  reviewing 

*  Portraiture  of  Lutheranism  ;  Appendix,  on  Ordination.  t  Portraiture,  p.  17. 

X  Quarterly  Register. 


402  HISTORY  OF  THE 

their  history,  and  in  contemplating  their  ecclesiastical  features  and 
character  as  presented  among  us,  we  liave  felt  that  fraternal  spirit 
of  Christian  fellowship  which  the  recognition  of  an  ancient  and  de- 
voted member  of  the  great  family  of  Protestant  Christendom  is  fitted 
to  awaken  and  inspire.  Nor  could  we  suppress  the  rising  regret  that 
so  many  of  their  contemporaries,  in  the  land  of  their  origin,  had  ne- 
glected to  maintain  and  hold  Aist  those  vital  principles  of  religious 
faith  and  that  form  of  sound  words,  which  their  fathers  so  nobly  and 
fearlessly  espoused  and  defended. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  amid  the  diversity  of  forms  and  the 
various  shades  of  difference  on  minor  points  of  religious  sentiment, 
which  mark  the  freedom  of  thought  and  opinion  among  Protestant 
denominations,  that  so  large  a  proportion  of  them  agree  in  the  essen- 
tial elements  of  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  Although  on  the  great 
doctrines  of  the  divine  decrees,  the  nature  of  fdilh,  the  efficiency  of 
grace,  the  believer's  perseverance  in  it,  and  the  sacraments  of  the  New 
Testament,  some  unessential  difference  of  views  have  distinguished 
the  Lutheran  from  the  Calvinist:  yet  both  agree  that  salvation  is  of 
grace  alone,  and  that  that  grace  is  sovereign  and  omnipotent,  through 
an  atonement  of  infinite  merit  and  sufficiency,  received  and  applied 
by  a  faith  that  is  of  the  operation  of  God,  the  fruit  of  his  Spirit,  all 
which  is  represented  under  the  emblems  employed  in  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper.  The  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Reformation,  ;ws///?cfl- 
tion  by  faith  alone,  they  both  wield,  in  opposition  not  only  to  the 
Popish  doctrine  of  merit,  but  also  to  the  native  self-righteousness  of 
the  unchanged  heart,  to  which  the  latter  doctrine  is  adapted. 

In  this  age  of  free  inquiry,  and  of  superficial  views  on  the  great 
and  essential  truths  of  revelation,  when  every  form  of  wild  conjec- 
ture and  fanciful  speculation  is  embodied  into  a  theory,  and  finds 
numerous  advocates  and  followers;  and  when,  amidst  it  all,  the 
"  Man  of  Sin"  is  lookino;  with  renewed  courajre  to  this  western  con- 
tinent  and  its  heterogeneous  population,  as  the  last  hope  of  his  totter- 
ing throne:  it  is  a  matter  of  gratulation  that  we  have  here  a  remnant 
of  that  people  who  stood  foremost  in  the  contest  which  crippled  his 
power  at  the  maturity  of  its  strength,  and  liberated  mind  and  empire 
from  his  yoke  of  ignorance,  superstition  and  oppression.  May  the 
spirit  and  zeal  of  Him  whose  name  they  bear,  abide  with  them,  and 
arm  them  to  meet  the  arrogant  demands  of  Papal  Rome  in  this  land 
of  their  adoption,  as  he  did  in  the  land  of  their  ancestors.  We  parti- 
cularly rejoice  in  that  feature  of  their  ecclesiastical  system  which 
provides  for  the  culture  of  piety  in  the  heart,  and  for  the  religious 
training  of  the  young,  particularly  of  their  baptized  children.     On 


EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  403 

this  point,  their  example  administers  a  just  rebuke  on  the  practice  of 
too  many  Protestant  churclies,  who  with  them  profess  the  rite  of 
household  baptism,  but  treat  it  as  a  nullity.  We  trust  that  with  this 
example  before  them,  in  connexion  with  the  exclusiveness  of  the 
Romanists  towards  their  children  and  adults  in  shutting  them  out 
from  the  light  of  truth  :  such  churches  will  not  only  profess,  but  act 
upon  the  belief,  that  the  baptismal  covenant  with,  children  imposes 
upon  the  parents  and  the  church  the  duty  of  their  careful  and  con- 
stant religious  training. 

With  her  high  estimate  of  the  value  and  necessity  of  learning  in 
her  ministry,  the  early  catechetical  instruction  of  her  children,  and 
her  strict  regard  to  the  vitals  of  Christian  experience,  the  American 
Lutheran  Church  cannot  fail  to  exert  a  high  and  holy  influence  in  the 
cause  of  truth,  and  the  religious  welfare  of  our  nation,  and  shine  as 
a  luminary  of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  constellation  of  our  American 
Zion.  We  bid  her  God-speed  in  her  progress  onward  and  upward, 
till  the  distinctions  of  earth  are  merged  in  the  church  of  the  First- 
born in  heaven,  and  our  mutual  toils  and  conflicts  terminated  in  one 
triumph,  one  song,  and  one  everlasting  rest. 


L  AT  TEE  DAY  SAINTS. 


BY   JOSEPH  SMITH, 

NAUVOO,  ILLINOIS. 


The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  was  founded 
upon  direct  revelation,  as  the  true  church  of  God  has  ever  been,  ac- 
cording to  the  scriptures  (Amos,  iii.  7,  and  Acts  i.  2.)  And  through 
the  will  and  blessings  of  God,  I  have  been  an  instrument  in  his  hands, 
thus  far,  to  move  forward  the  cause  of  Zion.  Therefore,  in  order  to 
fulfil  the  solicitation  of  your  letter  of  July  last,  I  shall  commence  with 
my  life. 

I  was  born  in  the  town  of  Sharon,  Windsor  county,  Vermont,  on 
the  23d  of  December,  A.  D.  1805.  When  ten  years  old,  my  parents 
removed  to  Palmyra,  New  York,  where  we  i^esided  about  four  years, 
and  from  thence  we  removed  to  the  town  of  Manchester,  a  distance 
of  six  miles. 

My  father  was  a  farmer,  and  taught  me  the  art  of  husbandry.  When 
about  fourteen  years  of  age,  I  began  to  reflect  upon  the  importance  of 
being  prepared  for  a  future  state ;  and  upon  inquiring  the  place  of 
salvation,  I  found  that  there  was  a  great  clash  in  religious  sentiment ; 
if  I  went  to  one  society  they  referred  me  to  one  place,  and  another  to 
another ;  each  one  pointing  to  his  own  particular  creed  as  the  "  sum- 
mum  bonum"  of  perfection.  Considering  that  all  could  not  be  right, 
and  that  God  could  not  be  the  author  of  so  much  confusion,  I  deter- 
mined to  investigate  the  subject  more  fully,  believing  that  if  God  had 
a  church,  it  would  not  be  split  up  into  factions,  and  that  if  he  taught 
one  society  to  worship  one  way,  and  administer  in  one  set  of  ordi- 
nances, he  would  not  teach  another  principles  which  were  diametri- 
cally opposed.  Believing  the  word  of  God,  I  had  confidence  in  the 
declaration  of  James,  "  If  any  man  lack  wisdom  let  him  ask  of  God, 
who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall  be 
given  him." 

I  retired  to  a  secret  place  in  a  grove,  and  began  to  call  upon  the 


LATTER  DAY  SAINTS.  405 

Lord.  While  fervently  engaged  in  supplication,  my  mind  was  taken 
away  from  the  objects  with  which  I  was  surrounded,  and  I  was  en- 
rapt  in  a  heavenly  vision,  and  saw  two  glorious  personages,  who 
exactly  resembled  each  other  in  features  and  likeness,  surrounded 
with  a  brilliant  light,  which  eclipsed  the  sun  at  noonday.  They  told 
me  that  all  the  religious  denominations  were  believing  in  incorrect 
doctrines,  and  that  none  of  them  was  acknowledged  of  God  as  his 
church  and  kingdom.  And  I  was  expressly  commanded  to  "  go  not 
after  them,"  at  the  same  time  receiving  a  promise  that  the  fulness  of 
the  gospel  should  at  some  future  time  be  made  known  unto  me. 

On  the  evening  of  the  21st  September,  A.  D.  1823,  while  I  was 
praying  unto  God  and  endeavouring  to  exercise  faith  in  the  precious 
promises  of  scripture,  on  a  sudden  a  light  like  that  of  day,  only  of  a 
far  purer  and  more  glorious  appearance  and  brightness,  burst  into  the 
room  ;  indeed  the  first  sight  was  as  though  the  house  was  filled  with 
consuming  fire.  The  appearance  produced  a  shock  that  affected  the 
whole  body.  In  a  moment  a  personage  stood  before  me  surrounded 
with  a  glory  yet  greater  than  that  with  which  I  was  already  sur- 
rounded. This  messenger  proclaimed  himself  to  bean  angel  of  God, 
sent  to  bring  the  joyful  tidings,  that  the  covenant  which  God  made 
with  ancient  Israel  w^as  at  hand  to  be  fulfilled ;  that  the  preparatory 
work  for  the  second  coming  of  the  Messiah  was  speedily  to  com- 
mence ;  that  the  time  was  at  hand  for  the  gospel  in  all  its  fulness  to 
be  preached  in  power,  unto  all  nations,  that  a  people  might  be  prepared 
for  the  millennial  reign. 

I  was  informed  that  I  was  chosen  to  be  an  instrument  in  the  hands 
of  God  to  bring  about  some  of  his  purposes  in  this  glorious  dispensa- 
tion. 

I  was  informed  also  concerning  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  this 
country,  and  shown  who  they  were,  and  from  whence  they  came; — a 
brief  sketch  of  their  origin,  progress,  civilization,  laws,  governments, 
of  their  righteousness  and  iniquity,  and  the  blessings  of  God  being 
finally  withdrawn  from  them  as  a  people,  was  made  known  unto  me. 
I  was  also  told  where  there  was  deposited  some  plates,  on  which 
was  engraven  an  abridgment  of  the  records  of  the  ancient  prophets 
that  had  existed  on  this  continent.  The  angel  appeared  to  me  three 
times  the  same  night  and  unfolded  the  same  things.  After  having 
received  many  visits  from  the  angels  of  God,  unfolding  the  majesty 
and  glory  of  the  events  that  should  transpire  in  the  last  days,  on  the 
morning  of  the  22d  of  September,  A.  D.  1827,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
delivered  the  records  into  my  hands. 

These  records  were  engraven  on  plates  which  had  the  appearance 
of  gold ;  each  plate  was  six  inches  wide  and  eight  inches  long,  and 


400 


HISTORY  OF  TIIK 


iioi  quite  so  thick,  as  common  tin.  They  were  filled  with  engravings 
in  Egyptian  characters,  and  bound  together  in  a  volume,  as  the  leaves 
of  a  book,  with  three  rings  running  through  the  whole.  The  volume 
was  something  near  six  inches  in  thickness,  a  part  of  which  was 
sealed.  The  characters  on  the  unsealed  part  v^^ere  small  and  beauti- 
fully engraved.  The  whole  book  exhibited  many  marks  of  antiquity 
in  its  construction,  and  much  skill  in  the  art  of  engraving.  With  the 
records  was  found  a  curious  instrument  which  the  ancients  called 
"  Urim  and  Thummim,"  which  consisted  of  two  transparent  stones 
set  in  the  rim  on  a  bow  fastened  to  a  breastplate. 

Through  the  medium  of  the  Urim  and  Thummim  I  translated  the 
record,  by  the  gift  and  power  of  God. 

In  this  important  and  interesting  book  the  history  of  ancient  Ame- 
rica is  unfolded,  from  its  first  settlement  by  a  colony  that  came  from 
the  tower  of  Babel,  at  the  confusion  of  languages,  to  the  beginning  of 
the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era. 

We  are  informed  by  these  records,  that  America,  in  ancient  times, 
has  been  inhabited  by  two  distinct  races  of  people.  The  first  were 
called  Jaredites,  and  came  directly  from  the  tower  of  Babel.  The 
second  race  came  directly  from  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  about  six 
hundred  years  before  Christ.  They  were  principally  Israelites,  of  the 
descendants  of  Joseph.  The  Jaredites  were  destroyed,  about  the 
time  that  the  Israelites  came  from  Jerusalem,  who  succeeded  them 
in  the  inheritance  of  the  country.  The  principal  nation  of  the  second 
race  fell  in  battle  tow'ards  the  close  of  the  fourth  century.  The 
remnant  are  the  Indians  who  now  inhabit  this  country.  This  book 
also  tells  us  that  our  Saviour  made  his  appearance  upon  this  continent 
after  his  resurrection;  that  he  planted  the  gospel  here  in  all  its  fulness, 
and  richness,  and  power,  and  blessing ;  that  they  had  apostles, 
prophets,  pastors,  teachers,  and  evangelists  ;  the  same  order,  the  same 
priesthood,  the  same  ordinances,  gifts,  powers,  and  blessing,  as  was 
enjoyed  on  the  eastern  continent ;  that  the  people  were  cut  off  in  con- 
sequence of  their  transgressions;  that  the  last  of  their  prophets  who 
existed  among  them  was  commanded  to  write  an  abridgment  of  their 
prophecies,  history,  &c.,  and  to  hide  it  up  in  the  earth,  and  that  it 
should  come  forth  and  be  united  with  the  Bible,  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  purposes  of  God,  in  the  last  days.  For  a  more  particular 
account,  I  would  refer  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  which  can  be  pur- 
chased at  Nauvoo,  or  from  any  of  our  travelling  elders. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  this  discovery  was  made  known,  false  re- 
ports, misrepresentation  and  slander  llcw,  as  on  the  wings  of  tlie 
wind,  in  every  direction;   my  house  was  frequently  beset  by  mobs. 


LATTER  DAY  SAINTS.  407 

and  evil  designing  persons;  several  limes  I  was  shot  at,  and  very 
narrowly  escaped,  and  every  device  was  made  use  of  to  get  the  plates 
away  from  me ;  but  the  power  and  blessing  of  God  attended  me,  and 
several  began  to  believe  my  testimony. 

On  the  6th  April,  1830,  the  "Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints,"  was  first  organized,  in  the  town  of  Manchester,  Ontario  Co., 
State  of  New  York.  Some  few  were  called  and  ordained  by  the 
Spirit  of  revelation  and  prophecy,  and  began  to  preach  as  the 
Spirit  gave  them  utterance,  and  though  weak,  yet  were  they  strength- 
ened by  the  power  of  God ;  and  many  were  brought  to  repentance, 
were  immersed  in  the  water,  and  were  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  by 
the  "laying  on  of  hands.  They  saw  visions  and  prophesied,  devils 
were  cast  out,  and  the  sick  healed  by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  From 
that  time  the  work  rolled  forth  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  churches 
were  soon  formed  in  the  States  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri ;  in  the  last  named  state  a  considerable 
settlement  was  formed  in  Jackson  county  ;  numbers  joined  the  church, 
and  we  were  increasing  rapidly ;  we  made  large  purchases  of  land, 
our  farms  teemed  with  plenty,  and  peace  and  happiness  were  enjoyed 
in  our  domestic  circle  and  throughout  our  neighbourhood  ;  but  as  we 
could  not  associate  with  our  neighbours, — who  were,  many  of  them, 
of  the  basest  of  men,  and  had  fled  from  the  face  of  civilized  society 
to  the  frontier  country,  to  escape  the  hand' of  justice — in  their  midnight 
revels,  their  sabbath-breaking,  horse-racing,  and  gambling,  they  com- 
menced at  first  to  ridicule,  then  to  persecute,  and  finally  an  organized 
mob  assembled  and  burned  our  houses,  tarred  and  feathered  and 
whipped  many  of  our  brethren,  and  finally  drove  them  from  their 
habitations ;  these,  houseless  and  homeless,  contrary  to  law,  justice, 
and  humanity,  had  to  wander  on  the  bleak  prairies  till  the  children 
left  the  tracks  of  their  blood  on  the  prairie.  This  took  place  in  the 
month  of  November,  and  they  had  no  other  covering  but  the  canopy 
of  heaven,  in  that  inclement  season  of  the  year.  This  proceeding  was 
winked  at  by  the  government ;  and  although  we  had  warrantee  deeds 
for  our  land,  and  had  violated  no  law,  we  could  obtain  no  redress. 
There  were  many  sick  who  were  thus  inhumanly  driven  from  their 
houses,  and  had  to  endure  all  this  abuse,  and  to  seek  homes  where 
they  could  be  found.  The  result  was,  that  a  great  many  of  them 
being  deprived  of  the  comforts  of  life,  and  the  necessary  attendance, 
died;  many  children  were  left  orphans;  wives,  widows;  and  hus- 
bands, widowers.  Our  farms  were  taken  possession  of  by  the  mob, 
many  thousands  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses,  and  hogs  were  taken,  and 
our  household  goods,  store  goods,  and  printing  press  and  types  were 
broken,  taken,  or  otherwise  destroyed. 


408  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Many  of  our  brethren  removed  to  Clay  county,  where  they  con- 
tinued until  183G  (three  years) ;  there  was  no  violence  offered,  but 
there  were  tlircatenings  of  violence.  But  in  the  summer  of  183G 
these  thrcatenings  began  to  assume  a  more  serious  aspect;  from 
threats,  public  meetings  were  called,  resolutions  were  passed,  ven- 
geance and  destruction  were  threatened,  and  aflairs  again  assumed  a 
fearful  attitude;  Jackson  county  was  a  sufficient  precedent,  and  as 
the  authorities  in  that  county  did  not  interfere,  they  boasted  that  they 
would  not  in  this ;  which  on  application  to  the  authorities  we  found 
to  be  too  true;  and,  after  much  violence,  privation,  and  loss  of  pro- 
perty, we  were  again  driven  from  our  homes. 

We  next  settled  in  Caldwell  and  Davies  counties,  where  we  made 
large  and  extensive  settlements,  thinking  to  free  ourselves  from  the 
power  of  oppression  by  settling  in  new  counties,  with  a  very  few  in- 
habitants in  them ;  but  here  we  were  not  allowed  to  live  in  peace ; 
and  in  1838  were  again  attacked  by  mobs;  an  exterminating  order 
was  issued  by  Governor  Boggs,  and  under  the  sanction  of  law,  an 
organized  banditti  ravaged  the  country,  robbing  us  of  our  cattle, 
sheep,  horses,  hogs,  &c. ;  many  of  our  people  were  murdered  in  cold 
blood,  the  chastity  of  our  women  was  violated,  and  we  were  forced 
to  sign  away  our  property  at  the  point  of  the  sword ;  and  after  en- 
during every  indignity  that  could  be  heaped  upon  us  by  an  inhuman, 
ungodly  band  of  marauders, — from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand  souls, 
men,  women,  and  children,  were  driven  from  their  own  firesides,  and 
from  lands  for  which  they  had  warrantee  deeds,  to  wander  houseless, 
friendless,  and  homeless,  (in  the  depth  of  winter,)  as  exiles  on  the 
earth,  or  to  seek  an  asylum  in  a  more  genial  clime,  and  among  a  less 
barbarous  people. 

Many  sickened  and  died  in  consequence  of  the  cold  and  hardships 
they  had  to  endure,  many  wives  were  left  widows,  and  children  or- 
phans and  destitute. 

It  would  take  more  time  than.  I  am  able  to  devote  to  your  service, 
at  present,  to  describe  the  injustice,  the  wrongs,  the  murders,  the 
bloodshed,  thefts,  misery  and  wo  that  have  been  committed  upon 
our  people  by  the  barbarous,  inhuman,  and  lawless  proceedings  of 
the  State  of  Missouri.  And  I  would  refer  you,  and  the  readers  of 
your  history  who  may  be  desirous  of  further  information  on  this  topic, 
to  the  evidence  taken  on  my  recent  trial  before  the  Municipal  Court 
of  Nauvoo,  on  Saturday,  July  1st,  1843,  on  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus, 
which  is  published  in  pamphlet  form  by  Messrs.  Taylor  &  Woodruff, 
of  this  city. 

After  being  thus  inhumanly  expelled  by  the  government  and  people 
from  Missouri,   we  found   an  asylum   and  friends  in  the  State  of 


LATTER  DAY  SAINTS.  409 

Illinois.  Here,  in  the  fall  of  1839,  we  commenced  a  city  called 
Nauvoo,  in  Hancock  county,  which,  in  December,  1840,  received  an 
act  of  incorporation  from  the  Legislature  of  Illinois,  and  is  endowed 
with  as  liberal  powers  as  any  city  in  the  United  States.  Nauvoo,  in 
every  respect,  connected  with  increase  and  prosperity,  has  exceeded 
the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  thousands.  It  now  contains  near 
1500  houses,  and  more  than  15,000  inhabitants.  The  charter  con- 
tains, amongst  its  important  powers,  privileges,  or  immunities,  a  grant 
for  the  '*  University  of  Nauvoo,"  with  the  same  liberal  powers  of  the 
city,  where  all  the  arts  and  sciences  will  grow  with  the  growth,  and 
strengthen  the  strength  of  this  beloved  city  of  the  "  saints  of  the  last 
days."  Another  very  commendatory  provision  of  the  charter  is, 
that  that  portion  of  the  citizens  subject  to  military  duty  are  organized 
into  a  body  of  independent  military  men,  styled  the  "  Nauvoo  Legion," 
whose  highest  officer  holds  the  rank,  and  is  commissioned  lieutenant- 
general.  This  legion,  like  other  independent  bodies  of  troops  in  this 
republican  government,  is  at  the  disposal  of  the  Governor  of  this 
State,  and  President  of  the  United  States.  There  is  also  an  act  of 
incorporation  for  an  agricultural  and  manufacturing  association,  as 
well  as  the  Nauvoo  House  Association. 

The  temple  of  God,  now  in  the  course  of  erection,  being  already 
raised  one  story,  and  which  is  120  feet  by  80  feet,  of  stone,  with  po- 
lished pilasters,  of  an  entire  new  order  of  architecture,  will  be  a 
splendid  house  for  the  worship  of  God,  as  well  as  an  unique  wonder 
for  the  world,  it  being  built  by  the  direct  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ 
for  the  salvation  of  the  living  and  the  dead. 

Since  the  organization  of  this  church  its  progress  has  been  rapid, 
and  its  gain  in  numbers  regular.  Besides  these  United  States,  where 
nearly  every  place  of  notoriety  has  heard  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland,  have 
shared  largely  in  the  fulness  of  the  everlasting  gospel,  and  thousands 
have  already  gathered  with  their  kindred  saints,  to  this  the  corner- 
stone of  Zion.  Missionaries  of  this  church  have  gone  to  the  East 
Indies,  to  Australia,  Germany,  Constantinople,  Egypt,  Palestine,  the 
Islands  of  the  Pacific,  and  are  now  preparing  to  open  the  door  in  the 
extensive  dominions  of  Russia. 

There  are  no  correct  data  by  which  the  exact  number  of  members 
composing  this  now  extensive,  and  still  extending.  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints  can  be  known.  Should  it  be  supposed 
at  150,000,  it  might  still  be  short  of  the  truth. 

Believing  the  Bible  to  say  what  it  means  and  mean  what  it  says; 
and  guided  by  revelation  according  to  the  ancient  order  of  the  fathers 

27 


410  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATTER  DAY  SAINTS. 

to  whom  came  what  little  light  we  enjoy ;  and  circumscribed  only 
by  the  eternal  limits  of  truth  :  this  church  must  continue  the  even 
tenor  of  her  way,  and  "spread  undivided,  and  operate  unspent." 

We  believe  in  God  the  Eternal  Father,  and  in  his  son  Jesus  Christ, 
and  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

We  believe  that  men  will  be  punished  for  their  own  sins  and  not 
for  Adam's  transgression. 

We  believe  that  through  the  atonement  of  Christ  all  men  may  be 
saved  by  obedience  to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel. 

We  believe  that  these  ordinances  are:  1st,  Faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  2d,  Repentance;  3d,  Baptism  by  immersion  for  the 
remission  of  sins ;  4th,  Laying  on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

We  believe  that  a  man  must  be  called  of  God  by  "  prophecy,  and 
by  laying  on  of  hands,"  by  those  who  are  in  authority  to  preach  the 
gospel  and  administer  in  the  ordinances  thereof. 

We  believe  in  the  same  organization  that  existed  in  the  primitive 
church,  viz.  apostles,  prophets,  pastors,  teachers,  evangelists,  &c. 

We  believe  in  the  gift  of  tongues,  prophecy,  revelation,  visions, 
healing,  interpretation  of  tongues,  &c. 

We  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the  word  of  God  as  far  as  it  is  trans- 
lated correctly  ;  we  also  believe  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  be  the  word 
of  God. 

We  believe  all  that  God  has  revealed,  all  that  he  does  now  reveal, 
and  we  believe  that  he  will  yet  reveal  many  great  and  important 
things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God. 

We  believe  in  the  literal  gathering  of  Israel,  and  in  the  restoration 
of  the  Ten  Tribes.  That  Zion  will  be  built  upon  this  continent. 
That  Christ  will  reign  personally  upon  the  earth,  and  that  the  earth 
will  be  renewed  and  receive  its  paradisal  glory. 

We  claim  the  privilege  of  worshipping  Almighty  God  according 
to  the  dictates  of  our  conscience,  and  allow  all  men  the  same  privi- 
lege, let  them  worship  how,  where,  or  what  they  may. 

We  believe  in  being  subject  to  kings,  presidents,  rulers,  and  ma- 
gistrates ;  in  obeying,  honouring,  and  sustaining  the  law. 

We  believe  in  being  honest,  true,  chaste,  benevolent,  virtuous, 
and  in  doing  good  to  all  men ;  indeed  we  may  say  that  we  follow 
the  admonition  of  Paul ;  "  we  believe  all  things  :  we  hope  all  things:" 
we  have  endured  many  things,  and  hope  to  be  able  to  endure  all 
things.  If  there  is  any  thing  virtuous,  lovely,  or  of  good  report,  or 
praiseworthy,  we  seek  thereafter. 


I 


MORAVIANS, 


OR  MORE  PROPERLY 


UNITAS  FRATRUM,  OR  UNITED  BRETHREN'S  CHURCH.* 

BY  L.  D,  VON  SCHWEINITZ, 

LATE  SENIOR  CIVILIS  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  U.  F. 

United  Brethren,  or  Unitas  Fratrum,  or  sometimes  called  Mora- 
vians, were  originally  formed  by  the  descendants  of  the  Bohemian  and 
Moravian  Brethren,  who,  being  persecuted  for  their  religious  tenets 
and  non-conformity  in  their  native  country,  founded  a  colony,  under 
the  patronage  of  Count  Zinzendorf,  on  an  estate  of  his,  called  Ber- 
thelsdorf,  in  Upper  Lusatia,  in  the  year  1722,  to  which  colony  the 
name  of  Herrnhut  was  given,  on  account  of  its  situation  on  the 
southern  declivity  of  a  hill  called  Hutberg. 

It  was  not  until  the  number  of  emigrants  from  Bohemia  and 
Moravia,  who  there  found  an  asylum,  had  considerably  increased, 
and  many  religiously  disposed  persons  from  other  quarters,  attracted 
by  their  pious  zeal  and  their  sufferings,  had  settled  along  them,  that 
the  diversity  of  sentiments,  perceptible  among  so  many  zealous 
Christians  of  various  modes  of  thinking,  suggested  to  them  the  pro- 
priety of  some  general  agreement  concerning  faith  and  rules  of  con- 
duct. Accordingly,  under  the  guidance  of  Count  Zinzendorf,  who, 
from  an  early  age  had  entertained  an  idea  of  constituting  a  Christian 
community  on  the  model  of  the  primitive  apostolic  congregations, 
certain  articles  of  union  were  proposed  among  them,  which,  leaving 
all  the  distinctive  doctrines  of  the  various  Protestant  denominations 
of  Christians  entirely  out  of  question,  adopted  as  articles  of  faitii 
only  those  fundamental  scripture  truths  in  which  they  all  agree,  and 
at  the  same  time  introduced  a  system  of  social  compact  and  chureh 

•  This  article  was  originally  prepared  by  Rev.  Mr.  SchwcJnitz,  and  has  the  sanction  of 
the  Board  of  the  Moravian  Church. 


412  HISTORY  OF  THE 

discipline  resembling  that  of  the  ancient  church  of  the  Moravian 
Brethren,  and  intended  to  form  a  society  in  some  degree  such  as  the 
primitive  churches  are  represented  to  have  been. 

All  the  inhabitants  of  Herrnhut,  after  mature  consideration,  adopt- 
ed this  social  scheme  and  these  statutes,  by  the  name  of  a  brotherly 
agreement,  and  pledged  themselves  mutually  to  its  observance,  in  the 
year  1727,  and  thus  formed  the  first  stock  of  the  present  Society  of 
United  Brethen.  Count  Zinzendorf  was  justly  in  some  measure  con- 
sidered the  founder  of  the  society,  to  which  he  thenceforward  devoted 
his  whole  life,  property  and  energy.  It  will  be  readily  conceived, 
however,  more  especially  after  observing  that  further  emigrations 
from  Bohemia  and  Moravia  were  checked  by  the  Saxon  government 
at  an  early  period,  that  the  descendants  of  the  emigrants,  at  this  day, 
constitute  but  a  small  proportion  of  the  present  society.  Individuals 
from  all  Protestant  denominations,  coinciding  in  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  Christianity  common  to  all,  and  professing  a  desire  to 
lead  a  truly  Christian  life,  as  members  of  such  a  community,  under 
its  peculiar  regulations,  were  from  the  beginning  admitted  among 
them,  without  renouncing  their  original  church  and  creed.  On  the 
contrary,  to  facilitate  the  maintenance  of  their  connexion  with  their 
original  churches,  the  society  expressly  includes  three  different  tropes 
or  modifications  within  its  pale :  the  Lutheran,  the  Reformed,  and  the 
Moravian,  which  latter  comprises  all  other  Protestant  denominations. 
Experience  has  taught  that  these  differences,  among  persons  so  inti- 
mately associated,  vanish  of  themselves  to  such  a  degree,  that  the 
original  idea  of  these  tropes  is  now  maintained  only  as  an  evidence 
of  the  principle  of  their  union,  while  its  practical  consequences  have 
become  altogether  imperceptible. 

The  United  Brethren,  however,  continue  strenuously  to  object  to 
being  considered  a  separate  sect  or  denomination,  because  their  union 
is  exclusively  founded  on  general  Christian  doctrines,  and  their  pecu- 
liarities relate  solely  to  their  social  organization,  which  is  intended 
only  to  facilitate  their  joint  purpose  of  putting  truly  Christian  princi- 
ples of  life  and  conduct  into  actual  practice.  They  consequently 
admit  of  no  peculiar  articles  of  faith,  confining  themselves  altogether 
to  regulations  of  conduct  and  discipline.  As  a  body  they  have  at  all 
times,  when  required  by  governments  to  point  out  their  creed,  pro- 
fessed general  adherence  to  the  Confession  of  Augsburg,  as  most 
congenial  to  the  views  of  a  majority ;  and  although  they  do  not 
pledge  their  ministers  to  an  express  adoption  of  its  articles,  it  is 
agreed  among  them  not  to  insist  upon  any  doctrines  utterly  re- 
pugnant thereto.     They  avoid  discussions  respecting  the  speculative 


MORAVIANS. 


413 


truths  of  religion,  and  insist  upon  individual  experience  of  the  practi- 
cal efficacy  of  the  gospel,  in  producing  a  real  change  of  sentiment 
and  conduct,  as  the  only  essentials  in  religion. 

They  consider  the  manifestation  of  God  in  Christ  as  intended  to 
be  the  most  beneficial  revelation  of  the  Deity  to  the  human  race ;  and 
in  consequence,  they  make  the  life,  merits,  acts,  words,  sufferincrs 
and  death  of  the  Saviour,  the  principal  theme  of  their  doctrine,  while 
they  carefully  avoid  entering  into  any  theoretical  disquisitions  on  the 
mysterious  essence  of  the  Godhead,  simply  adhering  to  the  words  of 
scripture.  Admitting  the  sacred  scriptures  as  the  only  source  of 
divine  revelation,  they  nevertheless  believe  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
continues  to  lead  those  who  believe  in  Christ  into  all  further  truth  ; 
not  by  revealing  new  doctrines,  but  by  teaching  those,  who  sincerely 
desire  to  learn,  daily  better  to  understand  and  apply  the  truths  which 
the  scriptures  contain.  They  believe  that,  to  live  agreeably  to  th^ 
gospel,  it  is  essential  to  aim  in  all  things  to  fulfil  the  will  of  God. 
Even  in  their  temporal  concerns  they  endeavour  to  ascertain  the 
will  of  God ;  they  do  not,  indeed,  expect  some  miraculous  manifesta- 
tion of  his  wiH,  but  only  endeavour  to  test  the  purity  of  their  pur- 
poses by  the  light  of  the  divine  word.  Nothing  of  consequence  is 
done  by  them,  as  a  society,  until  such  an  examination  has  taken 
place;  and,  in  cases  of  difficulty,  the  question  is  decided  by  lot,  to 
avoid  the  undue  preponderance  of  influential  men,  and  in  the  humble 
hope  that  God  will  guide  them  rightly  by  its  decision,  where  their 
limited  understanding  fails  them. 

In  former  times  the  marriages  of  the  members  of  the  society  were, 
in  some  respects,  guarded  as  a  concern  of  the  society,  as  it  was  part 
of  their  social  agreement  that  none  should  take  place  without  the 
approval  of  the  elders ;  and  the  elders'  consent  or  refusal  was  usually 
determined  by  lot.  But  this  custom  was  at  length  abandoned ;  and 
nothing  is  now  requisite  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  elders,  but  pro- 
priety of  conduct  in  the  parties.  They  consider  none  of  their  pecu- 
liar regulations  essential,  but  all  liable  to  be  altered  or  abandoned 
whenever  it  is  found  necessary,  in  order  better  to  attain  their  great 
object — the  promotion  of  piety.  Such  alterations  are  effected  through 
the  medium  of  their  synods. 

The  society  early  undertook  to  propagate  the  gospel  among  heathen 
nations.  The  success  of  their  attempt  in  this  respect  is  generally 
known,  and  a  great  proportion  of  their  energy  is  at  this  day  devoted 
to  this  object.  In  the  prosecution  thereof,  circumstances  occurred 
which,  combined  with  the  increase  of  their  numbers,  and  certain  diffi- 
culties in  their  way  at  Herrnhut,  induced  the  society  to  plant  colo- 


414 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


nies,  on  the  plan  of  the  mother  society  there,  in  different  parts  of 
Germany,  England,  Holland,  America,  &c.,  all  of  which,  together,  now 
constitute  the  Unity  of  the  Brethren.  Each  individual  colony,  called 
a  place  congregation,  is  independent  in  its  individual  concerns,  under 
the  superintendence,  however,  of  the  Board  of  General  Directors  of 
the  Unity ;  which  superintendence,  in  England  and  America,  is  admi- 
nistered by  subordinate  local  boards,  in  respect  to  all  things  not  of  a 
general  nature ;  but  they  are  responsible  to  the  General  Board  of  the 
Directors,  at  present  seated  at  Berthelsdorf,  near  Herrnlmt,  and  deno- 
minated the  Board  of  Elders  of  the  Unity.  The  appointments  of  all 
the  ministers  and  officers  of  each  community  rest  exclusively  with 
this  board.  In  England  and  America,  however,  these  are  committed 
to  the  local  boards.  To  them  is  further  committed  the  direction  of 
all  general  objects  of  the  whole  society,  such  as  their  heathen  mis- 
sions, the  support  of  superannuated  ministers  and  their  widows,  and 
the  education  of  the  children  of  such  of  these  as  are  without  means 
of  their  own.  For,  as  the  principles  and  circumstances  of  the  society 
prevent  them  from  allotting  a  greater  salary  to  any  officers,  than  their 
decent  maintainance  requires,  those  among  them,  whb  are  not  pos- 
sessed of  fortunes,  cannot  lay  by  any  thing  for  their  old  age,  or  for 
the  education  of  their  children ;  the  charge  of  these,  therefore,  devolves 
upon  the  whole  society. 

The  economical  affairs  of  each  individual  community  are  adminis- 
tered by  one  of  the  elders  of  that  particular  community,  with  the 
concurrence  of  a  committee  elected  biennially  from  among  the  inhabi- 
tants, generally  by  the  votes  of  all  the  male  members,  or  by  an  inter- 
mediate body  thus  elected. 

The  objects  for  which  each  community  has  thus  to  provide  arc, 
the  erection  and  maintainance  of  a  church,  the  support  of  the  active 
ministers  .ind  other  officers,  of  proper  schools,  and  all  other  things 
necessary  for  the  well-being  of  the  community,  and  the  preservation 
of  good  order ;  while  the  individuals  composing  it,  are  as  entirely  in- 
dependent in  their  private  property  as  any  other  persons  whatever — 
each  carrying  on  his  particular  business,  for  his  own  profit,  and  upon 
his  own  responsibility. 

A  contrary  impression,  viz. :  that  there  exists  a  community  of  goods 
among  them,  is  still  very  prevalent,  especially  in  America.  This  is 
attributable  to  the  fact,  that,  when  their  colonies  in  America  were 
commenced,  it  was  for  some  years  found  necessary  to  combine  the 
efforts  of  all  the  members,  in  order  to  maintain  themselves  amid  their 
difficulties;  and,  althougli  each  individual  retained  the  absolute  dis- 
posal of  any  property,  formerly  his  own,  their  joint  earnings,  for  the 


MORAVIANS. 


415 


time,  went  into  a  common  stock,  from  which  the  daily  necessities  were 
supplied.  This  unnatural  state  of  things,  however,  continued  no  longer 
than  it  was  imperiously  necessary.  Many  other  erroneous  conceptions 
have  become  prevalent,  concerning  the  economical  concerns  of  this 
society.  The  original  members  of  it  had  nothing  to  depend  on  but 
their  industry.  Count  Zinzendorf  and  some  of  his  nearest  connexions 
sacrificed  the  whole  of  their  estates  in  the  various  undertakings,  mis- 
sions, and  colonies.  As  the  society  grew,  numbers  of  wealthy  mem- 
bers afforded  liberal  aid;  but  the  society  never  had  any  actual  funds, 
upon  which  they  could  depend.  Individual  members  borrowed  the 
necessary  sums,  upon  their  own  credit.  These  funds  were  invested, 
partly  in  commercial  undertakings,  partly  in  landed  estates,  and 
various  manufactures,  and  the  profits  applied  to  pay  the  expenses  of 
the  society. 

Upon  the  death  of  Count  Zinzendorf  (he  died  1760),  it  was  found 
that  a  debt  had  accrued,  greatly  exceeding  the  value  of  all  the  avail- 
able investments.  A  separation  of  interests  now  took  place.  Each 
individual  community  assumed  a  proportionable  share  of  the  assets 
and  debts,  and  thenceforward  undertook  the  management  of  its  indi- 
vidual concerns,  and  to  provide  for  its  own  necessities  by  means  of 
an  institution,  operating  very  much  in  the  manner  of  a  savings  bank, 
termed  the  Diacony  of  each  community.  Moneys  were  taken  up, 
under  the  special  superintendence  of  the  elders,  and  of  the  committee 
above  mentioned,  and  invested  ;  the  proceeds  went  to  defray  the  dis- 
bursements of  that  particular  community;  the  understanding  was, 
that,  if  the  avails  were  such  as  to  leave  any  thing  to  be  disposed  of 
after  defraying  their  own  expenses,  such  surplus  was  to  go  to  aid 
other  communities,  whose  means  might  not  be  so  ample,  or  to  assist 
the  general  concerns.  Thus,  in  rnost  communities  of  the  United 
Brethren,  certain  trades  or  manufactures  are  carried  on  for  their 
benefit,  as  such.  By  these  means,  together  with  the  voluntary  annual 
subscriptions  of  the  members  towards  tl>e  maintainance  of  the  minis- 
ters, and  the  support  of  the  church  and  schools,  the  necessary  funds 
are  raised  for  defraying  tiie  charges  on  the  particular  communities, 
and  for  certain  proportionate  contributions,  which  each  is  expected 
to  furnish  to  that  fund  of  the  Unity,  whicn  is  established  for  the  support 
of  the  superannuated  ministers  and  other  officers,  and  their  widows, 
as  well  as  the  education  of  their  children.  The  funds  required  in  each 
community,  for  the  purposes  of  police  and  conveniences,  are  raised 
by  regular  taxes  on  the  householders,  assessed  by  the  committee  before 
mentioned.  The  rest  of  the  assets  on  hand,  at  the  death  of  Count 
Zinzendorf,  was  put  under  the  control  of  a  special  board  of  elders  of 


416 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


the  Unity,  and  ilic  proceeds  applied  to  discharge  the  debt  before  men- 
tioned. The  disbursements  required  by  tlie  missions  among  tlic 
heathen  are  suppHed  by  voluntary  contributions.  The  greater  part 
of  tlie  annual  amount  at  the  present  time  is  furnished  by  persons  not 
connected  with  the  society.  Some  few  of  the  West  India  missions 
are  in  part  supported  by  the  industry  of  the  missionaries,  and  those 
in  Labrador  by  a  commercial  establishment  trading  thither  under  the 
guidance  of  a  society  established  at  London.  In  the  United  States 
there  is  a  society  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the  heathen,  in- 
corporated by  several  states,  and  consisting  of  members  of  the  United 
Brethren's  Church.  This  society  has  recently  acquired  large  funds, 
by  the  bequest  of  one  of  its  members.  AH  these  resources  flow  into 
the  common  fund,  which  is  administered,  and  the  missionary  concern 
in  general  managed,  by  another  department  of  the  Board  of  Elders 
of  the  Unity,  called  the  Missionary  Department.  A  third  department 
of  this  board  is  termed  the  Department  of  Education.  This  has 
charge,  not  only  of  the  subject  of  the  education  of  children  throughout 
the  society  generally,  but,  in  a  special  manner,  of  those  who  are  edu- 
cated at  the  public  expense. 

In  many  of  the  communities  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Germany, 
England,  and  America,  boarding  schools  for  the  education  of  young 
persons  of  both  sexes  are  established,  in  which  not  only  their  youth, 
but  a  great  number  of  others,  are  instructed  in  useful  sciences  and 
polite  acquirements.  For  many  years  these  schools  have  sustained, 
and  still  maintain,  a  considerable  reputation  both  in  Europe  and 
America.  At  Niesky,  in  Upper  Lusatia,  the  Unity  maintains  a  higher 
classical  institution,  where  those  receive  a  preparatory  education,  who 
intend  to  embrace  the  liberal  professions,  or  to  be  prepared  for  the 
ministry.  The  latter  complete  their  studies  in  a  college  situated  at 
Gnadenfeld,  in  Silesia,  which  serves  the  purposes  of  a  university. 
Similar  institutions,  upon  a  smaller  scale,  are  established  at  Fulnec 
for  the  English,  and  at  Nazareth  for  the  American  portion  of  the 
Unity.  These  are,  properly  speaking,  theological  seminaries  only. 
Young  men,  desirous  of  devoting  themselves  to  the  medical  or  other 
learned  professions,  resort,  of  course,  to  the  public  universities  of  their 
respective  countries.  In  the  three  departments  of  the  Board  of  Elders 
of  the  Unity,  before  alluded  to,  taken  collectively,  the  direction  of  the 
whole  Unity  is  concentrated.  This  board,  however,  is  responsible  to 
the  synods  of  the  society,  which  meet  at  stated  times,  generally  at 
intervals  of  from  seven  to  twelve  years,  and  from  whom  all  its  autho- 
rity emanates.  They  are  composed  of  bishops  and  certain  other 
general  oflkcrs  of  the  society,  such  as  the  members  of  the  Board  of 


MORAVIANS.  417 

Elders  of  the  Unity  for  the  time  being,  and  of  the  representatives 
chosen  by  each  individual  community.  At  these  meetings,  a  revision 
of  all  the  concerns  of  the  society  and  its  parts  takes  place,  and  such 
alterations  are  adopted  as  circumstances  seem  to  require.  They 
are  terminated  by  the  appointment  of  a  new  Board  of  Elders  of  the 
Unity. 

The  following  is  a  sketch  of  the  mode  of  life  of  the  United  Brethren 
where  they  form  separate  communities,  which,  however,  is  not  al- 
ways the  case;  for,  in  many  instances,  societies  belonging  to  the 
Unity  are  situated  in  larger  and  smaller  cities  and  towns,  intermingled 
with  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants,  in  which  cases  their  peculiar  regula- 
tions are,  of  course,  out  of  the  question.  In  their  separate  communi- 
ties, they  do  not  allow  the  permanent  residence  of  any  persons  as 
householders  who  are  not  members  in  full  communion,  and  who  have 
not  signed  the  written  instrument  of  the  brotherly  agreement,  upon 
which  their  constitution  and  discipline  rest;  but  they  freely  admit  of 
the  temporary  residence  among  them  of  such  persons  as  are  willing 
to  conform  to  their  external  regulations.  According  to  these,  all 
kinds  of  amusements,  considered  dangerous  to  strict  morality,  are  for- 
bidden, as  balls,  dancing,  plays,  gambling  of  any  kind,  and  all  pro- 
miscuous assemblies  of  the  youth  of  both  sexes.  These,  however,  are 
not  debarred  from  forming,  under  proper  advice  and  parental  super- 
intendence, that  acquaintance  which  their  future  matrimonial  con- 
nexions may  require. 

In  the  communities  on  the  European  continent,  whither,  to  this  day, 
numbers  of  young  persons  of  both  sexes  resort,  in  order  to  become 
members  of  the  society,  from  motives  of  piety  and  a  desire  to  prepare 
themselves  to  become  missionaries  among  the  heathen,  and  where, 
moreover,  the  difficulties  of  supporting  a  family  greatly  limit  the 
number  of  marriages,  a  stricter  attention  to  this  point  becomes  neces- 
sary. On  this  account,  the  unmarried  men  and  boys,  not  belonging 
to  the  families  of  the  community,  reside  together,  under  the  care  of 
an  elder  of  their  own  class,  in  a  building  called  the  Single  Brethren's 
House,  where,  usually,  divers  trades  and  manufactures  are  carried 
on,  for  the  benefit  of  the  house  or  of  the  community,  and  which,  at 
the  same  time,  furnishes  a  cheap  and  convenient  place  for  the  board 
and  lodging  of  those  who  are  employed  as  journeymen,  apprentices, 
or  otherwise,  in  the  families  constituting  the  community.  Particular 
daily  opportunities  of  edification  are  there  afforded  them  ;  and  such  a 
house  is  the  place  of  resort,  where  the  young  men  and  boys  of  the 
families  spend  their  leisure  time,  it  being  a  general  rule,  that  every 
member  of  the  society  shall  devote  himself  to  some  useful  occupation. 


418  HISTORY  OF  THE 

A  similar  house,  under  the  guidance  of  a  female  superintendent,  and  ' 
under  similar  regulations,  is  called  the  Single  Sisters'  House,  and  is 
the  common  dwelling-place  of  all  unmarried  females,  not  members  of 
any  family,  or  not  employed  as  servants  in  the  families  of  the  com- 
munity. Even  these  regard  the  Sisters'  House  as  their  principal  place 
of  association  at  leisure  hours.  Industrious  habits  are  here  inculcated 
in  the  same  way. 

In  the  communities  of  the  United  Brethren  in  America,  the  facili- 
ties of  supporting  families,  and  the  consequent  early  marriages,  have 
superseded  the  necessity  of  Single  Brethren's  Houses ;  but  they  all 
have  Sisters'  Houses  of  the  above  description,  which  aflbrd  a  com- 
fortable asylum  to  aged  unmarried  females,  while  they  furnish  an  op- 
portunity of  attending  to  the  further  education  and  improvement  of 
the  female  youth  after  they  have  left  school.     In  the  larger  commu- 
nities, similar  houses  afford  the  same  advantages  to  such  widows  as 
desire  to  live  retired,  and  are  called  Widows'  Houses.     The  indivi- 
duals residing  in  these  establishments  pay  a  small  rent,  by  which,  and 
by  the  sums  paid  for  their  board,  the  expenses  of  these  houses  are 
defrayed,  assisted  occasionally  by  the  profits  on  the  sale  of  ornamental 
needlework,  &c.,  on  which  some  of  the  inmates  subsist.     The  aged 
and  needy  are  supported  by  the  same  means.     Each  division  of  sex 
and  station,  just  alluded  to,  viz.:  widows,  single  men  and  youths, 
single  women  and  girls,  past  the  age  of  childhood,  is  placed   under 
the  special  guidance  of  elders  of  their  own  description,  whose  province 
it  is  to  assist  them  in  good  advice  and  admonition,  and  to  attend,  as 
much  as  may  be,  to  the  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare  of  each  indi- 
vidual.    The  children  of  each  sex  are  under  the  immediate  care  of 
the  superintendent  of  the  single  choirs,  as  these  divisions  are  termed. 
Their  instruction   in  religion,  and  in  all  the  necessary  branches  of 
human  knowledge,  in  good  schools,  carried  on  separately  for  each 
sex,  is  under  the  special  superintendence  of  the  stated  minister  of 
each  community,  and  of  the  Board  of  Elders.     Similar  special  elders 
are  charged  to  attend  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  married  people. 
All  these  elders,  of  both  sexes,  together  with  the  stated  minister,  to 
whom  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  chiefly  committed,  (although  all 
other  elders  who  may  be  qualified  participate  therein,)  and  with  the 
persons  to  whom  the  economical  concerns  of  the  community  are  en- 
trusted, form  together  the  Board  of  Elders,  in  which  rests  the  govern- 
ment of  the  community,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  committee  elected 
by  the  inhabitants  for  all  temporal  concerns.     This  committee  super- 
intends the  observance  of  all  regulations,  has  charge  of  the  police, 
and  decides  differences  between  individuals.     Matters  of  a  general 


MORAVIANS.  419 

nature  are  submitted  to  a  meeting  of  the  whole  community,  consisting 
either  of  all  male  members  of  age,  or  of  an  intermediate  body  elected 
by  them. 

Public  meetings  are  held  every  evening  in  the  week.  Some  of 
these  are  devoted  to  the  reading  of  portions  of  scripture,  others  to 
the  communications  of  accounts  from  the  missionary  stations,  and 
others  to  the  singing  of  hymns  or  selected  verses.  On  Sunday  morn- 
ings, the  church  litany  is  publicly  read,  and  sermons  are  delivered  to 
the  congregation,  which,  in  many  places,  is  the  case  likewise  in  the 
afternoon.  In  the  evening,  discourses  are  delivered,  in  which  the 
texts  for  that  day  are  explained  and  brought  home  to  the  particular 
circumstances  of  the  community.  Besides  these  regular  means  of 
edification,  the  festival  days  of  the  Christian  church,  such  as  Easter, 
Pentecost,  Christmas,  &c.,  are  commemorated  in  a  special  manner, 
as  well  as  some  days  of  peculiar  interest  in  the  history  of  the  society. 
A  solemn  church  music  constitutes  a  prominent  feature  of  their  means 
of  edification,  music  in  general  being  a  favourite  employment  of  the 
leisure  of  many.  On  particular  occasions,  and  before  the  congrega- 
tion meets  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  they  assemble  expressly 
to  listen  to  instrumental  and  vocal  music  interspersed  with  hymns,  in 
which  the  whole  congregation  joins,  while  they  partake  together  of  a 
cup  of  coffee,  tea,  or  chocolate,  and  light  cakes,  in  token  of  fellowship 
and  brotherly  union.  This  solemnity  is  called  a  Love  Feast,  and  is 
in  imitation  of  the  custom  of  the  Jlga-pcn  in  the  primitive  Christian 
churches.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  celebrated  at  stated  intervals,  gene- 
rally by  all  communicant  members  together,  under  very  solemn  but 
simple  rites.  Easter  morning  is  devoted  to  a  solemnity  of  a  peculiar 
kind.  At  sunrise,  the  congregation  assembles  in  the  grave-yard ;  a 
service,  accompanied  by  music,  is  celebrated,  expressive  of  the  joyful 
hopes  of  immortality  and  resurrection,  and  a  solemn  commemoration 
is  made  of  all  who  have,  in  the  course  of  the  last  year,  departed  this 
life  from  among  them,  and  "  gone  home  to  the  Lord"-— an  expression 
they  often  use  to  designate  death.  Considering  the  termination  of  the 
present  life  no  evil,  but  the  entrance  upon  an  eternal  state  of  bliss  to 
the  sincere  disciples  of  Christ,  they  desire  to  divest  this  event  of  all 
its  terrors.  The  decease  of  every  individual  is  announced  to  the 
community  by  solemn  music  from  a  band  of  instruments.  Outward 
appearances  of  mourning  are  discountenanced.  The  whole  congre- 
gation follows  the  bier  to  the  grave-yard  (which  is  commonly  laid 
out  as  a  garden),  accompanied  by  a  band,  playing  the  tunes  of  well- 
known  verses,  which  express  the  hopes  of  eternal  life  and  resurrec- 
tion, and  the  corpse  is  deposited  in  the  simple  grave  during  the  fune- 


420  IIISTOKY  OF  THE 

ral  service.  The  preservation  of  the  purity  of  the  community  is 
entrusted  to  the  Board  of  Elders  and  its  different  members,  who  arc 
to  give  instruction  and  admonition  to  those  under  their  care,  and 
make  a  discreet  use  of  the  estabhshed  church  discipline.  In  cases  of 
immoral  conduct,  or  flagrant  disregard  of  the  regulations  of  the  society, 
the  following  discipline  is  resorted  to.  If  expostulations  are  not  suc- 
cessful, offenders  are  for  a  time  restrained  from  participating  in  the 
holy  communion,  or  called  before  the  committee.  For  pertinacious 
bad  conduct,  or  flagrant  excesses,  the  culpable  individual  is  dis- 
missed from  the  society. 

The  ecclesiastical  church  officers,  generally  speaking,  are  the 
bishops,  through  whom  the  regular  succession  of  ordination,  trans- 
mitted to  the  United  Brethren  through  the  ancient  Church  of  the  Bo- 
hemian and  Moravian  Brethren,  is  preserved,  and  who  alone  are 
authorized  to  ordain  ministers,  but  possess  no  authority  in  the  go- 
vernment of  the  church,  except  such  as  they  derive  from  some  other 
office,  being  most  frequently  the  presidents  of  some  board  of  elders; 
the  presbyters,  or  ordained  stated  ministers  of  the  communities,  and 
the  deacons.  The  degree  of  deacon  is  the  first  bestowed  upon  young 
ministers  and  missionaries,  by  which  they  are  authorized  to  admi- 
nister, the  sacraments. 

Females,  although  elders  among  their  own  sex,  are  never  ordained  ; 
nor  have  they  a  vote  in  the  deliberations  of  the  Board  of  Elders,  which 
they  attend  for  the  sake  of  information  only. 

It  now  remains  to  give  some  account  of  the  number  and  extension 
of  this  society,  which  are  often  strangely  exaggerated.  On  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe,  together  with  Great  Britain,  the  number  of  persons 
living  in  their  different  communities,  or  formed  into  societies  closely 
connected  with  the  Unity,  docs  not  exceed  thirteen  or  fourteen  thou- 
sand, including  children.  Their  number  in  the  United  States  falls 
somewhat  short  of  six  thousand  souls.  Besides  these  there  are  about 
three  times  this  number  of  persons  dispersed  through  Germany, 
Livonia,  &c.,  who  are  occasionally  visited  by  brethren,  and  strength- 
ened in  their  religious  convictions,  while  they  have  no  external  con- 
nexion with  the  Unity.  These  cannot  be  considered  members  of  the 
society,  though  they  may  maintain  a  spiritual  connexion  with  it. 
The  numbers  of  converts  from  heathen  nations,  are  regularly  reported, 
and  do  not  now  exceed  40,000  souls,  comprehending  all  those  who 
are  in  any  way  under  the  care  of  the  missionaries.  Indeed  it  never 
was  the  object  of  the  society  to  attempt  the  Christianization  of  whole 
nations  or  tribes,  as  such  must  be  a  mere  nominal  conversion.  They 
profess  to  admit  those  only  to  the  rite  of  baptism  who  give  evidence 


MORAVIANS. 


421 


of  their  faith  by  the  change  wrought  in  their  Hfe  and  conduct.  On 
this  account,  they  have  every  where  introduced  among  their  heathen 
converts  a  discipline,  similar  to  their  own,  as  far  as  circumstances 
permit.  It  would  be  preposterous  to  conceive  that  the  peculiar  views, 
and  the  regulations  of  a  society  such  as  that  of  the  United  Brethren, 
could  ever  be  adopted  by  any  large  body  of  men.  They  are  exclu- 
sively calculated  for  small  communities.  Any  one  desirous  of  sepa- 
rating from  the  society  meets  with  no  hinderance. 

The  following  is  a  succinct  view  of  the  principal  establishments  of 
the  society.  In  the  United  States,  they  have  separate  communities, 
at  Bethlehem,  Nazareth,  and  Litiz,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  at  Salem,  in 
North  Carolina.  Bethlehem  is,  next  to  the  mother  community  at 
Herrnhut,  in  Germany,  their  largest  establishment.  Besides  these, 
there  are  congregations  at  Newport,  in  Rhode  Island,  at  New  York, 
at  Philadelphia,  Lancaster  and  York ;  at  Graceham  in  Maryland ; 
and  several  country  congregations  scattered  through  Pennsylvania, 
the  members  of  which  chiefly  dwell  on  their  plantations,  but  have  a 
common  place  of  worship.  There  are  four  of  this  description  in 
North  Carolina,  in  the  vicinity  of  Salem.  The  whole  number  of 
congregations  is  twenty-two ;  of  these  there  are  ten  village  cono-re- 
gations,  four  city,  and  eight  country  congregations.  The  number  of 
pastors  and  assistant  pastors  is  twenty-four ;  two  bishops,  two  ad- 
ministrators, four  wardens,  and  four  principals  of  schools.  The  total 
number  of  members,  at  present,  in  the  United  States,  is  about  six 
thousand. 

In  England,  their  chief  settlements  are  Fulnec  in  Yorkshire,  Fair- 
field in  Lancashire,  Ockbrook  in  Derbyshire.  Congregations  exist 
likewise  in  London,  Bedford,  Bristol,  Bath,  Plymouth,  Haverford- 
west, together  with  a  number  of  country  congregations  in  divers  vil- 
lages. In  Ireland,  they  have  a  considerable  congregation  at  Grace- 
hill,  in  the  county  of  Antrim,  and  small  congregations  at  Dublin, 
Gracefield,  and  Ballinderry.  On  the  continent  of  Europe,  Herrnhut, 
Niesky,  and  Kleinwelke,  in  Upper  Lusatia ;  Gnadenfrey,  Gnaden- 
berg,  Gnadenfeld  and  Neusaltz,  in  Silesia ;  Ebensdorf,  near  Loben- 
stein ;  Neudictendorf,  in  the  duchy  of  Gosna ;  Konigsfeld,  in  that  of 
Baden ;  Neuwied  on  the  Rhine ;  Christianfeld,  in  Holstein ;  Zeyst, 
near  Utrecht,  in  Holland ;  and  Sarepta,  on  the  confines  of  Asiatic 
Russia,  are  the  names  of  their  separate  communities;  besides  which 
are  organized  societies  at  Berlin,  Rixdorf,  Potsdam,  Konigsberg, 
Norden  in  Friesland,  Copenhagen,  Altona,  Stockholm,  Gottenburg, 
St.  Petersburg,  and  Moscow. 

Their  principal  missions  among  the  heathens  at  this  lime  are  the 


422  HISTORY  OF  THE  MOFiAVIANS. 

following :  among  the  negro  slaves  in  the  three  Danish  West  India 
islands ;  in  Jamaica,  St.  Kitts,  Antigua,  Barbadoes,  Tobago,  and  in 
Surinam,  among  the  same  description  of  persons;  in  Greenland, 
among  the  natives  of  that  desolate  region ;  in  Labrador,  among  the 
Esquimaux ;  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  among  the  Hottentots  and 
Caffres;  and  in  North  America,  among  the  Delaware  Indians  in 
Upper  Canada  and  in  the  Indian  Territory,  and  among  the  Chero- 
kees  in  Arkansas.  It  is  a  general  principle  of  the  society,  that  their 
social  organization  is  in  no  case  to  interfere  with  their  duties  as  citi- 
zens or  subjects  of  governments  under  which  they  live,  and  wherever 
they  are  settled.  They  have  always  supported  a  good  reputation, 
and  been  generally  considered  valuable  members  of  the  community, 
on  account  of  the  moral  and  industrious  habits  successfully  inculcated 
by  their  system. 


THE  METHODIST  SOCIETY. 

BY  THE  REV.  W.  M.  STILWELL, 

NEW   YORK. 

This  society  was  first  composed  of  a  number  of  members  seceding 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in 
the  year  1820,  together  with  several  of  the  trustees.  It  had  its  origin 
from  the  circumstance  of  the  ruling  preacher,  so  called,  insisting  on 
receiving  the  money  collected  in  the  different  churches  under  his 
charge,  through  stewards  of  his  own  appointment,  instead  of  by  the 
trustees  appointed  according  to  law,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
practice  of  the  church  in  all  time  previous,  together  with  certain  re- 
solutions passed  by  the  New  York  Annual  Conference  of  Ministers,  to 
petition  the  legislature  for  a  law  recognising  the  peculiarities  of  the 
church  discipline,  by  which  the  whole  properties  of  the  church  would 
have  been  placed  under  the  supervision  and  control  of  the  body  of 
ministers,  who  according  to  their  discipline,  from  the  bishop,  down- 
wards, are  to  take  charge  of  the  temporal  and  spiritual  business  of 
the  church.  A  church  was  erected,  and  about  300  members  organ- 
ized, under  one  preacher,  the  Rev.  William  M.  Stilwell,  who  with- 
drev/  from  the  travelling  connexion,  and  assumed  the  pastoral  charge 
of  them,  which  he  retains  until  this  present  year,  (1843.)  In  the  course 
of  the  three  years  following,  they  had  erected  two  other  places  of 
worship,  and  formed  a  discipline,  in  which  the  general  principles,  as 
taught  by  the  Methodists,  were  recognised  ;  but  in  the  government 
of  the  church  there  was  a  difference:  1.  No  bishop  was  allowed,  but 
a  president  of  each  annual  conference  was  chosen  yearly,  by  ballot 
of  the  members  thereof.  2.  All  ordained  ministers,  whether  travel- 
ling or  not,  were  allowed  a  seat  in  the  annual  conferences.  3.  Two 
lay  delegates  from  each  quarterly  conference  could  sit  in  the  annual 
conference,  with  the  ministers.  4.  No  rules  or  regulations  for  the 
church  could  be  made  unless  a  majority  present  were  lay  members. 
5.  A  preacher  could  remain  with  a  congregation  as  long  as  they 
agreed.     6.  Class  meetings,  love  feasts,  &c.,  were  to  be  attended ; 


424  HISTORY  OF  THE  MKTIIODIST  SOCIETV^ 

the  leader  of  cacli  class  being  chosen  by  the  mennbcrs.  7.  The  pro- 
perty of  the  societies,  to  be  vested  in  trustees  of  their  own  choice, 
and  the  ministers  to  have  no  oversight  of  the  temporal  affairs  of  the 
church.  They  prospered  greatly  for  a  few  years,  when  some  of  the 
preachers  and  people,  being  desirous  to  have  a  more  itinerant  con- 
nexion, thought  it  best  to  unite  with  a  body  of  seceders  from  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  who  held  a  convention  in  Baltimore, 
and  took  the  name  of  Protestant  Methodist  Church :  since  which  the 
Methodist  Society  have  not  sought  to  enlarge  their  body  so  much,  as 
to  supply  such  congregations  as  may  feel  a  disposition  to  enjoy  a 
liberty,  which  the  other  bodies  of  dissenting  Methodists,  as  well  as  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  do  not  see  fit  to  grant  to  the  laity.  At 
the  present  time  they  have  three  annual  conferences,  and  are  pros- 
perous according  to  the  efforts  made,  perhaps  as  well  as  other 
churches.  The  above  may  be  considered  a  sufficient  notice  of  the 
"  Methodist  Society,"  and  persons  wishing  farther  information  will 
find  it  in  a  small  work  entitled  "  Rise  and  Progress  of  the  Methodist 
Society,"  printed  in  New  York,  1822. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHTJUCH. 

BY  THE  REV.  NATHAN  BANGS,  D.  D., 

NKW  YORK, 

It  is  well  known  that  the  founder  of  Methodism,  under  God,  was 
the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  a  presbyter  in  the  Church  of  England,  who, 
after  his  own  conversion,  set  out  with  a  simple  desire  to  revive  pure 
and  undefiled  religion  in  the  church  of  which  he  was  a  member  and 
a  minister.  Of  the  several  steps  by  which  he  was  led  to  adopt  the 
measures  he  did,  it  is  not  necessary  particularly  to  mention ;  as  in 
this  sketch  it  is  designed  to  notice  those  events  only  which  more 
especially  relate  to  the  rise  and  progress  of  Methodism  in  America. 
It  is  therefore  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to  remark,  that  John  Wesley 
commenced  his  work  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  where  he  had 
been  educated,  in  the  year  1739,  and  that  from  there  it  spread  in 
different  directions  throughout  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  until  by 
one  of  those  providential  occurrences,  which  mark  all  human  events 
from  which  great  results  have  their  origin,  it  was  introduced  into 
this  country. 

That  Mr.  Wesley  was  actuated  by  a  pure  desire  to  revive  and 
spread  experimental  and  practical  godliness,  is  most  evident  from  all 
his  actions,  from  his  numerous  writings,  and  much  more  from  the 
following  general  rules  which  he  drew  up  for  the  government  of  his 
societies  in  1743,  and  which  still  remain  the  same  in  Europe  and 
America,  except  the  item  on  slavenj,  which  was  inserted  by  the 
American  Conference  in  1784,  and  the  one  on  drunkenness,  which 
has  been  altered  for  the  worse  it  is  believed,  as  it  does  not  prohibit 
"  the  buying  or  selling  of  spirituous  liquors,"  as  Mr.  Wesley's  Rule  did. 

GENERAL  RULES  OF  THE  UNITED  METHODIST  SOCIETIES. 

1.  In  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1739,  eight  or  ten  persons  came 
to  Mr.  Wesley  in  London,  who  appeared  to  be  deeply  convinced  of 
sin,  and  earnestly  groaning  for  redemption.     They  desired  (as  did 

28 


^OQ  HISTORY  OF  THE 

two  or  three  more  the  next  day)  that  he  would  spend  some  time  with 
them  in  prayer,'and  advise  them  how  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come, 
which  they  saw  continually  hanging  over  their  heads.  That  he 
might  have  more  time  for  this  great  work,  he  appointed  a  day  when 
they  might  all  come  together,  which,  from  thenceforward,  they  did 
every  week,  viz.,  on  Thursday  in  the  evening.  To  these,  and  as 
many  more  as  desired  to  join  with  them,  (for  their  number  increased 
daily,)  he  gave  those  advices  from  time  to  time  which  he  judged  most 
needful  for  them ;  and  they  always  concluded  their  meetings  with 
prayer  suited  to  their  several  necessities. 

2.  This  was  the  rise  of  the  United  Society,  first  in  Europe,  and 
then  in  America.  Such  a  society  is  no  other  than  "  A  company  of 
men  having  the  form,  and  seeking  the  power  of  godliness,  united,  in 
order  to  pray  together,  to  receive  the  word  of  exhortation,  and  to 
watch  over  one  another  in  love,  that  they  may  help  each  other  to 
work  out  their  salvation." 

3.  That  it  may  the  more  easily  be  discerned,  whether  they  are 
indeed  working  out  their  own  salvation,  each  society  is  divided  into 
smaller  companies,  called  classes,  according  to  their  respective 
places  of  abode.  There  are  about  twelve  persons  in  a  class;  one 
of  whom  is  styled  the  leader.     It  is  his  duty, 

I.  To  see  each  person  in  his  class,  once  a  week,  at  least,  in  order, 

a.  To  inquire  how  their  souls  prosper ; 

b.  To  advise,  reprove,  comfort,  or  exhort,  as  occasion  may  re- 
quire ; 

c.  To  receive  what  they  are  willing  to  give,  toward  the  relief  of 
the  preachers,  church,  and  poor.* 

II.  To  meet  the  minister  and  the  stewards  of  the  society  once  a 
week,  in  order, 

a.  To  inform  the  minister  of  any  that  are  sick,  or  of  any  that  walk 
disorderly,  and  will  not  be  reproved ; 

b.  To  pay  to  the  stewards  what  they  have  received  of  their  seve- 
ral classes  in  the  week  preceding. 

4.  There  is  one  only  condition  previously  required  of  those  who 
desire  admission  into  these  societies,  viz.,  "  a  desire  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come,  and  to  be  saved  from  their  sins ;"  but  wherever  this 
is  really  fixed  in  the  soul,  it  will  be  shown  by  its  fruits.  It  is  there- 
fore expected  of  all  who  continue  therein,  that  they  should  continue 
to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation, 

*  This  part  refers  to  towns  and  cities,  where  the  poor  are  generally  numerous,  and 
church  expenses  considerable. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  427 

First,  by  doing  no  harm;  by  avoiding  evil  of  every  kind,  espe- 
cially that  which  is  most  generally  practised.     Such  as 

The  taking  of  the  name  of  God  in  vain ; 

The  profaning  the  day  of  the  Lord,  either  by  doing  ordinary  w^ork 
thereon,  or  by  buying  or  selling ; 

Drunkenness,  or  drinking  spirituous  liquors,  unless  in  cases  of 
necessity^ 

The  buying  and  selling  of  men,  women,  and  children,  with  an 
intention  to  enslave  them. 

Fighting,  quarrelling,  brawling;  brother  going  to  law  with  bro- 
ther; returning  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  raihng;  the  using  many 
words  in  buying  or  selling ; 

The  buying  or  selling  goods  that  have  not  paid  the  duty ; 

The  giving  or  taking  things  on  usury,  i.  e.,  unlawful  interest ; 

Uncharitable  or  unprofitable  conversation,  particularly  speaking 
evil  of  magistrates  or  of  ministers ; 

Doing  to  others  as  we  would  not  they  should  do  unto  us ; 

Doino-  what  we  know  is  not  for  the  glory  of  God ;  as, 

The  putting  on  of  gold  and  costly  apparel ; 

The  taking  such  diversions  as  cannot  be  used  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus ; 

The  singing  those  songs,  or  reading  those  books  which  do  not  tend 
to  the  knowledge  or  love  of  God ; 

Softness  and  needless  self-indulgence ; 

Laying  up  treasure  upon  earth ; 

Borrowing  without  a  probability  of  paying ;  or  taking  up  goods 
without  a  probability  of  paying  for  them. 

5.  It  is  expected  of  all  who  continue  in  these  societies,  that  they 
should  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation. 

Secondly,  by  doing  good ;  by  being  in  every  kind  merciful  after 
their  power,  as  they  have  opportunity — doing  good  of  every  possible 
sort,  and,  as  far  as  is  possible,  to  all  men ; 

To  their  bodies,  according  to  the  ability  which  God  giveth,  by 
giving  food  to  the  hungry,  by  clothing  the  naked,  by  visiting  or  help- 
ing them  that  are  sick,  or  in  prison  ; 

To  their  souls,  by  instructing,  reproving,  or  exhorting  all  we  have 
any  intercourse  with :  trampling  under  foot  that  enthusiastic  doc- 
trine, that  "  we  are  not  to  do  good,  unless  our  hearts  be  free  to  it." 

By  doing  good,  especially  to  them  that  are  of  the  household  of 
faith,  or  groaning  so  to  be :  employing  them  preferably  to  others ; 
buying  one  of  another;  helping  each  other  in  business, — and  so  much 
the  more,  because  the  world  will  love  its  own,  and  them  only. 


428  HISTORY  OF  the 

By  all  possible  diligence  and  frugality,  that  the  gospel  be  not 
blamed. 

By  running  with  patience  the  race  which  is  set  before  them ;  deny- 
ing themselves,  and  taking  up  their  cross  daily;  submitting  to  bear 
the  reproach  of  Christ;  to  be  as  the  filth  and  offscouring  of  the 
world ;  and  looking  that  men  should  say  all  manner  of  evil  of  them 
falsely,  for  the  Lord's  sake.  , 

6.  It  is  expected  of  all  who  desire  to  continue  in  these  societies, 
that  they  should  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation. 

Thirdly,  by  attending  upon  all  the  ordinances  of  God:  such  are. 

The  public  worship  of  God ; 

The  ministry  of  the  word,  either  read  or  expounded ; 

The  Supper  of  the  Lord  ; 

Family  and  private  prayer; 

Searching  the  scriptures  ;  and 

Fasting  or  abstinence. 

7.  These  are  the  general  rules  of  our  societies ;  all  which  we  are 
taught  of  God  to  observe,  even  in  his  written  word,  which  is  the 
only  rule,  and  the  sufficient  rule,  both  of  our  faith  and  practice. 
And  all  these  we  know  his  Spirit  writes  on  truly  awakened  hearts. 
If  there  be  any  among  its  who  observe  them  not,  who  habitually 
break  any  of  them :  let  it  be  known  unto  them  who  watch  over  that 
soul,  as  they  who  must  give  an  account.  We  will  admonish  him  of 
the  error  of  his  ways ;  we  will  bear  with  him  for  a  season.  But,  if 
then,  he  repent  not,  he  hath  no  more  place  among  us.  We  have  de- 
livered our  own  souls. 

Efforts  have  been  made  and  are  now  making  to  restore  the  rule 
relating  to  drunkenness  to  the  phraseology  in  which  Mr.  Wesley  left 
it ;  but  as  these  rules  are  declared  to  be  unalterable  by  the  restrictive 
regulations  which  bind  the  action  of  the  General  Conference,  except 
on  the  recommendation  of  three-fourths  of  all  the  members  of  the 
several  annual  conferences  who  shall  be  present  and  vote  on  such 
recommendation,  and  then  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  General 
Conference:  a  sufficient  number  of  votes  has  not  been  procured  to 
effect  the  alteration. 

With  these  introductory  remarks  we  proceed  to  a  few  historical 
sketches  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  Methodism  on  this  continent. 

The  first  Methodist  society  in  America,  was  established  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  in  the  year  17GG.  The  circumstances  attending  this 
event  were  somewhat  peculiar,  and  mark  the  providence  of  God  over 
his  people,  in  a  very  striking  manner.  A  few  pious  emigrants  from 
Ireland,  who,  previously  to  their  removal,  had  been  members  of  the 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


429 


Methodist  society  in  their  own  country,  landed  in  this  city.  Among 
their  number  was  Mr.  Philip  Embury,  a  local  preacher.  Coming 
among  strangers  and  finding  no  pious  associates  with  whom  they 
could  confer,.they  came  very  near  making  "  shipwreck  of  faith  and 
a  good  conscience."  In  this  state  of  religious  declension  they  were 
found  the  next  year  on  the  arrival  of  another  family  from  Ireland, 
among  whom  was  a  pious  "  mother  in  Israel,"  to  whose  zeal  in  the 
cause  of  God  they  were  all  indebted  for  the  revival  of  the  spirit  of 
piety  among  them.  Soon  after  her  arrival  she  ascertained  that  those, 
■who  had  preceded  her,  had  so  far  departed  from  their  "  first  love,"  as 
to  be  mingling  in  the  frivolities  and  amusements  of  the  world.  The 
knowledge  of  this  painful  fact  excited  her  indignation;  and,  with  a 
zeal  which  deserves  commemoration,  she  suddenly  entered  the  room 
in  which  they  were  assembled,  seized  the  pack  of  cards  with  which 
they  were  playing,  and  threw  them  into  the  fire.  She  then  addressed 
herself  to  them  in  terms  of  expostulation,  and  turning  to  Mr.  Embury, 
she  said  :  "  You  must  preach  to  us,  or  we  shall  all  go  to  hell  together, 
and  God  will  require  our  blood  at  your  hands  !"  This  pointed  appeal 
had  its  intended  effect,  in  awakening  his  attention  to  the  perilousness 
of  their  condition.  Yet,  as  if  to  excuse  himself  from  the  performance 
of  an  obvious  duty,  he  tremblingly  replied  :  "  I  cannot  preach,  for  I 
have  neither  a  house  nor  congregation."  "  Preach  in  your  own  house 
first,  and  to  our  own  company,"  was  the  reply.  Feeling  the  respon- 
sibility of  his  situation,  and  not  being  able  any  longer  to  resist  the 
importunities  of  his  reprover,  he  consented  to  comply  with  her  request, 
and  accordingly  he  preached  his  first  sermon  "  in  his  own  hired 
bouse,"  to  five  persons  only.  This,  it  is  believed,  was  the  first  Metho- 
dist sermon  ever  preached  in  America. 

As  they  continued  to  assemble  together  for  mutual  edification,  so 
their  numbers  were  gradually  increased,  and  they  were  comforted  and 
strengthened  by  "exhorting  one  another  daily."  Notwithstanding 
the  fewness  of  their  number,  and  the  secluded  manner  in  which  thev 
held  their  meetings:  they  very  soon  began  to  attract  attention,  and 
they  accordingly  found  that  they  must  either  procure  a  larger  place 
or  preclude  many  from  their  meetings  who  were  desirous  to  attend. 

This  led  them  to  rent  a  room  of  larger  dimensions  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, the  expense  of  wdiich  was  paid  by  voluntary  contributions.  An 
event  happened  soon  after  they  began  to  assemble  in  this  place,  which  , 
brought  them  into  more  public  notice,  and  to  attract  a  greater  number 
of  hearers.  This  was  the  arrival  of  Captain  Webb,  an  officer  of  the 
British  army,  at  that  time  stationed  in  Albany,  in  the  State  of  New 
York.     He  had  been  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  under  the 


430 


HISTORY  OF  TIIK 


scarchiiifT  ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  who,  under  God,  was 
the  founder  of  Methodism,  in  the  city  of  Bristol,  England,  about  the 
year  1705  ;  and,  though  a  military  character,  such  was  his  thirst  for 
the  salvation  of  immortal  souls,  that  he  was  constrained  to  declare 
unto  them  the  loving  kindness  of  God. 

His  first  appearance  as  a  stranger  among  the  "  little  flock"  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  in  his  military  costume,  gave  them  some  uneasi- 
ness, as  they  feared  that  he  had  come  to  "  spy  out  their  liberties,"  or 
to  interrupt  them  in  their  solemn  assemblies;  but  when  they  saw  him 
kneel  in  prayer,  and  otherwise  participate  with  them  in  the  worship 
of  God,  their  fears  were  exchanged  for  joy,  and  on  a  farther  acquaint- 
ance they  found  Captain  Webb  had  "  partaken  of  like  precious  faith" 
with  themselves.  He  was  accordingly  invited  to  preach.  The  novelty 
of  his  appearance  in  the  badges  of  a  military  officer,  excited  no  little 
surprise.  This,  together  with  the  energy  with  which  he  spoke  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  drew  many  to  the  place  of  worship,  and 
hence  the  room  in  which  they  now  assembled,  soon  became  too  small 
to  accommodate  all  who  wished  to  assemble.  But  what  greatly  en- 
coura(?ed  them  was,  that  sinners  were  awakened  and  converted  to 
God,  who  were  added  to  the  little  society. 

To  accommodate  all  who  wished  to  hear,  they  next  hired  a  rigging- 
loft  in  William  Street,  and  fitted  it  up  for  a  place  of  worship.  Here 
thev  assembled  for  a  considerable  time,  and  were  edified  in  faith  and 
love,  under  the  labours  of  Mr.  Embury,  who  was  occasionally  as- 
sisted by  Captain  Webb. 

While  the  society  was  thus  going  forward  in  their  "  work  of  faith 
and  labour  of  love"  in  New  York :  Captain  Webb  made  excursions 
upon  Long  Island,  and  even  went  as  far  as  Philadelphia,  preaching, 
wherever  he  could  find  an  opening,  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  ; 
and  success  attended  his  labours,  many  being  awakened  to  a  sense  of 
their  sinfulness  through  his  pointed  ministry,  and  were  brought  to  the 
"  knowledge  of  salvation  by  the  remission  of  sins."  In  consequence 
of  the  accession  of  numbers  to  the  society,  and  the  continual  increase 
of  those  who  wished  to  hear  the  word  :  the  rigging-loft  became  also 
too  small,  and  they  began  to  consult  together  on  the  propriety  of 
building  a  house  of  worship. 

But  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  pious  undertaking,  many  difficul- 
ties were  to  be  encountered.  The  members  in  the  society  were  yet 
but  few  in  number,  most  of  them  of  the  poorer  class,  and  of  course 
had  but  a  limited  acquaintance  and  influence  in  the  community.  For 
some  time  a  painful  suspense  kept  them  undetermined.  But  while  all 
were  deliberating  on  the  most  suitable   means  to    be   adopted   to 


I 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


431 


accomplish  an  object  so  desirabl(f:  the  elderly  lady,  whose  pious  zeal 
has  been  already  mentioned,  while  earnestly  engaged  in  prayer  for 
direction  in  this  important  enterprise,  received,  with  inexpressible 
sweetness  and  power,  this  answer,  /,  the  Lord,  loill  do  it.  At  the  same 
time  a  plan  was  suggested  to  her  mind,  which,  on  being  submitted  to 
the  society,  was  generally  approved  of,  and  finally  adopted.  Thev 
proceeded  to  issue  a  subcsription  paper,  waited  on  the  mayor  of  the 
city  and  other  opulent  citizens,  to  whom  they  explained  their  object, 
and  received  from  them  such  liberal  donations,  that  they  succeeded  in 
purchasing  several  lots  in  John  Street,  on  which  they  erected  a  house 
of  worship  60  feet  in  length,  by  42  in  breadth,  calling  it,  from  respect 
to  the  venerable  founder  of  Methodism,  Wesley  Chapel.  This  was  the 
first  meeting-house  ever  erected  for  a  Methodist  congregation  in  Ame- 
rica; this  was  in  the  year  1768;  and  the  first  sermon  was  preached 
in  it  October  30,  1768,  by  Mr.  Embury.  This,  therefore,  may  be 
considered  as  the  beginning  of  Methodism  in  this  country. 

While  this  house  was  in  progress,  feeling  the  necessity  of  a  more 
competent  preacher,  they  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Wesley,  urging 
upon  him  the  propriety  of  sending  them  the  needful  help.  So  zealous 
were  they  in  this  good  cause,  that,  after  describing  at  large  the  gene- 
ral state  of  things  here,  they  say  :  "  With  respect  to  money  for  the 
payment  of  the  preachers'  passage  over,  if  they  could  not  procure  it, 
we  would  sell  our  coats  and  shirts  to  procure  it  for  them." 

Such  an  appeal  had  its  efl^ect.  Mr.  Wesley  immediately  adopted 
measures  for  complying  with  their  request,  and  two  preachers, 
namely,  Richard  Boardman  and  Joseph  Pijimore,  volunteered  their 
services  for  America ;  and  Mr.  Wesley  sent  with  them  fifty  pounds, 
"  As,"  he  says,  "  a  token  of  our  brotherly  love."  These  were  the 
first  regular  itinerant  preachers  who  visited  this  country ;  and  they 
landed  at  Gloucester  Point,  six  miles  below  Philadelphia,  October  24, 
1769.  They  immediately  entered  upon  their  Master's  work,  Mr. 
Boardman  taking  his  station  in  New  York,  and  Mr.  Pillmore  in 
Philadelphia,  occasionally  exchanging  with  one  another,  and  some- 
times making  excursions  into  the  country.  Wherever  thev  went, 
multitudes  flocked  to  hear  the  word,  and  many  were  induced  to  seek 
an  interest  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

About  the  same  time  that  Mr.  Embury  was  thus  laying  the  foun- 
dation for  this  spiritual  edifice  in  New  York,  and  Captain  Webb  was, 
to  use  his  own  words,  "  felling  the  trees  on  Long  Island,"  and  some 
other  places:  Mr.  Robe;t  Strawbridge,  another  local  preacher  from 
Ireland,  came  over  and  settled  in  Frederick  county,  Maryland, 
and  commenced  preaching  "  Christ  and  him  crucified"  with  success, 


432 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


many  sinners  being  reclaimed  froft  the  en"or  of  their  ways  by  his 
instrumentality.  After  spending  some  time  in  Philadelphia,  preach- 
ing with  great  fervour  and  acceptance  to  the  people,  Mr.  Pillmore 
paid  a  visit  to  Mr.  Strawbridge,  in  Maryland,  and  endeavoured  to 
strengthen  his  hands  in  the  Lord.  He  also  went  into  some  parts  of 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina ;  and  wherever  he  went  he  found  the 
people  eager  to  hear  the  gospel,  to  whom  he  preached  with  success, 
and  formed  some  societies.  On  his  return  to  Philadelphia,  under 
date  of  October  31,  1769,  he  addressed  an  encouraging  letter  to  Mr. 
Wesley,  in  which  he  states  that  there  were  about  one  hundred  mem- 
bers in  society  in  that  city,  which  shows  the  good  effects  of  Captain 
Webb's  labours  among  that  people. 

Mr.  Board  man,  on  his  arrival  in  New  York,  found  the  society  in  a 
prosperous  state  under  the  labours  of  Mr.  Embury.  On  the  24th  of 
April,  1770,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Wesley,  in  which  he  in- 
forms him  that  the  house  would  contain  about  1700  people,  and  that 
he  found  a  most  willing  people  to  hear,  and  the  prospect  every  where 
brightening  before  him.  Other  local  preachers  occasionally  came 
over,  and  were  employed  with  various  degrees  of  usefulness. 

From  this  encouraging  representation  of  things,  Mr.  Wesley  was 
induced  to  adopt  measures  for  furnishing  additional  labourers  in  this 
part  of  the  Lord's  vineyard.  Accordingly,  the  next  year,  1771,  Mr 
Francis  Asbury,  and  Mr.  Richard  Wright,  offered  themselves  for  this 
Avork,  were  accepted  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  sent  with  the  blessing  of 
God  to  the  help  of  their  brethren  in  America.  They  landed  in  Phila- 
delphia, October  7,  1771,  and  immediately  repaired  to  the  meeting, 
and  heard  a  sermon  from  Mr.  Pillmore,  whom  they  found  at  his  sta- 
tion and  in  his  work.  They  were  most  cordially  received.  "  The 
people,"  says  Mr.  Asbury,  "  looked  on  us  with  pleasure,  hardly  know- 
ing how  to  show  their  love  sufficiently,  bidding  us  welcome  with 
fervent  affection,  and  receiving  us  as  angels  of  God." 

On  his  arrival,  Mr.  Asbury,  who  had  been  appointed  by  Mr.  Wes- 
ley to  the  general  charge  of  the  work,  commenced  a  more  extended 
method  of  preaching  the  gospel,  by  itinerating  through  the  country, 
as  well  as  preaching  in  the  cities;  by  which  means  a  more  diffusive 
spread  was  given  to  the  work  of  God.  His  energetic  example  ex- 
cited the  others  to  a  more  zealous  activity  in  the  cause,  and  hence 
many  new  societies  were  established,  and  brought  under  disciplinary 
regulations.  In  Kent  county,  Maryland,  and  various  places  in  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Carolina,  through  the  labours  of  Mr.  Strawbridge 
and  Robert  Williams,  preaching  was  commenced ;  and  these  places 
were  visited  by  Mr.  Asbury  and  Mr.  Pillmore,  the  latter  of  whom 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  433 

visited  Norfolk,  Virginia,  and  penetrated  into  North  and  South  Caro- 
lina ;  nor  did  he  stop  until  he  reached  Savannah,  Georgia. 

In  this  way  the  work  of  reformation  went  on  until  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Rankin,  in  June,  1773,  who,  being  appointed  to  supersede  Mr. 
Asbury  as  general  superintendent,  held  the  first  conference  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  July  4,  1773,  at  which  time  there  were  10  tra- 
velling preachers  and  11  GO  members  in  the  various  societies.  At 
this  conference,  they  adopted  the  Wesleyan  plan  of  stationing  the 
preachers,  and  taking  minutes  of  their  doings. 

The  first  meeting  house  in  the  city  of  Baltimore  was  built  early  in 
the  year  1774. 

It  appears  that  God  blessed  the  labours  of  his  servants  this  year, 
and  that  they  extended  their  labours  into  the  State  of  New  Jersey, 
and  into  various  places  in  the  states  before  mentioned ;  for  we  find 
that  at  the  next  conference,  which  was  held  May  25,  1774,  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  they  had  so  increased  that  there  were  re- 
turned on  the  minutes  17  travelling  preachers,  and  2073  private 
members. 

During  this  year,  Messrs.  Board  man  and  Pillmore  left  the  conti- 
nent, and  returned  to  England  ;  the  former,  who  had  much  endeared 
himself  to  the  people  by  his  truly  Christian  deportment,  and  faithful- 
ness in  preaching,  never  to  return;  the  latter  soon  came  back,  was 
admitted  and  ordained  a  minister  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
in  which  he  remained  until  his  death.  Through  the  labours  of  Mr. 
Williams,  the  work  extended  to  Petersburg,  Virginia,  and  from 
there  over  the  Roanoke  river  some  distance  into  South  Carolina  ; 
so  that  three  preachers  were  sent  from  the  conference  into  that  part 
of  the  vineyard,  and  towards  the  close  of  the  year  a  most  remarka- 
ble revival  of  relio;ion  followed  their  efforts.  Such  were  the  blessed 
effects  of  their  evangelical  labours,  that  they  had  increased,  as  was 
found  at  the  next  conference,  to  3148,  and  the  number  of  preachers 
was  19. 

No  one  individual  contributed  more  to  extend  the  work  of  God  on 
every  hand,  than  Mr.  Asbury,  who  travelled  extensively  and  laboured 
most  indefatigably  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  devoting  his  whole  time 
and  attention  to  this  holy  work.  Others,  to  be  sure,  imitated  his 
noble  example,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Shadford,  whose  labours  were 
greatly  blessed ;  as  also  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jarrat,  a  pious  and  evangelical 
minister  of  the  English  Church,  who  entered  heartily  into  the  work, 
giving  the  weight  of  his  influence  in  favour  of  experimental  and  prac- 
tical godliness,  and  assisted  the  Methodist  preachers  much  by  his 
cordial  co-operation  with  them,  as  also  by  administering  baptism 


434  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  the  Lord's  Supper,  to  the  children  and  n'lembers  of  their  con<^re- 
gations.  And  though  the  minds  of  the  people  began  to  be  much  ex- 
cited on  the  subject  of  the  war  which  was  then  approaching;  they 
were  blessed  with  one  of  the  most  remarkable  revivals  of  religion 
which  had  ever  been  witnessed  in  that  part  of  the  country,  if,  indeed, 
in  any  other  portion  of  America.  An  account  of  this  great  work, 
written  by  Mr.  Jarrat,  was  published  and  extensively  read  at  the 
time. 

God  began  now  to  raise  up  men  in  this  country  to  preach  that 
gospel  which  they  had  found  "  to  be  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion." Among  others,  we  find  Freeborn  Garrettson,  whose  name  ap- 
pears on  the  minutes  of  conference  of  1776,  and  who  became  one  of 
the  most  zealous  and  successful  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  this  great  work  would  go  on  without 
opposition.  The  lukewarm  clergy  and  the  wicked  of  all  classes 
manifested  their  hostility  in  a  variety  of  ways;  but  they  were  so  far 
from  retarding  the  work,  that  their  persecution  only  tended  to  add  a 
fresh  stimulus  to  the  fervent  zeal  of  God's  servants,  and  to  make  them 
more  bold  and  courageous  in  the  cause  which  they  had  espoused.  In 
the  year  1776,  after  the  revolutionary  contest  had  commenced,  per- 
secution against  the  Methodist  missionaries  found  a  pretext  in  the 
fact,  that  most  of  them  were  from  England,  and  that  some  of  (hem 
had  manifested  a  partiality  for  their  king  and  country,  and  moreover 
that  they  were  all  under  the  direction  of  a  leader  who  had  written 
against  the  American  principles  and  measures.  In  consequence  of 
this,  all  the  English  preachers,  except  Mr.  Asbury,  returned  home 
before  the  close  of  the  year  1777,  and  early  in  the  year  1778,  he  was 
obliged  to  seclude  himself  from  public  observation,  which  he  did  by 
retiring  to  the  house  of  Judge  White,  a  pious  member  of  the  society, 
in  the  State  of  Delaware,  where  he  remained,  only  occasionally 
visiting  his  friends  and  preaching  privately,  for  about  one  year. 

He  was  not  the  only  suficrer  during  that  troublesome  time.  Mr. 
Freeborn  Garrettson  was  whipped,  thrown  from  his  horse,  bruised  and 
mangled,  and  finally  cast  into  prison,  for  preaching  the  word  of  life. 
Mr.  Joseph  Hartley,  also,  was  persecuted  in  a  variety  of  ways,  and  at 
last  imprisoned.  Their  friends,  however,  interceded  for  them,  the 
hearts  of  their  enemies  were  softened,  and  finding  no  just  cause  for 
their  condemnation,  they  were  liberated,  and  soon  they  preached  the 
gospel  w^ith  such  power,  that  in  those  very  places  where  the  persecu- 
tion had  raged,  God  poured  out  his  Spirit,  and  thousands  were  convert- 
ed to  God,  among  whom  were  many  of  their  most  violent  persecutors. 

During  the   war   of  the   revolution,  as   might  be  expected,  the 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  435 

preachers  and  people  had  to  contend  with  a  variety  of  difficulties ; 
some  places,  particularly  New  York  and  Norfolk,  had  to  be  aban- 
doned entirely,  and  others  were  but  partially  supplied.  Yet  they  held 
on  their  way,  and  God  owned  and  blessed  their  pious  efforts ;  so  that 
at  the  conference  of  1783,  at  the  close  of  this  sanguinary  conflict, 
they  had  43  preachers,  and  13,740  private  nnembers;  so  greatly  had 
God  prospered  them,  even  in  the  midst  of  war  and  bloodshed. 

We  come  now,  in  1784,  to  a  very  important  era  in  the  history  of 
Methodism.  The  independence  of  the  United  States  had  been 
achieved,  and  acknowledged  by  the  powers  of  Europe;  and  the 
churches  in  this  country  had  become  totally  separated  from  all  con- 
nexion with  the  hierarchies  of  England,  the  Methodist  societies  as 
well  as  others.  Hitherto  the  Methodist  preachers  had  been  con- 
sidered merely  as  lay-preachers,  and  of  course  had  not  authority  to 
administer  the  ordinances;  and  hence  the  members  of  the  societies 
had  been  dependent  upon  other  ministers  for  the  rite  of  bapfcism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper.  This  had  created  so  much  dissatisfaction  among 
them  that,  contrary  to  the  wishes  and  advice  of  Mr.  Asbury  and  many 
others,  some  of  the  southern  preachers,  in  the  year  1770,  had  ordained 
each  other,  and  began  to  form  a  party  to  whom  they  administered 
the  ordinances.  Through  the  persuasive  influence  of  Mr.  Asbury  and 
those  who  believed  and  acted  with  him,  these  malecontents  had  de- 
sisted from  their  disorderly  proceedings;  and  now,  at  the  close  of  the 
revolutionary  struggle,  they  united  in  urging  upon  Mr.  Wesley  the 
necessity  and  propriety  of  his  adopting  measures  to  afford  them  relief. 
Though  he  had  hitherto  resisted  all  solicitations  to  exercise  the  power 
with  which  he  fully  believed  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  had  in- 
vested him,  to  ordain  preachers  for  the  benefit  of  his  own  societies, 
because  he  did  not  wish  to  disturb  the  established  order  of  things  in 
the  Church  of  England  :  yet  now,  that  that  church  had  no  longer  any 
jurisdiction  in  this  country,  he  felt  himself  at  full  liberty,  as  he  did  not 
interfere  with  any  man's  right,  to  set  apart  men  whom  he  judged 
well  qualified  for  that  work,  to  administer  the  sacraments  to  the 
Methodists  in  America.  Accordingly,  on  the  2d  day  of  September, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1784,  assisted  by  other  presbyters,  he  conse- 
crated Thomas  Coke,  LL.  D.,  a  presbyter  in  the  Church  of  England, 
as  a  superintendent,  and  likewise  ordained  Richard  Whatcoat  and 
Thomas  Vasey  to  the  office  of  elders,  and  sent  them  over  to  America, 
with  instructions  to  organize  the  societies  here  into  a  separate  and  inde- 
pendent church,  furnishing  them,  at  the  same  time,  with  forms  of  ordi- 
nation for  deans,  elders,  and  superintendents,  and  likewise  with  forms 
for  administering  baptisms  and  the  consecration  and  administration 


436  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  ihc  ulemcnls  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Being  tlius  furnished  with 
proper  credentials,  Dr.  Coke,  in  company  with  Messrs.  Whatcoat  and 
Vasey,  sailed  for  this  country;  and  at  a  conference  which  was  called 
for  the  express  purpose  of  considering  the  plan  prepared  by  Mr. 
Wesley,  convened  in  the*  city  of  Baltimore,  Dec.  25,  1784,  the 
measures  were  unanimously  approved  of;  Dr.  Coke  was  recognised 
in  his  character  of  superintendent ;  Mr.  Asbury  was  unanimously 
elected  a  joint  superintendent  with  him ;  and,  on  the  27th  day  of  the 
same  month,  he  v^as  consecrated  by  Dr.  Coke,  assisted  by  several 
elders,  having  been  previously  ordained  deacon  and  elder,  to  his  high 
and  responsible  office.  Twelve  others  of  the  preachers  were  elected 
and  consecrated  deacons  and  elders,  and  three  to  the  order  of  deacon. 
Mr.  Wesley  had  also  sent  an  abridgment  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  containing  the  forms  of  service  above  mentioned,  and  also 
twenty-five  articles  of  religion,  accompanied  with  various  other  rules 
for  the  r^ulation  of  the  ministers  and  members  of  the  newly-formed 
church,  all  of  which  were  adopted  by  the  conference. 

Being  thus  regularly  organized,  they  went  forth  to  their  work  with 
renewed  faith  and  zeal,  and  were  every  where  received  by  the  people 
in  their  proper  character,  as  accredited  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
duly  authorized  to  administer  the  ordinances  of  God's  word,  and  to 
perform  all  the  functions  belonging  to  their  holy  office. 

As  this  organization  has  frequently  been  assailed  as  being  unscrip- 
tural,  and  contrary  to  primitive  usage:  it  may  be  well  to  state  a  few 
of  the  arguments  on  which  it  rests  for  support. 

L  In  the  first  place,  there  appeared  to  be  a  loud  call  for  these 
measures,  arising  from  the  general  state  of  things  in  this  country.  As 
to  the  clergy  of  the  English  Church,  the  most  of  them  had  fled  from 
the  country  during  the  stormy  day,  and  those  who  remained,  with 
very  few  exceptions,  were  fit  for  any  thing  rather  than  for  ministers 
of  the  gospel.  From  the  hands  of  these  men  the  Methodists  were 
unwilling  to  receive  the  ordinances.  As  to  the  Presbyterians  and 
Congregationalists,  they  would  neither  baptize  the  children  unless  at 
least  one  of  the  parents  professed  faith  in  their  doctrines,  nor  admit 
these  to  the  communion  table,  unless  they  became  members  of  their 
church.  The  Baptists  were  more  rigid  than  either,  as  they  would 
admit  none  to  church-fellowship  unless  they  had  been  baptized  by 
immersion.  To  none  of  these  conditions  could  the  Methodists  con- 
scientiously submit.  Hence  a  necessity,  originating  from  the  slate 
of  things  in  this  country,  compelled  them  either  to  remain  destitute 
of  the  ordinances,  to  administer  them  with  unconsecrated  hands,  or 
to  provide  for  them  in  the  manner  they  did. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  437 

2.  Those  who  laid  hands  on  Messrs.  Wha'tcoat  and  Vasey,  namely, 
Mr.  Wesley,  Dr.  Coke,  and  Mr.  Creighton,  were  all  regular  presby- 
ters in  the  Church  of  England ;  and  those  who  laid  hands  on  Dr. 
Coke,  and  thereby  set  him  apart  for  a  superintendent  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  America,  were  also  presbyters,  regularly  or- 
dained to  that  order  and  office  in  the  Church  of  God. 

3.  It  appears  manifest,  from  several  passages  of  scripture,  par- 
ticularly Acts  xiii.  1,  2,  and  1  Tim.  iv.  14,  and  the  testimonies  of  the 
primitive  fathers  of  the  church,  that  presbyters  and  bishops  were  of 
the  same  order,  and  that  they  originally  possessed  and  exercised  the 
power  of  ordination. 

4.  The  doctrine  of  an  uninterrupted  succession  from  the  apostles, 
in  a  third  order,  made  such  by  a  triple  consecration,  as  distinct  from 
and  superior  to  elders,  has  been  discarded  by  many  of  the  most 
eminent  ecclesiastical  writers,  as  resting  upon  no  solid  foundation,  not 
being  susceptible  of  proof  from  any  authentic  source. 

5.  Mr.  Wesley  possessed  rights  over  the  Methodists  which  no  other 
man  did  or  could  possess,  because  they  were  his  spiritual  children, 
raised  up  under  his  preaching  and  superintendence,  and  hence  they 
justly  looked  to  him  for  a  supply  of  the  ordinances  of  Jesus  Christ. 

H.  Therefore,  in  exercising  the  power  of  ordination,  and  providing 
for  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  societies  in  America  into  a 
church,  he  invaded  no  other  man's  right,  nor  yet  assumed  that  which 
did  not  belong  to  him. 

7.  Hence  he  did  not,  as  the  objection  which  this  argument  is  de- 
signed to  refute  supposes,  ordain  either  presbyters  or  a  bishop  for  the 
English  Church,  or  for  any  other  church  then  existing,  but  simply 
and  solely  for  the  Methodist  societies  in  America ;  and,  therefore,  in 
doing  this  necessary  work,  he  neither  acted  inconsistently  with  him- 
self as  a  presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England,  nor  incompatibly  with 
his  frequent  avowals  to  remain  in  that  church,  and  not  to  separate 
from  it. 

8.  For,  in  fact,  in  organizing  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  he 
did  not  separate  either  from  the  English  or  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church ;  for  the  former  had  no  existence  in  America,  and  the  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church  was  organized  three  years  before  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Church  w^ent  into  operation.  Hence  he  acted 
perfectly  consistent  with  himself,  with  all  his  avowals  of  attachment 
to  the  Church  of  England,  while  he  proceeded  to  organize  a  church 
here;  for,  while  he  did  this,  and  thereby  established  a  separate  and 
independent  church  in  America,  where  the  English  Church  had  no 
jurisdiction,  where  both  the  political  and  ecclesiastical  power  of  Eng- 


438 


IIISTOItY  OF  THE 


land  was  totally  annihifated,  and  where  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
had  then  no  existence,  he  and  his  people  in  England  still  remained 
members  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  he  invaded  not  the  rights  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  least  degree,  seeing  it  had  no 
existence. 

9.  While  the  scriptures  are  silent  in  respect  to  the  particular  form 
of  church  government  which  should  be  established,  they  certainly 
allow  of  an  episcopal  form,  because  it  is  not  incompatible  with  any 
known  precept  or  usage  of  primitive  Christianity. 

10.  This  is  farther  manifest  from  the  acknowledged  fact  that  the 
apostles  and  evangelists  did  exercise  a  jurisdiction  over  the  entire 
church — presbyters,  deacons,  and  people ;  though  at  the  same  time 
there  is  no  proof  that  as  to  order,  created  such  by  a  tJiird  consecra- 
tion, they  were  higher  than  presbyters. 

11.  Distinguishing,  therefore,  between  the  power  of  ordination  and 
the  power  of  jurisdiction,  we  may  see  how  an  episcopal  government 
may  be  created  by  a  presbyterial  ordination,  and  hence  justify  the 
act  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  associates  in  setting  apart  Dr.  Coke  to 
the  office  of  a  superintendent. 

12.  Another  argument  in  favour  of  these  measures  arises  out  of 
the  character  of  the  men  engaged  in  this  business.  As  for  John 
Wesley,  it  is  almost  superfluous  to  say  any  thing  in  his  commenda- 
tion, as  his  qualifications  for  a  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  his  deep 
experience  in  the  things  of  God,  the  evangelical  character,  and  the 
astonishing  success  of  his  ministrations,  place  him  beyond  the  reach 
of  censure,  and  elevate  him  high  in  the  estimation  of  all  who  know 
how  to  estimate  true  worth  of  character. 

As  to  Dr.  Coke,  for  about  six  years  previous  to  his  sailing  to 
America,  he  had  given  evidence  of  an  entire  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
God,  of  a  genuine  experience  of  divine  things,  and  of  his  ardent  attach- 
ment to  the  cause  of  Methodism  as  promulgated  by  Mr.  Wesley. 

Mr.  Creighton  w  as  a  presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England,  a  man 
of  sound  understanding  and  of  deep  piety. 

These  were  the  men,  all  regularly  ordained  presbyters  of  the 
Church  of  England,  who  consecrated  Messrs.  Whatcoat  and  Yasey, 
and  then  they  assisted  in  the  consecration  of  Dr.  Coke  to  the  ofi'ice 
of  a  superintendent. 

And  as  to  Mr.  Francis  Asbury,  he  had  furnished  the  most  indubi- 
table evidence  of  his  qualifications  to  fill  the  office  to  which  he  w-as 
called  both  by  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  unanimous 
vote  of  his  brethren,  those  very  brethren  who  had  borne  witness  to 
his  conduct  for  about  eleven  vears,  during  which  time  he  had  made 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  439 

"full  proof  of  his  ministry,"  and  whose  subsequent  life  fully  justified 
the  -wisdom  of  their  choice. 

These  are  the  facts,  expressed  in  as  few  words  as  possible,  on 
which  we  found  the  validity  of  our  church  organization,  of  our 
ministerial  orders,  and  the  scriptural  character  of  our  ordinances. 

Having  so  particularly  detailed  the  history  of  this  church  thus  far, 
our  subsequent  narrative  must  necessarily  be  brief,  as  the  space 
allotted  to  this  article  will  not  allow  of  a  very  minute  presentation 
of  facts. 

Being  thus  regularly  organized,  and  furnished  with  proper  creden- 
tials as  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  they  went  forth  to  their  work 
with  greater  confidence  than  ever,  and  the  Lord  abundantly  blessed 
their  labours  to  the  awakening  and  conversion  of  souls.  New  cir- 
cuits were  formed,  new  societies  were  established,  and  believers 
were  "  built  up  upon  their  most  holy  faith."  And  as  they  thus  spread 
abroad  in  every  direction,  over  such  a  large  surface  of  country : 
it  became  inconvenient  for  the  preachers  all  to  assemble  annually 
in  one  conference  for  the  transaction  of  business ;  hence  several 
conferences  were  held  the  same  year,  at  suitable  distances  from 
each  other,  at  which  the  superintending  bishop  attended,  presided 
over  their  deliberations,  ordained  such  as  were  elected  by  the  con- 
ferences to  the  order  of  deacons  or  elders,  and  appointed  the  preach- 
ers to  their  several  stations  and  circuits. 

The  first  General  Conference  was  held  in  the  year  1792.  The 
necessity  for  this  arosa  out  of  the  increase  of  their  work,  the  incom- 
petency of  the  several  annual  conferences  to  form  rules  and  regula- 
tions in  harmony  one  with  the  other,  which  should  be  binding  upon 
the  whole,  and  the  utter  impracticability  of  their  all  coming  together 
at  the  same  time  and  place  to  do  their  business.  To  remedy  the 
inconvenience  arising  out  of  this  state  of  things,  the  annual  confer- 
ences had  agreed  that  there  should  be  a  General  Conference  held 
once  in  four  years,  to  be  composed  of  all  the  travelling  elders  in  full 
connexion,  to  whom  should  be  committed  the  entire  authority  of 
making  rules  fur  the  regulation  of  the  church.  At  this  General  Con- 
ference a  secession  was  made,  headed  by  James  O'Kelley,  a  pre- 
siding elder  in  Virginia ;  because  he  was  dissatisfied  with  the  bishop's 
power  of  stationing  the  preachers,  and  pleaded  for  an  appeal  to  the 
Conference.  This  caused  considerable  disturbance  for  a  season,  in 
some  parts  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina ;  but  he  very  soon  lost 
his  influence,  and  his  party  became  scattered,  and  finally  came  to 
naught ;  while  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  went  on  its  way 
increasing  in  numbers  and  influence.     At  this  time  there  were  2GG 


440  HISTORY  OF  THE 

travelling  preachers,  and  65,980  members  of  the  church.  Circuits 
had  been  formed  and  societies  established  throughout  nearly  every 
State  and  Territory  in  the  Union,  and  also  in  Upper  Canada,  tlie 
^vhoIe  of  which  was  under  the  able  and  energetic  superintending  of 
Bishop  Asbury,  who  travelled  from  six  to  seven  thousand  miles 
annually,  preaching  generally  every  day,  and  on  the  sabbath  twice 
or  thrice. 

In  1800  Richard  Whatcoat  was  elected  and  ordained  a  bishop, 
and  immediately  entered  upon  his  work,  and  greatly  assisted  Bishop 
Asbury  in  his  arduous  labours. 

Such  was  the  increase  of  members  and  preachers,  that  it  was  found 
quite  inconvenient  for  even  all  the  elders  to  assemble  in  General  Con- 
ference quadrennially;  and  hence  in  1808,  measures  were  adopted  to 
form  a  delegated  General  Conference,  to  be  composed  of  not  less  than 
one  for  every  seven  of  the  members  of  the  annual  conferences,  nor 
more  than  one  for  every  five,  to  be  chosen  either  by  ballot  or  by 
seniority;  at  the  same  time  the  power  of  this  delegated  conference 
was  limited  by  constitutional  restrictions. 

The  first  delegated  conference  assembled  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
in  the  year  1812,  in  which  Bishops  Asbury  and  McHendree,  the 
latter  of  whom  had  been  elected  and  consecrated  a  bishop  in  1808, 
presided.  In  1816  Bishop  Asbury  died,  and  in  the  same  year,  at  the 
General  Conference  held  in  Baltimore,  Enoch  George,  and  Robert  R. 
Roberts,  were  elected  and  consecrated  bishops. 

In  1819  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  formed.  Its  object  was  "to  assist  the  several  annual  confer- 
ences to  extend  their  missionary  labours  throughout  the  United  States 
and  elsewhere."  This  society  has  contributed  mightily  to  difflise  the 
work  of  God,  in  the  poor  and  destitute  portions  of  our  own  country, 
among  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  the  United  States  and  territories,  among 
the  slaves  of  the  South,  and  Southwest,  and  it  has  sent  its  missionaries 
to  Africa,  to  South  America,  and  even  to  Oregon,  beyond  the  Rocky 
Mountains ;  and  thousands  will  doubtless  rise  up  at  a  future  day  and 
praise  God  for  the  blessings  they  have  received  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  this  godlike  institution. 

In  this  way  the  good  work  lias  continued  to  spread  until  now, 
1843,  when  there  are  4,28G  travelling,  and  7,730  local  preachers,  and 
1,068,525  private  members  of  the  church,  including  exhorters,  stew- 
ards, class  leaders,  and  trustees. 

This  great  prosperity,  however,  has  not  been  unattended  with 
diliiculties  from  without  as  well  as  within  the  church.  Various  indi- 
viduals have  arisen  at  difiercnt  times,  who  have  become  dissatisfied 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  441 

with  the  government  and  some  of  the  usages  of  the  church,  and  not 
being  able  to  effect  an  alteration  in  conformity  to  their  wishes,  have 
finally  seceded  and  attempted  to  establish  separate  communities.  The 
most  considerable  of  these,  beside  that  of  James  O'Kelly,  already 
mentioned,  was  that  which  took  place  in  1830,  when  the  "  Methodist 
Protestant  Church"  was  formed  by  a  convention  of  delegates,  as- 
sembled by  previous  arrangement,  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  in  which 
they  provide'd  for  a  mixture  of  lay  and  clerical  influence  in  the  go- 
vernment, both  in  the  legislative,  judicial,  and  executive  departments ; 
in  the  mean  time  abolishing  Episcopacy,  and  Substituting,  in  the  place 
of  bishops,  presidents  of  their  Annual  and  General  Conferences,  to  be 
elected  whenever  those  bodies  may  assemble  for  the  transaction  of 
business.  They  hold  fast,  however,  all  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  likewise  retain  the  use  of  class 
and  quarterly  meetings,  love-feasts,  and  the  sacramental  services, 
annual  and  general  conferences,  and  an  itinerant  ministry. 

Another  secession  has  just  commenced,  ostensibly  on  the  abolition 
principles  and  movements ;  but  they  manifest  the  like  hostility  to  those 
features  of  our  government  growing  out  of  the  Episcopal  form,  and 
seem  determined  to  establish  one  more  in  conformity  with  their  views 
of  equal  rights  and  privileges. 

How  far  these  brethren  may  realize  their  wishes,  remains  to  be 
seen.  It  is  certainly  an  evidence  of  the  strong  convictions  with  which 
all  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  have 
been  received,  that  none  of  the  seceding  bodies  have  abjured  any  of 
these;  and  so  far  as  they  may  succeed  in  propagating  them,  we  wish 
them  all  success,  while  we  cannot  but  think,  that  they  would  have 
given  them  a  still  wider  circulation  had  they  remained  quietly  and 
firmly  attached  to  their  brethren,  and  continued  to  work  in  the  "  old 
ways."  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  so  far 
from  being  shaken  by  these  thrusts  at  her  peculiarities,  or  retarded  in 
her  career  of  usefulness,  has  seemed  to  assume  greater  stability,  and 
much  to  increase  in  her  prosperity;  and  this,  doubtless,  she  will  do,  so 
long  as  she  keeps  "  a  single ,eye"  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  aims  simply 
and  solely,  as  it  is  believed  she  has  done  heretofore,  for  the  salvation 
of  a  lost  and  ruined  world. 


DOCTRINES. 

The  following  articles  of  faith  contain  all  the  cardinal  doctrines  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  are  declared,  by  the  restrictive 

29 


442 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


regulations  which  limit  the  powers  of  the  General  Conference,  to  be 
unalterable. 

I.  Of  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity. — There  is  but  one  living  and  true 
God,  everlasting,  wiihqut  body  or  parts,  of  infinite  power,  wisdom, 
and  goodness,  the  maker  and  preserver  of  all  things,  visible  and  in- 
visible. And  in  unity  of  this  Godhead  there  are  three  persons  of  one 
substance,  power,  and  eternity  : — the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

II.  Of  the  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  who  was  made  very  Man. — The 
Son,  who  is  the  Word  of  the  Father,  the  very  and  eternal  God,  of 
one  substance  with  the  Father,  look  man's  nature  in  the  womb  of  the 
blessed  Virgin-,  so  that  two  whole  and  perfect  natures,  that  is  to  say, 
the  Godhead  and  manhood,  were  joined  together  in  one  person,  never 
to  be  divided,  whereof  is  one  Christ,  very  God  and  very  man,  who 
truly  suffered,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  to  reconcile  his  Father 
to  us,  and  to  be  a  sacrifice,  not  only  for  original  guilt,  but  also  for 
actual  sins  of  men. 

III.  Of  the  Resmrection  of  Christ.— -Chrisi  did  truly  rise  again  from 
the  dead,  and  took  again  his  body,  with  all  things  appertaining  to  the 
perfection  of  man's  nature,  wherewith  he  ascended  into  heaven,  and 
there  sitteth  until  he  return  to  judge  all  men  at  the  last  day. 

IV.  Of  the  Holy  Ghost.— The  Holy  Ghost,  proceeding  from  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  is  of  one  substance,  majesty,  and  glory  with  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  very  and  eternal  God. 

V.  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  Salvation. — The  Holy 
Scriptures  contain  all  things  necessary  to  salvation ;  so  that  whatso- 
ever is  not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be 
required  of  any  man,  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an  article  of  faith, 
or  be  thought  requisite  or  necessary  to  salvation.  By  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Scripture  we  do  understand  those  canonical  books  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  of  whose  authority  was  never  any  doubt  in  the 
Church. 

The  JVarnes  of  the  Canonical  Books. — Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus, 
Numbers,  Deuteronomy,  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  the  First  Book  of 
Samuel,  the  Second  Book  of  Samuel,  the  First  Book  of  Kings,  the 
Second  Book  of  Kings,  the  First  Book  of  Chronicles,  the  Second 
Book  of  Chronicles,  the  Book  of  Ezra,  the  Book  of  Nehemiah,  the 
Book  of  Esther,  the  Book  of  Job,  the  Psalms,  the  Proverbs,  Eccle- 
siastes  or  the  Preacher,  Cantica,  or  Songs  of  Solomon,  Four  Pro- 
phets the  greater,  Twelve  Prophets  the  less :  all  the  books  of  the 
New  Testament,  as  they  are  commonly  received,  we  do  receive  and 
account  canonical. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  443 

VI.  Of  the  Old  Testament. — The  Old  Testament  is  not  contrary  to 
the  New ;  for  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  everlasting  life  is 
offered  to  mankind  by  Christ,  who  is  the  only  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  being  both  God  and  man.  Wherefore  they  are  not  to  be 
heard  who  feign  that  the  old  fathers  did  look  only  for  transitory  pro- 
mises. Although  the  law  given  from  God  by  Moses,  as  touching 
ceremonies  and  rites,  doth  not  bind  Christians,  nor  ought  the  civil 
precepts  thereof  of  necessity  be  received  in  any  commonwealth  :  yet, 
notwithstanding,  no  Christian  whatsoever  is  free  from  the  obedience  of 
the  commandments  which  are  called  moral. 

VII.  Of  Original  or  Birik  Sin, — Original  sin  standeth  not  in  the 
following  of  Adam,  (as  the  Pelagians  do  vainly  talk,)  but  it  is  the 
corruption  of  the  nature  of  every  man,  that  naturally  is  engendered 
of  the  offspring  of  Adam,  whereby  man  is  very  far  gone  from 
original  righteousness,  and  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  and  that 
continually. 

VIII.  Of  Free  Will. — The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam 
is  such,  that  he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself,  by  his  own  natural 
strength  and  works,  to  faith,  and  calling  upon  God;  wherefore  we 
have  no  power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  God, 
without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ  preventing  us,  that  we  may  have 
a  good  will,  and  working  with  us,  when  we  have  that  good  will. 

IX.  Of  the  Justification  of  Man. — We  are  accounted  righteous 
before  God,  only  for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or  deservings  : — wherefore,  that 
we  are  justified  by  faith  only,  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and  very 
full  of  comfort. 

X.  Of  Good  Worhs. — Although  good  works,  which  are  the  fruits 
of  faith,  and  follow  after  justification,  cannot  put  away  our  sins,  and 
endure  the  severity  of  God's  judgments:  yet  are  they  pleasino*  and 
acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  and  spring  out  of  a  true  and  lively  faith, 
insomuch  that  by  them  a  lively  faith  may  be  as  evidently  known  as 
a  tree  is  discerned  by  its  fruit. 

XI.  Of  Works  of  Supererogation. — Voluntary  works,  besides,  over 
and  above  God's  commandments,  which  are  called  works  of  supere- 
rogation, cannot  be  taught  without  arrogancy  and  impiety.  For  by 
them  men  do  declare  that  they  do  not  only  render  unto  God  as 
much  as  they  are  bound  to  do,  but  that  they  do  more  for  his  sake 
than  of  bounden  duty  is  required  ;  whereas  Christ  saith  plainly,  When 
ye  have  done  all  that  is  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable 
servants. 


4  14  HISTORY  OF  THE 

XII.  Of  Sin  after  Justification . — Not  every  sin  willingly  committed 
after  justification  is  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  unpardonable. 
Wherefore,  the  grant  of  repentance  is  not  to  be  denied  to  such  as  fall 
into  sin  after  justification:  after  we  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost, 
we  may  depart  from  grace  given,  and  fall  into  sin,  and,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  rise  again  and  amend  our  lives.  And  therefore  they  are  to 
be  condemned  who  say  they  can  no  more  sin  as  long  as  they  live 
here;  or  deny  the  place  of  forgiveness  to  such  as  truly  repent. 

XIII.  Of  the  Church. — The  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congrega- 
tion of  faithful  men,  in  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is  preached,  and 
the  sacraments  duly  administered  according  to  Christ's  ordinance  in 
all  those  things  that  of  necessity  are  requisite  to  the  same. 

XIV.  Of  Purgatory. — The  Romish  doctrine  concerning  purgatory, 
pardon,  worshipping,  and  adoration,  as  well  of  images  as  of  relics, 
and  also  invocation  of  saints,  is  a  fond  thing,  vainly  invented,  and 
grounded  upon  no  warrant  of  scripture,  but  repugnant  to  the  word 
of  God. 

XV.  Of  speaking  in  the  Congregation  in  such  a  Tongue  as  the 
People  understand. —  It  is  a  thing  plainly  repugnant  to  the  word  of 
God,  and  the  custom  of  the  primitive  Church,  to  have  public  prayer 
in  the  Church,  or  to  minister  the  sacraments,  in  a  tongue  not  under- 
stood by  the  people. 

XVI.  Of  the  Sacratnents. — Sacraments,  ordained  of  Christ,  are  not 
only  badges  or  tokens  of  Christian  men's  profession ;  but  rather  they 
are  certain  signs  of  grace,  and  God's  good  will  toward  us,  by  the 
which  he  doth  work  invisibly  in  us,  and  doth  not  only  quicken,  but 
also  strengthen  and  confirm  our  faith  in  him. 

There  are  two  sacraments  ordained  of  Christ  our  Lord  in  the  gos- 
pel ;  that  is  to  say.  Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord. 

Those  five  commonly  called  sacraments;  that  is  to  say,  confirma- 
tion, penance,  orders,  matrimony,  and  extreme  unction,  are  not  to  be 
counted  for  sacraments  of  the  gospel,  being  such  as  have  partly  grown 
out  of  the  corrupt  following  of  the  apostles — and  partly  are  states  of 
life  allowed  in  the  scriptures,  but  yet  have  not  the  like  nature  of  Bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  they  have  not  any  visible  sign, 
or  ceremony  ordained  of  God. 

The  sacraments  were  not  ordained  of  Christ  to  be  gazed  upon  or 
to  be  carried  about ;  but  that  we  should  duly  use  them.  And  in  such 
only  as  worthily  receive  the  same,  they  have  a  wholesome  efiect  or 
operation  ;  but  they  that  receive  them  unworthily,  purchase  to  them- 
selves condemnation,  as  St.  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xi.  29. 

XVII.  Of  Baptism. — Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession,  and 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


445 


mark  of  difference,  whereby  Christians  are  distinguished  from  others 
that  are  not  baptized ;  but  it  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration,  or  the  new 
birth.  The  baptism  of  young  children  is  to  be  retained  in  the 
Church. 

XVIII.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper. — The  Supper  of  the  Lord  is  not  only 
a  sign  of  the  love  that  Christians  ought  to  have  among  themselves 
one  to  another,  but  rather  is  a  sacramentof  our  redemption  by  Christ's 
death:  insomuch  that,  to  such  as  rightly,  worthily,  and  with  faith 
receive  the  same,  the  bread  which  we  break  is  a  partaking  of  the  body 
of  Christ;  and  likewise  the  cup  of  blessing  is  a  partaking  of  the  blood 
of  Christ. 

Transubstantiation,  or  the  change  of  the  substance  of  bread  and 
wine  in  the  Supper  of  our  Lord,  cannot  be  proved  by  Holy  Writ,  but 
is  repugnant  to  the  plain  words  of  scripture,  overthroweth  the  nature 
of  a  sacrament,  and  hath  given  occasion  to  many  superstitions. 

The  body  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and  eaten  in  the  Supper,  only 
after  a  heavenly  and  spiritual  manner.  And  the  means,  whereby  the 
body  of  Christ  is  received  and  eaten  in  ithe  Supper,  is  faith. 

The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  not  by  Christ's  ordinance 
reserved,  carried  about,  lifted  up,  or  worshipped. 

XIX.  Of  both  kinds. — The  cup  of  the  Lord  is  not  to  be  denied  to 
the  lay  people ;  for  both  the  parts  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  by  Christ's 
ordinance  and  commandment,  ought  to  be  administered  to  all  Chris- 
tians alike. 

XX.  Of  the  one  Oblation  of  Christ  finished  upon  the  Cj'oss. — The 
offering  of  Christ,  once  made,  is  that  perfect  redemption,  propitiation, 
and  satisfaction  for  all  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and 
actual;  and  there  is  none  other  satisfaction  for  sin  but  that  alone. 
Wherefore  the  sacrifice  of  masses,  in  the  which  it  is  commonly  said, 
that  the  priest  doth  offer  Christ  for  the  quick  and  the  dead,  to  have 
remission  of  pain  or  guilt,  is  a  blasphemous  fable,  and  dangerous 
deceit. 

XXI.  Of  the  Marriage  of  Ministers. — The  ministers  of  Christ  are 
not  commanded  by  God's  law  either  to  vow  the  estate  of  single  life, 
or  to  abstain  from  marriage;  therefore  it  is  lawful  for  them,  as  for 
all  other  Christians,  to  marry  at  their  own  discretion,  as  the}'  shall 
judge  the  same  to  serve  best  to  godliness. 

XXII.  Of  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  Churches. — It  is  not  ne- 
cessary that  rites  and  ceremonies  should  in  all  places  be  the  same, 
or  exactly  alike  :  for  they  have  been  always  different,  and  may  be 
changed  according  to  the  diversity  of  countries,  times,  and  men's 
manners,  so  that  nothing  be  ordained  against  God's  word.     Whoso- 


446 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


ever,  through  his  private  judgment,  vvilhngly  and  purposely  doth  openly 
break  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  church  to  which  he  belongs, 
which  are  not  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  and  are  ordained  and 
approved  by  common  authority,  ought  to  be  rebuked  openly,  that 
others  may  fear  to  do  the  like,  as  one  that  ofl'endclh  against  the  com- 
mon order  of  the  church,  and  woundeth  the  consciences  of  weak 
brethren. 

Every  particular  church  may  ordain,  change,  or  abolish  rites  and 
ceremonies,  so  that  all  things  may  be  done  to  edification. 

XXIII.  Of  the  Ruhrsofihe  United  States  of  America. — The  president, 
the  congress,  the  general  assemblies,  the  governors,  and  the  councils  of 
state,  as  the  delegates  of  the  people,  are  the  rulers  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  according  to  the  division  of  power  made  to  them  by  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  by  the  constitutions  of  their 
respective  states.  And  the  said  states  are  a  sovereign  and  indepen- 
dent nation,  and  ought  not  to  be  subject  to  any  foreign  jurisdiction.* 

XXIV.  Of  Christian  Men's  Goods. — The  riches  and  goods  of 
Chrisiians  are  not  common,  as  touching  the  right,  title,  and  possession 
of  the  same,  as  some  do  falsely  boast.  Notwithstanding,  every  man 
ought,  of  such  things  as  he  possesselh,  liberally  to  give  alms  to  the 
poor,  according  to  his  ability. 

XXV.  Of  a  Christian  Man's  Oath. — As  we  confess  that  vain  and 
rash  swearing  is  forbidden  Christian  men  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  James  his  apostle:  so  we  judge  that  the  Christian  religion  doth  not 
prohibit,  but  that  a  man  may  swear  when  the  magistrate  requireth 
in  a  cause  of  faith  and  charity,  so  it  be  done  according  to  the  prophet's 
teaching,  in  justice,  judgment,  and  truth. 

GOVERNMENT. 

The  government  of  this  church,  as  its  title  imports,  is  episcopal. 
But  that  the  reader  may  have  a  clear  perception  of  the  entire  economy 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  following  analysis  of  its  seve- 
ral parts  is  given : 

1.  There  is  the  societij,  which  includes  all  the  members  of  the 
church  attached  to  any  particular  place. 

2.  The  classes,  which  originally  consisted  of  about  twelve  persons 

*  As  far  as  it  respects  civil  affairs,  we  believe  it  the  duty  of  Christians,  and  especially 
all  Christian  ministers,  to  be  subject  to  the  supreme  authority  of  the  country  where  they 
may  reside,  and  to  use  all  laudable  means  to  enjoin  obedience  to  the  powers  that  be ;  and 
tlicrcfore  it  is  expected  that  all  our  preachers  and  people,  who  may  be  under  the  British 
or  any  other  government,  will  behave  themselves  as  peaceable  and  orderly  subjects. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  447 

each,  but  unhappily  have  often  increased  to  from  twenty  to  forty, 
meet  together  weekly  for  mutual  edification,  in  singing,  prayer,  and 
exhortation. 

3.  The  class  leader,  who  is  appointed  by  the  preacher,  has  charge 
of  a  class,  and  it  is  his  duty  to  see  each  member  of  his  class  once  a 
week,  to  inquire  how  his  soul  prospers,  and  to  receive  what  he 
is  willing  to  give  for  the  support  of  the  church  and  poor. 

4.  The  steivards,  who  are  chosen  by  the  quarterly  meeting  con- 
ference, on  the  nomination  of  the  ruling  preacher,  have  charge  of  all 
the  money  collected  for  the  support  of  the  ministry,  the  poor,  and  for 
sacramental  services,  and  disburse  it  as  the  Discipline  directs. 

5.  The  trustees  have  charge  of  all  the  church  property,  to  hold  it 
for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  These 
arc  elected  by  the  people  in  those  states  where  the  law  so  provides, 
in  other  places  as  the  Discipline  directs. 

6.  There  are  the  exhorters,  who  receive  their  license  from  the 
quarterly  meeting  conference,  and  have  the  privilege  of  holding  meet- 
ings for  exhortation  and  prayer, 

7.  A  preacher  is  one  who  holds  a  license,  and  is  authorized  to 
preach,  but  not  to  baptize  or  administer  the  Lord's  Supper.  He  may 
be  either  a  travelling  or  local  preacher,  A  local  preacher  generally 
follows  some  secular  calling  for  a  livelihood,  and  preaches  on  sab- 
bath, and  occasionally  at  other  times,  without  any  temporal  emolu- 
ment, except  when  he  supplies  the  place  of  a  travelling  preacher.  A 
travelling  preacher  devotes  himself  entirely  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, and  is  supported  by  the  people  among  whom  he  labours.  All 
these,  after  being  recommended  by  the  class  to  which  they  respec- 
tively belong,  or  by  the  leaders'  meeting,  receive  their  license  from 
the  quarterly  meeting  conference,  signed  by  the  presiding  elder. 

8.  A  deacon  holds  a  parchment  from  a  bishop,  and  is  authorized, 
in  addition  to  the  discharging  the  duties  of  a  preacher,  to  solemnize 
the  rite  of  matrimony,  to  bury  the  dead,  to  baptize,  and  to  assist  the 
elder  in  administering  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  is  his  duty,  also,  to  seek 
after  the  sick  and  poor,  and  administer  to  their  comfort. 

9.  An  elder  is  ordained  to  that  office  by  a  bishop,  assisted  by 
several  elders,  and,  besides  doing  the  duties  above  enumerated,  has 
full  authority  to  administer  all  the  ordinances  of  God's  house.  These 
generally,  whenever  a  sufficient  number  of  them  can  be  had,  have 
the  charge  of  circuits  or  stations,  and  the  administration  of  the  several 
parts  of  Discipline. 

10.  A  'presiding  elder,  though  no  higher  as  to  order  than  an  elder, 
has  charge  of  several  circuits  and  stations,  called  collectively  a  dis- 


448 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


trict.  It  is  his  duty  to  visit  each  circuit  or  station  once  a  quarter,  to 
preach,  to  administer  the  ordinances,  to  call  together  the  travelling 
and  local  preachers,  exhorters,  stewards,  and  class  leaders  of  the  cir- 
cuit or  station  for  the  quarterly  meeting  conference;  and,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  a  bishop,  to  receive,  try,  suspend,  or  expel  preachers,  as  the 
Discipline  directs.     He  is  appointed  to  his  charge  by  the  bishop. 

11.  A  bishop  is  elected  by  the  General  Conference,  and  is  respon- 
sible to  that  body  for  his  official  conduct,  and  is  consecrated  to  that 
office  by  the  imposition  of  the  hands  of  three  bishops,  or  by  a  bishop 
and  several  elders,  or  if  there  be  no  bishop  living,  by  any  three  of  the 
elders  who  may  be  appointed  by  the  General  Conference  for  that 
purpose.  It  is  his  duty  to  travel  through  the  work  at  large,  to  superin- 
tend the  temporal  and  spiritual  affairs  of  the  church,  to  preside  in  the 
Annual  and  General  Conferences,  to  ordain  such  as  may  be  elected  by 
the  annual  conferences  to  the  order  of  deacons  or  elders,  and  to  ap- 
point the  preachers  to  their  several  circuits  or  stations. 

12.  A  leaders^  meeting  is  composed  of  the  class  leaders  in  any  one 
circuit  or  station,  in  which  the  preacher  in  charge  presides.  Here 
the  weekly  class  collections  are  paid  into  the  hands  of  the  stew^ards, 
probationers  are  received  or  dropped,  as  the  case  may  be,  inquiry  is 
made  into  the  state  of  the  classes,  delinquents  are  reported,  and  the 
sick  and  poor  inquired  after. 

13.  A  quarterly  meetivg  conference  is  composed  of  all  the  travel- 
ling and  local  preachers,  exhorters,  stewards,  and  leaders,  belonging 
to  any  particular  circuit  or  station,  in  which  the  presiding  elder  pre- 
sides, or  in  his  absence  the  preacher  in  charge.  Here  exhorters  and 
preachers  are  licensed,  preachers  are  recommended  to  an  annual 
conference  to  be  received  into  the  travelling  ministry,  and  also  local 
preachers  are  recommended  to  the  annual  conference  as  suitable  per- 
sons to  be  ordained  deacons  or  elders;  and  likewise  appeals  arc 
heard  from  any  member  of  the  church,  who  may  appeal  from  a  de- 
cision of  a  committee  by  whom  he  may  have  been  tried  for  any  de- 
linquency. 

14.  An  annual  conference  is  composed  of  all  the  travelling 
preachers,  deacons,  and  elders  within  a  specified  district  of  country. 
These  are  not  legislative,  but  merely  executive  and  judicial  bodies, 
acting  under  rules  prescribed  for  them  by  the  General  Conference. 
Here  the  character  and  conduct  of  all  the  travelling  preachers  within 
the  bounds  of  the  conference  are  examined  yearly;  applicants  for 
admission  into  the  travelling  ministry,  if  accounted  worthy,  are  ad- 
mitted, continued  on  trial,  or  dropped,  as  the  case  may  be ;  appeals 
of  local  preachers,  which  may  be  presented,  are  heard  and  decided ; 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  449 

and  those  who  are  eligible  to  deacon's  or  elder's  orders  are  elected. 
An  annual  conference  possesses  an  original  jurisdiction  over  all  its 
members,  and  may  therefore  try,  acquit,  suspend,  expel,  or  locate 
any  of  them,  as  the  Discipline  in  such  cases  provides. 

15.  The  General  Conference  assembles  quadrennially,  and  is  com- 
posed of  a  certain  number  of  delegates  elected  by  the  annual  con- 
ferences. It  has  power  to  revise  any  part  of  the  Discipline,  or  to 
introduce  any  new  regulation,  not  prohibited  by  the  following  limita- 
tions and  restrictions : 

a.  The  General  Conference  shall  not  revoke,  alter,  or  change  our 
articles  of  religion,  nor  establish  any  new  standards  or  rules  of  doc- 
trine contrary  to  our  present  existing  and  established  standards  of 
doctrine. 

b.  They  shall  not  allow  of  more  than  one  representative  for  every 
fourteen  members  of  the  Annual  Conference,  nor  allow  of  a  less 
number  than  one  for  every  thirty:  provided,  nevertheless,  that  when 
there  shall  be  in  any  annual  conference  a  fraction  of  two-thirds  the 
number  which  shall  be  fixed  for  the  ratio  of  representation,  such 
annual  conference  shall  be  entitled  to  an  additional  delegate  for 
such  fraction :  and  provided  also,  that  no  annual  conference  shall 
be  denied  the  privilege  of  two  delegates. 

c.  They  shall  not  change  or  alter  any  part  or  rule  of  our  govern- 
ment, so  as  to  do  away  episcopacy,  or  destroy  the  plan  of  our  itine- 
rant general  superintendency. 

d.  They  shall  not  revoke  or  change  the  General  Rules  of  the 
United  Societies. 

e.  They  shall  not  do  away  the  privileges  of  our  ministers  or  preach- 
ers of  trial  by  a  committee,  and  of  an  appeal ;  neither  shall  they  do 
away  the  privileges  of  our  members  of  trial  before  the  society,  or  by 
a  committee,  and  of  an  appeal. 

f.  They  shall  not  appropriate  the  produce  of  the  Book  Concern, 
nor  of  the  Charter  Fund,  to  any  purpose  other  than  for  the  benefit  of 
the  travelling,  supernumerary,  superannuated,  and  worn-out  preach- 
ers, their  wives,  widows,  and  children.  Provided,  nevertheless,  that 
upon  the  concurrent  recommendation  of  three-fourths  of  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  several  annual  conferences,  who  shall  be  present  and 
vote  on  such  recommendation,  then  a  majority  of  two-thirds  of  the 
General  Conference  succeeding  shall  suffice  to  alter  any  of  the  above 
restrictions,  except  the  first  article;  and  also,  whenever  such  altera- 
tion or  alterations  shall  have  been  recommended  by  two-thirds  of  the 
General  Conference,  as  soon  as  three-fourths  of  the  members  of  all 


450  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the   annual    conferences   shall  have   concurred   as  aforesaid,   such 
alteration  or  alterations  shall  take  place. 

Under  these  limitations,  the  General  Conference  has  full  power  to 
alter  or  modify  any  part  of  the  Discipline,  or  to  introduce  any  new 
regulation  which  the  exigencies  of  the  times  may  require ;  to  elect  the 
book-stewards,  editors,  corresponding  secretary  or  secretaries  of  the 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  also  the 
bishops ;  to  hear  and  decide  on  appeals  of  preachers  from  the  deci- 
sions of  annual  conferences ;  to  review  the  acts  of  those  conferences 
generally;  to  examine  into  the  general  administration  of  the  bishops 
for  tbe  four  preceding  years;  and,  if  accused,  to  try,  censure,  ac- 
quit, or  condemn  a  bishop.  The  General  Conference  is  the  highest 
judicatory  of  the  church. 

SALARIES  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 

The  amount  allowed  each  preacher  is  one  hundred  dollars  annu- 
ally for  himself,  and  his  travelling  expense  ;  if  married,  one  hundred 
dollars  for  his  wife ;  sixteen  dollars  for  each  child  under  seven  years 
of  age,  and  twenty-four  dollars  a  year  for  each  child  over  seven  and 
under  fourteen  years  of  age.  In  addition  to  this,  the  quarterly  meet- 
ing conference  of  the  circuit  or  station  appoints  a  committee  to  esti- 
mate what  farther  allowance  shall  be  made  for  furnishing  fuel  and 
table  expenses  for  the  family  or  families  of  preachers  stationed 
among  them. 

The  allowance  to  the  bishops  is  the  same.  The  committee  to 
estimate  the  family  expenses  of  the  bishop  is  appointed  by  the  an- 
nual conference  within  the  bounds  of  which  he  may  reside,  and  the 
amount  thus  allowed  him  is  paid  out  of  the  avails  of  the  Book  Con- 
cern. 

THE   MANNER   IN   WHICH   THEY   ARE   RAISED. 

This  is  done  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  people  among 
■whom  the  preacher  labours.  For  this  purpose,  a  weekly  class  collec- 
tion is  made  in  all  the  classes,  in  which  it  is  expected  that  every 
member  will  contribute  something  according  to  his  or  her  ability; 
and  also  by  a  public  collection  in  all  the  congregations  once  in  three 
months ;  and  to  make  up  the  deficiencies  of  those  who  labour  in  poor 
circuits,  a  yearly  collection  is  made  in  every  congregation,  which  is 
taken  to  the  annual  conference,  and  this,  together  with  the  avails  of 
the  Book  Concern  and  Charter  Fund,  is  divided  among  the  several 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  451 

claimants,  including  Jhe  disciplinary  allowance  of  the  bishops,  the 
supernumerary,  superannuated  preachers,  their  widows  and  children. 


FUNDS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

The  only  funds  of  the  church,  beside  that  which  is  in  the  hands  of 
the  people,  and  which  is  drawn  forth  in  voluntary  contributions,  are 
the  avails  of  the  Book  Concern  and  the  Charter  Fund.  The  annual 
income  of  the  Charter  Fund  is  now  $1,360,  and  that  of  the  Book 
Concern  varies  from  S17,000  to  about  $27,000  a  year.  In  1841-2,  it 
amounted  to  827,200,  which  is  the  largest  sum  ever  realized  in  any 
one  year,  and  in  1842-3,  to  817,000;  and  this  amount  is  equally 
divided  among  thirty-four  annual  conferences,  making  from  8540  to 
$840  to  each  conference ;  and  this  is  again  divided  among  the  several 
claimants,  amounting,  probably,  to  over  one  thousand,  giving  from 
818  to  828  to  each  claimant. 

In  addition  to  this,  some  of  the  annual  conferences,  at  the  centennial 
celebration  of  Methodism,  in  1839,  appropriated  a  portion  of  what 
was  collected,  as  a  Permanent  Fund,  the  avails  of  which  should  be 
given  to  the  superannuated  preachers,  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
preachers.  The  total  amount  of  this  money  is  not  exactly  known ; 
but,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  interest  on  the  sums  invested 
amounts  to  about  81,300. 

The  avails  of  these  funds  are  sacredly  devoted  for  the  relief  of 
the  most  worthy  objects,  namely,  the  supernumerary  and  superan- 
nuated preachers,  and  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  men  of 
God  who  have  died  in  the  work. 

BOOK    CONCERN. 

At  an  early  period  of  Mr.  Wesley's  ministry  he  established  a  print- 
ing office,  under  his  own  control,  and  in  1773  he  commenced  the 
publication  of  a  monthly  periodical  called  the  Arminian  Magazine, 
which  was  filled  with  a  variety  of  useful  matter,  on  theological, 
scientific,  and  biographical  subjects.  It  has  now  reached  its  65th 
volume,  much  enlarged  from  its  original  size,  changing  its  name  to 
the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Magazine,  containing  at  the  present  time 
upwards  of  nine  hundred  octavo  pages  in  each  volume.  This  publi- 
cation together  with  a  variety  of  tracts  and  volumes  on  religious, 
scientific,  and  philosophic  subjects,  have  done  immense  good  to  the 
community  in  Great  Britain  and  other  parts  of  the  world ;  and  the 
Wesleyan  Connexion  in  England  has  produced  some  of  the  first 


452  HISTORY  OF  Til E 

writers  of  the  age,  such  as  Wesley,  Fletcher,  Clarke,  Benson,  Wat- 
son, and  others,  who  have  done  much  in  spreading  the  light  of  truth 
by  means  of  the  press. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  a 
similar  establishment  was  commenced  in  this  country,  the  first  book 
being  published  in  the  year  1789,  by  the  Rev.  John  Dickens,  who 
was  the  first  book-steward,  and  was  at  that  time  stationed  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  where  the  book  business  was  begun.  Its  commence- 
ment was  very  small,  for  it  had  no  capital  to  begin  with,  except  about 
six  hundred  dollars,  which  John  Dickens  lent  to  the  Concern,  to  en- 
able it  to  commence  its  benevolent  operations.  It  has  gone  on  from 
that  time,  however,  gradually  increasing  the  number  and  variety  of 
its  publications,  until  it  has  reached  its  present  enlarged  dimensions. 
Its  location  is  200  Mulberry  Street,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  entire  establishment  is  under  the  control  of  the  General  Con- 
ference, who  elect  the  agents  and  editors,  and  appoint  the  Book 
Committee,  to  the  general  supervision  of  which,  together  with  the 
general  superintendence  of  the  New  York  Conference,  all  its  concerns 
are  committed  during  the  interval  of  the  General  Conference.  Here 
are  published  a  great  variety  of  books  on  theological,  historical, 
scientific,  and  philosophical  subjects.  Bibles  and  Testaments,  commen- 
taries upon  the  Holy  Scriptures,  a  Quarterly  Review,  and  a  Weekly 
Religious  Journal,  Sunday  School  books,  and  tracts,  all  of  which 
have  an  extensive  circulation  throughout  the  United  States  and 
Territories. 

There  is  also  a  branch  establishment  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  all 
the  works  issued  at  New  York  are  sold,  some  of  which  are  re-pub- 
lished ;  two  periodicals  are  issued,  one  monthly,  called  the  Ladies' 
Repository,  and  the  other  wcekl}'-,  called  the  Wesleyan  Christian 
Advocate  and  Journal.  These  have  a  wide  circulation,  particularly 
in  the  Western  States  and  Territories,  and  are  doubtless  doing  much 
good. 

In  addition  to  these  there  are  four  weekly  papers :  one  at  Richmond, 
Va. ;  one  at  Charleston,  S.  C. ;  one  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  another 
at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  published  under  the  patronage  of  the  General 
Conference;  and  two  others,  one  at  Boston,  Mass.,  and  the  other  at 
Geneva,  N.  Y. ;  the  former  is  published  under  the  patronage  of  the 
New  England,  Providence,  Maine,  and  New  Hampshire  (Conferences, 
and  the  latter  on  its  own  responsibility.  These,  it  is  believed,  are 
exerting  a  highly  favourable  influence  on  the  community,  in  proportion 
to  their  circulation  respectively,  w'hich,  though  not  as  large  as  the 
others,  is  very  considerable. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  453 

The  primary  object  of  this  book  establishment,  is  identical  with  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  namely,  to  spread  scriptural  holiness  over 
the  land,  by  bringing  sinners  to  the  "  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus,"  and  the  building  of  believers  "  up  in  their  most  holy  faith." 
Whatever  pecuniary  profits  may  arise  from  the  sale  of  books,  are 
devoted  to  the  noblest  of  purposes,  to  the  support  of  indigent  and 
worn-out  preachers,  and  the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  have 
fallen  in  the  itinerant  field  of  labour.  For  this  purpose  was  it  esta- 
blished, and  for  this  same  benevolent  purpose  it  is  now  kept  in 
operation. 

EDUCATION. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  a  man  of  that  expanded  intellect  by 
which  Mr.  John  Wesley  was  distinguished,  and  who  owed  so  much 
of  his  celebrity  to  the  education  which  he  received,  first  from  his 
mother,  and  then  from  the  academy,  and  which  was  completed  at 
the  University  of  Oxford,  would  be  indifferent  to  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion. Accordingly  we  find  him,  at  an  early  period  of  his  ministry, 
exerting  himself  in  establishing  a  school  at  Kingswood,  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity,  combining,  as  far  as  practicable,  piety  and 
knowledge  together.  This,  though  established  at  first  chiefly  for  the 
benefit  of  the  sons  of  itinerant  preachers,  has  received  youth  from 
other  sources,  and  has  gone  on  prosperously  to  the  present  time ;  and 
the  Wesleyan  Methodists  in  England  have  added  another,  called 
Woodhouse  Grove  School,  which  is  accomplishing  the  same  benevo- 
lent and  enlightened  object ;  and  finally  they  have  established  a  theo- 
logical institute,  for  the  instruction  of  those  young  candidates  for  the 
Christian  ministry,  who  are  not  immediately  wanted  in  the  itinerant 
ranks. 

At  the  conference  at  which  the  Methodist  societies  in  this  country 
w^ere  organized  into  an  independent  church,  a  plan  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  college  was  adopted,  and  immediately  after  the  adjournment 
of  the  conference,  it  was  published;  and  Dr.  Coke  and  Bishop  Asbury 
set  themselves  to  work  to  carry  it  into  efiect  by  soliciting  subscrip- 
tions, and  selecting  a  site  for  the  buildings.  They  finally  succeeded  in 
erecting  a  brick  building,  80  feet  in  length  and  40  in  width,  in  the  town 
of  Abington,  about  25  miles  from  the  city  of  Baltimore,  a  spot  of 
ground  which  gave  a  delightful  and  commanding  view  of  the  Chesa- 
peake Bay,  and  of  the  country  for  twenty  miles  around.  The  college 
was  opened  for  the  reception  of  students  on  the  10th  day  of  December, 
1785,  and  continued  in  successful  operation  until  the  7th  of  Decern- 


454  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ber,  1795,  just  ten  years,  lacking  three  days,  when  the  whole  was 
consumed  by  fire.  A  second,  which  was  soon  after  erected  in  Balti- 
more, shared  the  same  fate. 

These  calamitous  circumstances  attending  their  first  efforts  to  es- 
tablish a  college,  threw  a  damper  over  the  minds  of  its  friends,  and 
indeed  induced  Bishop  Asbury  to  think  that  the  Methodists  were  not 
called  to  labour  in  the  cause  of  education.  The  whole  subject  was 
therefore  laid  aside,  except  some  ineflfectual  efforts  to  found  some 
district  schools,  and  the  establishment  of  some  charity  schools,  for 
more  than  twenty  years.  This  general  apathy  in  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation, together  with  the  fact  that  Methodist  ministers  were  admitted 
into  the  Christian  ministry  without  any  specific  literary  qualifications, 
induced  a  belief  in  the  public  mind  generally,  that  the  Methodists 
were  enemies,  or  at  least  indifferent  to  the  cause  of  education;  and  it 
must  be  confessed  that  there  was  too  much  ground  for  this  belief,  as 
many  certainly  manifested,  if  not  hostility,  yet  a  great  lukewarmness 
upon  this  subject. 

This,  however,  was  not  the  case  with  all.  Some  of  the  most  pious 
and  enlightened  of  the  preachers  and  people  mourned  over  this  state 
of  things,  and  they  at  last  made  an  effort  to  rescue  the  church  from 
this  reproach.  The  fii'st  was  made  in  1817,  by  some  friends  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore,  who  commenced  a  literary  institution  under  the 
name  of  the  "  Asbury  College ;"  but  this  soon  went  down,  much  to 
the  disappointment  and  mortification  of  its  friends  and  patrons.  In 
1817  an  academy  was  established  in  New  Market,  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  New  England  Conference,  which  succeeded  and  was  finally 
removed  to  Wilberham,  Mass.,  and  it  continues  in  successful  opera- 
tion to  this  day.  In  1819  the  Wesleyan  Seminary  was  commenced 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  under  the  patronage  of  the  New  York  Con- 
ference, which  was  finally  removed  to  White  Plains,  and  still  con- 
tinues to  bless  the  rising  generation  with  its  instructions. 

At  the  General  Conference  in  1820,  the  subject  of  education  was 
referred  to  a  committee,  who  made  a  spirited  report  in  favour  of  the 
two  academies  already  in  operation,  and  recommended  that  all  the 
annual  conferences  should  adopt  measures  for  the  establishment  of 
seminaries  within  their  bounds.  The  adoption  of  this  report  by  the 
General  Conference,  had  a  most  happy  eftect  in  diffusing  the  spirit  of 
education  throughout  its  bounds.  But  still  there  were  many  obstacles  to 
be  removed,  and  apathy  to  be  overcome,  some  manifesting  an  open 
hostility  to  the  cause,  while  others  looked  on  with  cold  indiflerence. 

In  1823,  Augusta  College,  in  Kentucky,  was  commenced,  and  it 
has  gone  forward  with  various  degrees  of  prosperity  to  this  day. 


I 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  455 

In  1824  an  academy  was  commenced  at  Cazenovia,  New  York 
State,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Oneida  Conference,  which  has 
prospered  from  that  day  to  this.  In  1827,  another  was  established 
at  Readfield,  Maine,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Maine  Conference, 
on  the  manual  labour  system,  and  it  has  gone  on  successfully  to  the 
present  time. 

About  the  same  time  an  academy  was  established  in  the  bounds  of 
the  Mississippi  Conference,  which  has  done  much  to  diffuse  the  spirit 
of  education  in  that  region  of  country. 

The  report  which  was  adopted  by  the  General  Conference  of  1828, 
in  favour  of  education,  did  much  to  excite  the  friends  of  the  cause  to 
persevering  diligence  in  this  grand  enterprise. 

In  1831  'three  colleges  were  founded,  namely:  The  Wesleyan 
University,  located  in  Middletown,  Connecticut;  Randolph  Macon 
College,  in  Boydston,  Mecklenburgh  county,  Virginia ;  and  La  Grange, 
in  North  Alabama.  These  have  all  been  thus  far  carried  forward 
with  success,  though  sometimes  labouring  under  embarrassment  for 
lack  of  adequate  endowments. 

In  1833,  two  other  colleges  were  established,  namely :  Dickinson 
College,  at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  and  Allegheny  College,  in  Meadville,  Pa. 
They  have  both  continued *wiih  various  degrees  of  prosperity,  but 
still  need  more  funds  to  put  them  upon  a  permanent  foundation. 

Another  academy  was  established  about  the  same  time  at  Lima, 
Livingston  county,  N.  Y.,  which  is  still  in  a  prosperous  state. 

In  1834,  Lebanon  College  was  founded  at  Lebanon,  Illinois,  under 
the  patronage  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  it  continues  to  prosper, 
though  somewhat  embarrassed  for  want  of  more  ample  endowments. 
The  Troy  Conference  Academy,  located  at  Poultney,  Vermont,  was 
commenced  the  same  year,  and  it  has  been  carried  forward  with 
much  success  to  the  present  time,  though  it  is  oppressed  with  a  heavy 
debt,  which  the  conference  is  exerting  itself  nobly  to  liquidate. 

In  1835,  a  Classical  Manual  Labour  School  was  commenced  in 
Covington,  Georgia,  and  another  for  the  education  of  females,  both 
of  which  are  still  in  successful  operation.  In  1836,  The  Emery 
College  was  founded.  These  literary  institutions  are  all  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Georgia  Conference. 

In  1837,  The  Indiana  Asbury  University  was  commenced,  and  is 
still  in  operation.     This  was  undertaken  by  the  Indiana  Conference. 

The  Amenia  Seminary  was  established  about  this  time.  It  is 
located  in  the  town  of  Amenia,  Duchess  county,  New  York,  and  it 
has  very  much  prospered  from  that  day  to  this. 


456 


IIISTOKY  OF  THE 


Two,  namely,  Henry  and  Charles  Colleges,  were  founded  in  1839, 
under  the  patronage  of  the  Holston  Conference,  and  they  are  still 
prosecuting  their  labours  with  success. 

In  the  same  year,  St.  Charles  College  was  commenced,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Missouri  Conference,  which  promises  much  useful- 
ness in  that  region  of  country. 

The  Cokesberg  Manual  Labour  School,  in  the  bounds  of  the  South 
Carolina  Conference,  was  begun  about  the  same  time. 

Two  academies  were  also  commenced  in  183'J,  one  male,  and  the 
other  female,  in  the  bounds,  and  under  the  patronage  of  the  New 
Jersey  Conference ;  and  the  Newbury  Seminary,  and  New  Market 
Seminary,  under  the  patronage  of  the  New  Hampshire  Conference, 
were  begun  about  the  same  time.  These  are  all  fulfilling  the  hopes 
of  their  friends.  The  Newbury  Seminary  has  a  theological  depart- 
ment attached  to  it. 

In  1841,  the  Transylvania  University,  in  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
'was  transferred  to  the  Methodist  Church,  and  is  now  in  a  prosperous 
condition. 

These  make  no  less  than  thirteen  collegiate  institutions,  which  are 
under  the  patronage  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States.  In  addition  to  these  a  college  "has  been  commenced  under 
favourable  auspices  in  Rutersville,  in  the  Republic  of  Texas,  which 
has  received  a  large  endowment  in  land  from  the  state,  and  it  bids 
fair  to  be  rendered  a  great  blessing  to  that  infant  republic. 

There  are  a  number  of  academies  besides  those  above  enumerated, 
which  are  under  Methodist  influence,  and  which  are  so  far  patronized 
by  the  conferences,  within  the  bounds  of  which  they  are  located,  that 
the  conferences  appoint  boards  of  visiters,  and  recommend  them  to 
the  patronage  of  their  brethren  and  friends. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above,  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
has  made  an  effort  to  redeem  herself  from  the  reproach  which  had 
been  cast  upon  her,  not  without  some  show  of  reason,  of  being  indif- 
ferent to  the  cause  of  education.  And  if  she  shall  exert  her  energies 
to  sustain  those  institutions  of  learning  which  she  has  so  nobly  begun, 
by  more  ample  endowments,  she  will  do  her  part  towards  shedding 
on  the  youth  of  our  land  the  blessings  of  sound  knowledge  and  a 
liberal  education.  These,  combined  with  experimental  and  practical 
piety,  will  tend  to  cement  our  Union  more  firmly  together,  and  to 
raise  us  to  honour  and  respectability  among  the  nations  of  the  earth. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  457 


BIBLE,  SUNDAY  SCHOOL,  AND  TEMPERANCE  CAUSES. 

In  these  benevolent  enterprises,  this  church  has  taken  an  active 
part.  She  has  a  Sunday  School  Union  of  her  own,  in  which  she  en- 
deavours to  do  what  she  may  in  training  up  the  youth  entrusted  to 
her  care  in  the  knowledge  of  the  holy  scriptures,  and  in  the  practice 
of  piety  and  virtue.  In  addition  to  Sunday  school  books  and  tracts, 
and  a  Sunday  school  library,  in  which  are  found  some  of  the  choicest 
books  in  the  English  language  in  the  various  departments  of  know- 
ledge, particularly  adapted  to  youth,  she  prints  The  Sunday  School 
Advocate,  a  semi-monthly  periodical,  well  calculated  to  attract  and 
instruct  the  youthful  mind,  and  containing  lessons  suited  to  teachers 
and  superintendents  of  sabbath  schools. 

In  the  great  Bible  cause,  she  unites  her  energies  with  the  American 
Bible  Society,  many  of  her  ministers  being  agents  of  this  catholic 
and  truly  benevolent  institution,  and  they  have  free  access  to  her 
pulpits  for  the  purpose  of  pleading  its  cause,  and  taking  up  collections 
for  its  support. 

In  the  temperance  reformation,  as  a  church,  she  stands  foremost 
in  the  ranks,  always  having  made  it  a  term  of  church-fellowship  to 
abstain  from  "intoxicating  liquors,  unless  in  cases  of  necessity."  And 
though  this  rule  was  somewhat  relaxed  in  its  practical  effects,  when 
the  temperance  reformation  commenced,  and  though  she  did  not  im- 
mediately see  the  necessity  of  uniting  with  the  American  Temperance 
Society  in  all  its  plans  of  operation:  yet,  no  sooner  did  she  perceive 
that  many  of  her  members  were  indulging  in  moderate  drinking,  and 
that  therefore  there  was  a  danger  of  their  "  running  into  the  same 
excess  of  riot"  with  those  who  were  gratifying  their  appetites  with 
intoxicating  drinks,  than  she  lifted  up  her  warning  voice  against  the 
deadly  poison,  and  united  with  all  those  who  declared  in  favour  of  a 
total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage ;  and  it  is 
believed  that  the  pernicious  practice  is  now  nearly  banished  from  the 
church,  and  hopes  are  entertained  that  soon  it  will  be  so  entirely. 

From  the  facts  contained  in  the  above  brief  view  of  the  history, 
the  doctrines,  the  government,  and  the  usages  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  it  will  be  seen,  I  humbly  trust,  that  she  has  contributed 
much  towards  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and  that,  if  permitted  to 
go  on  in  her  career  of  usefulness  to  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men,  her 
ministers  and  members  shall  not  be  wanting,  in  that  day  when  God 
shall  "  come  to  make  up  his  jewels,"  in  some  share  of  that  glory 
which  shall  be  given  to  those  "  who  turn  many  to  righteousness." 

30 


458 


HISTORY  OF  TllE 


STATISTICS. 


The  following  table  will  show  the  increase  or  decrease,  from  year 
to  year,  of  ministers  and  members,  since  the  first  conference  held  in 
America,  in  the  year  1773.  The  number  of  travelling  preachers  in- 
cludes the  superannuated  as  well  as  effective. 


Year. 

Number  of 
preachers. 

Members. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

1773 

10 

1160 

1774 

17 

2073 

913 

1775 

19 

3148 

1075 

1776 

24 

4921 

1773 

1777 

36 

6968 

2047 

1778 

29 

6095 

873 

1779 

49 

8577 

2482 

1780 

42 

8504 

73 

1781 

54 

10539 

2025 

1782 

59 

11785 

1246 

1783 

83 

13740 

1955 

1784 

83 

14988 

1248 

1785 

104 

i   18000 

3012 

After  this  year  the  white  and  coloured  members  were  returned  in 
separate  columns,  and  then  the  whole  were  added  together,  to  make 
the  sum  total,  which  method  will  be  followed  hereafter. 


Year. 

Preachers. 

Whites. 

Coloured. 

Totar. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

1786 

117 

18791 

1890 

20681 

2681 

1787 

133 

21949 

3893 

25842 

5161 

1788 

166 

30809 

6545 

37354 

11512 

1789 

196 

35019 

8243 

43262 

5908 

1790 

227 

45949 

11682 

57631 

14369 

1791 

250 

50385 

12884 

63269 

5638 

1792 

266 

52109 

13871 

65980 

2711 

1793 

269 

51416 

16227 

67643 

1663 

1794 

301 

52794 

13814 

66608 

1035 

1795 

313 

48121 

12170 

60291 

6317 

1796 

293 

45384 

11290 

56664 

3627 

1797 

262 

46445 

12218 

58663 

1999 

1798 

267 

47867 

12302 

60169 

1506 

1799 

272 

49115 

12236 

61351 

1182 

1800 

287 

51442 

13452 

64894 

3543 

1801 

307 

57186 

15688 

72874 

7980 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


459 


Year. 

Preachers. 

Whites. 

Coloured. 

Total. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

1802 

358 

68075 

18659 

86734 

13860 

1803 

383 

81617 

22453 

104070 

17336 

1804 

400 

89603 

23531 

113134 

9064 

1805 

433 

95629 

24316 

119945 

6811 

1806 

452 

103313 

27257 

130570 

10625 

1807 

516 

114727 

29863 

144590 

14020 

1808 

540 

121687 

30308 

151995 

7405 

1809 

597 

131154 

31884 

163038 

11043 

1810 

636 

139836 

34724 

174560 

11522 

1811 

668 

148835 

35732 

184567 

10007 

1812 

678 

156852 

38505 

195357 

10790 

1813 

700 

171448 

42859 

214307 

18950 

1814 

687 

168698 

42431 

211129 

3178 

1815 

704 

167978 

43187 

211165 

36 

1816 

695 

171931 

42304 

214235 

3070 

1817 

716 

181442 

43411 

254858 

10518 

1818 

748 

190477 

39150 

229627 

4774 

1819 

812 

201750 

39174 

240924 

11297 

1820 

896 

219332 

40558 

259890 

18966 

1821 

977 

239087 

42059 

281146 

212.56 

1822 

1106 

252645 

44377 

297022 

15876 

1823 

1226 

267618 

44922 

312540 

15518 

1824 

1272 

280427 

48096 

328523 

15983 

1825 

1314 

298658 

49537 

348195 

19672 

1826 

1406 

309550 

51334 

360884 

12689 

1827 

1576 

327932 

54065 

381997 

21113 

1S28 

1642 

359533 

59394* 

418927 

36930 

1829 

1817 

382679 

65064 

447743 

39816 

1830 

1900 

402561 

73592 

476153 

28410 

1831 

2010 

437024 

76090 

513114 

36961 

1832 

2200 

472364 

76229 

548593 

35470 

1833 

2400 

519196 

80540 

599736 

51143 

1834 

2625 

553134 

85650 

638784 

39048 

1835 

2753 

566957 

85571 

652528 

13744 

1836 

2929 

564974 

85271 

650245 

2283 

This  year  and  the  subsequent  years  the  number  of  local  preachers 
were  returned  in  the  nninutes  of  the  conferences,  and  they  are  accord- 
ingly set  down  in  a  separate  column  in  the  years  which  follow : 


*  The  number  of  Christian  Indians  are  included  in  this  and  the  subsequent  number 
of  coloured  members. 


460 


HISTORY  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


Year. 

Travel- 
ling 
rreachers. 

Local 
Preacbers. 

Whites. 

Coloured. 

Total. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

1837 
1838 
1839 
1840 
1841 
1842 
1843 

3147 
3332 
3557 

3687 
3865 
4044 
4286 

4954 
5792 
5856 
6339 
6893 
7144 
7730 

570123 
615212 
650357 

698777 
748442 
803988 
936736 

79679 

81337 

90102 

96668 

104476 

109913 

131789 

649802 
696549 
740459 
795445 
852918 
913901 
1,068525 

46747 
53910 
54986 
57473 
60983 
154624 

1443 

Add  to  these  the  travelHng  preachers  (4266),  which  are  not  included 
in  the  above  enumeration,  and  the  grand  total  is  1,072811. 

The  above  facts  are  taken  from  Wesley's  Works,  7  vols.  8vo. ; 
More's  Life  of  Wesley,  1  vol.  8vo. ;  History  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  4  vols.  12mo. ;  Asbury's  Journal,  3  vols.  8vo. ;  Minutes 
of  Conferences,  2  vols.  8vo. ;  Methodist  Discipline,  1  vol.  24mo ;  and 
Original  Church  of  Christ,  1  vol.  12mo. 


I 


METHODIST  PEOTESTANT  CHURCH, 


BY  THE  REV.  JAMES  R.  WILLIAMS, 

OF      BALTIMORE. 
AUTHOR  OF  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH. 


The  Methodist  Protestant  Church  comprises  all  the  associated 
Methodist  churches  in  these  United  States,  and  numbers,  at  the  pre- 
sent time,  Nov.  1843,  sixty  thousand  communicants,  thirteen  hun- 
dred ministers  and  preachers,  twenty-two  annual  conference  districts, 
and  possesses  upwards  of  a  half  million  of  church  property,  acquired 
since  her  organization. 

Her  first  General  Convention,  at  which  the  church  was  regularly 
organized,  was  held  in  1830,  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  State  of  Mary- 
land.    There  were  in  attendance  at  the  convention  eighty-three  m'in- 

isterial,  and  lay    representatives,  from  the   following  states : 

New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  North  Carolina, 
Georgia,  Alabama,  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 
These  represented  about  five  thousand  members  of  the  respective  as- 
sociated Methodist  churches,  a  large  majority  of  whom  had  with- 
drawn from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  on  account  of  her 
government  and  hostility  to  a  lay  representation ;  she  not  only  having 
withheld  representation  from  the  people,  but  actually  denied  that  they 
have  any  right  to  representation.  Moreover  she  had  claimed  for  her 
itinerant  ministry,  exclusively,  as  of  divine  right,  and  without  any 
authoritative  control  from  the  church,  not  merely  the  administra- 
tion, but  the  sole  right  of  expounding  and  maintaining,  1.  Gospel  doc- 
trines, that  is,  a  right  to  preach,  and  teach  whatever  they  may 
please  to  admit  into  their  creed  as  gospel  doctrines.  2.  Ordinances, 
that  is,  to  set  up  whatever  worship,  sacraments,  and  services,  they 
may  deem  conformable  to  the  gospel ;  and  3.  Moral  discipline,  that 
is,  to  admit  and  expel,  censure  and  suspend,  whomsoever  they  please 
in  the  church  of  God,  and  for  whatever  causes  to  them  shall  seem 


462 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


meet.  These  unwarrantable  claims  were  preceded  and  followed  by 
the  expulsion  of  nearly  eighty  ministers  and  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  in  different  parts  of  the  United  States,  who 
advocated  a  change  in  the  church  government,  and  opposed  the 
Popish  claims  of  the  itinerant  ministers  and  bishops  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

The  above  cited  claims  arid  expulsions  produced  numerous  seces- 
sions in  different  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  the  organization  of 
several  annual  conferences,  of  associated  churches.  These,  respec- 
tively, elected  their  representatives,  who  assembled  as  above  stated 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  and  framed  a  constitution  and  discipline  for 
the  government  of  the  entire  association.  The  basis  on  which  the 
government  is  founded,  embraces  two  very  important  particulars : 
First — "  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  Head  of  the  Church,  and 
the  word  of  God  is  the  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  in  all 
things  pertaining  to  godliness."  Secondly — "  A  written  constitution 
establishing  the  form  of  government,  and  securing  to  the  ministers 
and  members  of  the  church,  their  rights  and  privileges,  on  an  equi- 
table plan  of  representation,  is  essential  to,  and  the  best  safeguard  of 
Christian  liberty." 

The  constitution  is  preceded  by  a  set  of  elementary  principles, 
which  may  be  viewed  as  a  bill  of  rights.  These  bind  the  church  to 
the  laws  of  Christ ;  secure  the  rights  of  private  judgment  and  the  ex- 
pression of  opinion  ;  protect  church  membership  ;  declare  the  princi- 
ples on  which  church  trials  shall  be  conducted,  and  guard  against 
unrighteous  excommunications  ;  point  out  the  residence  of  legitimate 
authority  to  make  and  enforce  rules  and  regulations,  for  the  proper 
and  wholesome  government  of  the  church.  The  constitution  recog- 
nises the  rights  and  secures  the  interests  of  both  ministers  and  laymen, 
and  grants  an  equal  representation  to  both.  By  this  provision,  made 
permanent  under  constitutional  law,  the  entire  association  is  fairly 
represented  in  the  General  Conference,  which  is  the  legislative  de- 
partment of  the  church.  The  executive,  legislative,  and  judicial  de- 
partments are  kept  distinct,  and  in  each  and  all  of  them,  the  laity 
have  their  due  weight,  and  equal  power  with  the  ministers.  The 
government  is,  therefore,  representative,  and  admirably  balanced  in 
all  its  parts. 

The  General  Conference  is  assembled  every  fourth  year,  and  con- 
sists of  an  equal  number  of  ministers  and  laymen.  The  ratio  of  re- 
presentation from  each  annual  conference  district,  is,  one  minister 
and  one  layman  for  every  thousand  persons  in  full  membership.  This 


I 


METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH.  453 

body,  when  assembled,  possesses  power,  under  certain  restrictions,  to 
make  such  rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of  the  whole 
church,  as  may  be  necessary  to  carry  into  effect  the  laws  of  Christ ; 
to  fix  the  compensation  and  duties  of  the  itinerant  ministers  and 
preachers,  and  the  allowance  of  their  wives,  widows,  and  chil- 
dren; and  also  the  compensation  and  duties  of  the  book  agent,  editor, 
&c.,  and  to  devise  ways  and  means  for  raising  funds,  and  to  de- 
fine and  regulate  the  boundaries  of  the  respective  annual  conference 
districts. 

The  respective  annual  conferences  assemble  annually,  and  are 
composed  of  all  the  ordained  itinerant  ministers;  that  is,  all  ministers 
properly  under  the  stationing  authority  of  the  conference ;  and  of  one 
delegate  from  each  circuit  and  station,  within  the  bounds  of  the  dis- 
trict, for  each  of  its  itinerant  ministers.  The  annual  conferences 
respectively  are  invested  with  power  to  elect  a  president  annually — 
to  examine  into  the  official  conduct  of  all  their  members — to  receive  by 
vote  such  ministers  and  preachers  into  the  conference  as  come  pro- 
perly recommended  by  the  quarterly  conference  of  their  circuit  or 
station — to  elect  to  orders  those  who  are  eligible  and  competent  to 
the  pastoral  office — to  hear  and  decide  on  appeals  from  the  decisions 
of  committees  appointed  to  try  ministers— to  define  and  regulate  the 
boundaries  of  circuits  and  stations — to  station  the  ministers,  preachers, 
and  missionaries — to  make  such  rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  ne- 
cessary to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  itinerant  ministers  and  preachers 
and  their  families.  The  annual  conferences,  respectively,  have  au- 
thority to  perform  the  following  additional  duties:  1st.  To  make 
such  special  rules  and  regulations  as  the  peculiarities  of  the  district 
may  require;  provided,  however,  that  no  rule  be  made  inconsistent 
with  the  constitution — the  General  Conference  to  have  power  to 
annul  any  such  rule.  2d.  To  prescribe  and  regulate  the  mode  of 
stationing  the  ministers  and  preachers  within  the  district;  provided 
always,  that  they  grant  to  each  minister  or  preacher  stationed,  an 
appeal,  during  the  sitting  of  the  conference.  And  no  minister  or 
preacher  to  be  stationed  longer  than  three  years,  successively,  in  the 
same  circuit,  and  two  years,  successively,  in  the  same  station,  x  3d. 
Each  annual  conference  is  clothed  with  power  to  make  its  own  rules 
and  regulations  for  the  admission  and  government  of  coloured  mem- 
bers v;ithin  its  district ;  and  to  make  for  them  such  terms  of  suffi-age 
as  the  conferences  may  respectively  deem  proper.  Each  annual  con- 
ference is  required  to  keep  a  journal  of  its  proceedings,  and  to  send  a 
copy  to  the  General  Conference. 


4G4 


HISTORY  OF  THK 


The  quarterly  conferences  are  the  immediate  official  meetings  of 
tlie  circuits  and  stations,  and  assemble  quarterly,  for  the  purposes  of 
examining  the  official  character  of  all  the  members,  consisting  of  the 
trustees,  ministers,  preachers,  exhorters,  leaders  and  stewards  of  the 
circuit  or  station  ;  to  grant  to  persons  properly  qualified,  and  recom- 
mended by  the  class  of  which  he  is  a  member,  license  to  exhort 
or  preach ;  to  recommend  ministers  and  preachers  to  the  annual 
conference  to  travel,  and  for  ordination ;  and  to  hear  and  decide  on 
appeals  made  by  laymen  from  the  decision  of  committees  of  trial. 
-  The  leaders'  meeting  is  peculiar  to  stations,  and  is  composed  of  the 
superintendent  of  the  station,  the  stewards  and  the  leaders.  The 
superintendent  is  the  minister  who  has  the  charge  of  the  station.  The 
stewards  are  appointed  by  the  male  members  of  the  station  to  receive 
and  disburse  the  collections  made  in  the  classes  and  the  church.  The 
leaders  are  elected  by  their  respective  classes,  and  represent  them  in 
the  leaders'  meeting.  This  meeting  is  the  organ  of  reception  of  mem- 
bers into  the  church,  and  the  dispenser  of  relief  to  the  poor  through 
the  hands  of  the  stewards.  In  the  circuits,  persons  are  received  into 
full  membership  by  vote  of  the  society.  Class  leaders,  stewards, 
trustees,  exhorters,  and  private  members,  when  charged  with  im- 
morality or  neglect  of  Christian  duty,  are  duly  notified  by  the  super- 
intendent, sufficient  time  being  allowed  to  make  preparation  for  their 
defence,  and  the  right  of  challenge  is  granted  to  extend  to  any  num- 
ber of  the  committee  not  exceeding  the  whole  number  originally 
appointed.  The  committee  of  trial  is  appointed  in  the  following 
manner.  The  superintendent  nominates  two  persons  in  full  member- 
ship and  good  standing,  over  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  The  class, 
of  which  the  accused  is  a  member,  nominates  two  more  male  mem- 
bers in  like  standing,  those  four  persons  select  a  fifth,  and  the  five 
persons  thus  chosen,  constitute  a  competent  court  of  trial. 

The  above  particulars  constitute  a  brief  sketch  of  the  origin  and 
system  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church.  She  has  progressed 
with  an  even  steady  pace,  maintained  peace  in  all  her  borders,  and 
has  contributed  her  share  of  usefulness  towards  the  general  good. 
As  a  seceding  church  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  she  entertains 
no  unfriendly  feelings  to  that  denomination  of  Christians.  The  doc- 
trines taught  by  both  churches,  the  means  of  grace  and  mode  of 
worship  being  similar,  the  only  diflerence  lies  in  government :  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  rejecting  lay  representation  and  adopt- 
ing an  unlimited  episcopacy ;  while  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
admits  lay  representation  and  a  parity  in  the  ministry.    These  points 


METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH.  455 

of  difference,  though  very  great,  are  deemed  not  sufficient  to  justify 
an  alienation  of  Christian  affection ;  therefore,  the  two  churches  are 
one  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  are  both  labouring  to  promote  the  interests 
of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  among  men,  and  are  to  be  viewed  as 
two  branches  of  the  great  Methodist  family  in  Europe  and  in  this 
country. 

For  further  particulars,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Discipline, 
to  Williams's  History  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  and  to 
Samuel  K.  Jennings'  "  Exposition." 


REFOllMED  METHODIST  CHURCH. 


BY  REV.  WESLEY  BAILEY, 

UTICA,   NEW  YORK. 


The  writer,  in  the  following  article,  can  give  but  an  outline,  a  brief 
and  hasty  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  body  of  Christians  with  which 
he  stands  connected,  viz. :  The  Reformed  Methodists.  Want  of  time 
and  documentary  facts  prevent,  at  this  time,  his  laying  before  the 
public  as  extended  and  correct  a  view  of  this  branch  of  the  Methodist 
family,  as  he  could  wish  for  the  excellent  forthcoming  "  history  of 
the  whole  Church." 

The  Reformed  Methodists  took  their  origin  from  a  feeble  secession 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  the  towns  of  Whitingham 
and  Readsborough,  Vermont,  January  lOth,  1814.  We  say  feeble 
secession,  because  their  entire  number  did  not  exceed  fourteen  per- 
sons, and  these  in  no  way  distinguished  for  talent  or  learning ;  but 
were  plain,  unassuming  mechanics  and  farmers,  none  of  whom  held 
any  higher  relation  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  than  that  of] 
local  preachers  and  exhorters. 

We  trust  the  first  Reformed  Methodists  entered  upon  the  work  of] 
reform  with  lowliness  of  mind,  and  not  through  strife  and  vain-glory,  i 
They  felt  straitened  in  their  religions   rights  and  privileges  under 
the  Episcopal  mode  of  church  government.     The  gospel  precept  is:] 
to  "  Esteem  each  other  better  than  ourselves ;"  but  they  feared  that 
this  precept  of  humility,  under  the  practice  of  the  Episcopal  mode  of  I 
church  government,  had  been  lost  sight  of,  and  that  this  anti-demo- 
cratic form  of  church  organization  tended  to  beget  its  own  likeness] 
on  the  hearts  of  the  itinerant  superintendents.    And  in  order  to  regain,  j 
and,  if  possible  give  a  more  abiding  effect  to  the  true  and  free  spirit 
of  the  gospel,  which,  in  their  belief,  had  been  departed  from  in  prac-j 
tjce;  to  remove  every  inward  and  outward  obstruction,  and  in  hope! 
of  establishing  rules  of  discipline  and  self-government  more  in  con- 
formity with  the  si.mplc  principles  and  primitive  method  prescribed  in' 


REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH.       \  467 

the  gospel:  they  felt  themselves  impelled  by  their  conscientious  scruples 
"  to  come  out  from  creature  bondage  into  the  greater  freedom  of 
divine  example."  To  evince  to  those  with  whom  they  had  been  on 
terms  of  fellowship  that  their  motives  were  such  as  brethren  and 
Christians  should  be  governed  by  under  these  circumstances,  they 
issued  their  manifesto  of  grievances,  which,  if  not  removed,  presented 
no  other  alternative  than  that  of  separation.  Failing  in  the  hoped-for 
object,  they  on  the  16th  of  January,  1814,  met  in  convention  at  Reads- 
borough  ;  Elijah  Bailey  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Ezra  Amadon, 
chosen  secretary. 

At  this  convention  they  formed  themselves  into  a  church  under  the 
above  name,  and  appointed  a  conference  to  be  held  on  the  following 
5th  of  February,  at  which  they  adopted  articles  of  religion  and  rules 
of  church  government.  At  this  conference  their  number  was  some- 
what increased.  Wm.  Lake,  a  local  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  united  with  them  at  this  time;  of  him  we  shall  speak 
in  another  place.  Whether  the  government  of  an  Episcopacy  had 
obtained  or  was  verging  to  the  state  and  pageantry  of  ambassadors  of 
pomp,  instead  of  being  ambassadors  of  bonds,  or  not ;  whether  minis- 
terial oppression  and  selfish  afiections  were  wasting  the  new  covenant 
blessings,  and  all  the  gentle  and  unassuming  influences  of  brotherly 
and  loving  kindness,  one  toward  another,  in  godly  fear — it  is  sufficient 
that  they  feared  and  believed  it.  With  "fear  and  trembling"  they  en- 
tered upon  the  course  they  had  chosen,  in  the  hope  that  equality  and 
union  with  each  other,  would  bring  the  connexion  into  nearer  and 
fuller  union  with  Christ,  the  Head  of  the  Church. 

The  Reformed  Methodists  hold  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  On  the  Trinity  and  the  Sonship  of  Christ, 
they  are  with  John  Wesley,  Fletcher,  Benson,  and  Watson,  and 
opposed  to  the  views  of  Dr.  Adam  Clarke.  Their  articles  of  religion 
are  few  in  number,  embracing  those  points  only  peculiar  to  Me- 
thodism. Their  system  of  church  government  is  essentially  Congre- 
gational in  its  character,  all  power  being  in  the  primary  bodies,  the 
churches,  and  delegated  from  time  to  time  with  a  rigid  accountability 
to  the  bodies  by  whom  it  is  conferred. 

The  only  point  of  religious  faith  which  has  distinguished  the  Re- 
formed Methodists,  from  other  branches  of  the  same  family,  is  perhaps, 
the  extent  which  some  of  our  leading  men  have  given  to  faith  and  its 
operations.  They  have  held  and  taught  that  the  same  fajth  now, 
would  produce  the  same  effects  it  did  in  primitive  times.  That  the 
lapse  of  ages  cannot  render  void  the  promises  of  God,  or  a  living  faith 
in  Christ  powerless,  whether  such  faith  be  exerted  wilh  respect  to 


468 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


the  temporal  or  spiritual  wants  of  man.  And  while  some  of  the  more 
"  orthodox"  have  regarded  the  "  Reformers  as  fanatics,"  on  this  point, 
they  (the  Reformers)  have  considered  the  charge  as  having  its  origin  in 
their  own  infidelity  and  unbelief.  They  have  believed  that  the  church 
has  apostatized;  that  as  all  blessings  given  in  answer  to  prayer  are  sus- 
pended upon  the  condition  of  faith,  that  therefore  faith  is  the  restoring 
principle.  They  dare  not  limit  faith,  except  by  a  "  thus  saith  the  Lord." 
They  have  not  been  enabled  to  see  from  the  records  of  truth  any 
limitations  interposed  since  apostolical  times,  and  hence  they  conclude 
that  we  may  now,  in  this  age,  pray  for  the  removal  of  temporal  as 
well  as  spiritual  diseases ;  and  that  "  according  to  their  faith,  it  will 
be  done  unto  them." 

It  is  not  our  object  to  discuss  this  point,  but  it  is  proper  that  we 
should  notice  it  as  a  characteristic  of  the  Reformed  Methodists,  a 
point  for  which  they  have  suffered  reproach ;  but  how  justly  we  leave 
others  to  judge.  In  leaving  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  they 
aimed  at  a  reform  extending  farther  and  deeper  than  the  external 
organization  of  the  church — to  a  reform  that  should  infuse  new  vitality 
and  living  faith  into  the  body.  That  God  has  heard  the  prayer  of 
faith,  and  raised  up  the  sick  among  them  in  numerous  instances,  is 
what  they  most  firmly  believe,  and  is  to  them  a  subject  of  devout 
thanksgiving  to  his  blessed  name.  That  those  holding  and  preaching 
this  doctrine  should  be  liable  to  extravagances  is  quite  obvious ;  and 
we  frankly  confess,  that  in  some  instances  the  truth  may  have  been 
blamed  by  the  unskilfulness  with  which  some  of  the  Reformed  Me- 
thodists have  treated  this  subject.  But  we  believe  that  unbelief  has 
been  the  damning  sin  of  the  church,  and  that  it  is  far  better  to  be- 
lieve too  much  than  too  little ;  better  to  become  a  "  fanatic"  in  faith 
and  love,  than  be  the  heartless  worshipper  of  a  God,  as  ruthless  as  the 
rocks,  and  as  merciless  as  the  waves — a  God  who  has  tied  himself 
up  by  physical  laws,  which  govern  him  as  arbitrarily  as  they  do  the 
universe  of  matter.  So  much  for  the  "  fanaticism"  of  the  Reformed 
Methodists.  Let  it  be  placed  upon  the  record  of  time — let  it  be  placed 
upon  the  records  of  eternity,  as  a  point  in  their  faith,  a  trait  in  their 
religious  sentiments. 

If  the  Reformed  Methodists  have  steadfastly  insisted  upon  any  one 
point  of  the  gospel  more  than  another,  it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  attain- 
ablcness  of  entire  sanctification  in  this  life,  through  faith  in  the  all- 
atoning  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  Indeed,  they  have  regarded  the  dis- 
belief of  this  great  truth,  and  the  consequent  neglect  to  seek  for  the 
blessings,  as  the  primary  cause  of  the  disbelief  of  the  sentiment  above 
noticed, — sanctification,  which  cleansing  the  heart  from  all  sin,  and 
bringing  the  whole  soul  into  communing  with  him,  naturally  begets 


REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH.  4C9 

faith  in  God,  as  a  living  God ;  and  the  clear  and  the  abiding  convic- 
tion that  God  is  faithful  to  one  promise,  naturally  leads  to  confidence 
in  all  his  promises. 

The  Conditions  of  Fellowship  and  Membership. — The  Reformed 
Methodists  hold  these  as  the  same,  or  make  them  run  parallel  in 
admitting  members  to  their  societies.  The  "  fruits  of  righteousness 
witnessed  by  taking  up  the  cross  and  following  Christ,"  says  the  Dis- 
cipline, "  shall  be  the  only  test  of  Christian  fellowship."  All  who 
*'  walk  according  to  this  rule,"  are,  on  application,  received  into  the 
church ;  its  ministers  are  required  to  subscribe  to  their  articles  of 
religion,  but  persons  are  received  to  membership  on  the  simple  test  of 
their  experience,  without  requiring  an  assent  to  all  the  doctrines  of 
the  Discipline.  The  Church  of  Christ  is  a  spiritual  body.  They  are 
made  one,  brought  into  spiritual  sympathy,  not  by  the  letter  of  a  creed, 
or  by  the  subscribing  to  certain  doctrines,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Hence  the  Reformed  Methodists  hold  that  a  union  of  spirit  should  be 
made  indispensable  to  a  union  of  Christians  in  visible  church  bonds; 
and  when  that  union  is  broken,  the  spirit  of  love  departed,  then  there 
should  be  a  dissolution  of  the  connexion.  Consequently,  the  Reformed 
Methodists  hold  that  the  door  out  of  the  Church  should  be  the  same  as 
into  it — that  as  evidence  of  sins  forgiven  and  heart  renewed,  is  the 
only  condition  of  admission  to  the  church,  so  the  want  of  these  con- 
tinued fr*uits  is  regarded  as  sufficient  occasion  for  expulsion.  They 
believe  this  term  of  church  membership  is  the  only  one  on  which  a 
living  spiritual  church  can  be  maintained.  Their  views  of  Christian 
fellowship  are  equally  liberal  with  respect  to  other  Churches.  They 
hold  that  all  of  the  children  of  God  have  a  right  to  all  the  ordinances 
of  God's  house  in  all  places  of  his  people — and  that  no  rite  dependent 
on  human  sanction,  can  lawfully  bar  a  Christian  from  the  table  of  the 
Lord.  Baptism  is  administered  to  all,  according  to  their  consciences, 
and  enforced  upon  none,  and  in  no  case  made  a  test  of  church-fel- 
lowship. 

POLITY  OF  THE  REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

That  the  polity  of  the  Reformed  Methodist  Church  may  be  the 
better  understood,  we  shall  examine  it  under  three  different  heads. 

1.  The  Church. — The  local  churches  are  regarded  as  the  origin  of 
power.  All  officers  in  the  church  must  derive  their  authority  from 
the  people,  either  by  a  direct  election  or  by  their  delegates  chosen  for 
the  expressed  purpose.  A  number  of  believers  may  ordain  for  them- 
selves elders  or  bishops,  and  do  all  things  necessary  to  constitute 


470  HISTORY  OF  THE 

themselves  a  church  of  Christ.  Acting  upon  this  principle  in  the 
infancy  of  their  organization,  the  Reformed  Methodist  connexion  set 
apart  a  few  of  their  number  by  prayer  and  the  laying  on  of  the  hands 
of  a  committee,  to  the  office  of  elder.  They  hold  this  as  a  right 
which  a  local  church  may,  in  cases  of  necessity,  exercise — but  still 
as  a  prudential  regulation,  have  placed  the  ordination  of  elders  in  the 
han(^s  of  the  annual  conferences.  Churches  are  divided  into  classes 
according  to  their  numbers,  with  a  leader  for  each  class,  chosen  by 
themselves.  The  churches  have  the  right  of  selecting  their  own  minis- 
ters, the  ministers  the  right  of  selecting  their  own  fields  of  labour, 
without  the  interference  of  a  higher  foreign  or  central  power,  and  this 
with  respect  to  length  of  time  and  salary. 

TJie  Annual  Conferences. — An  annual  conference  is  composed  of  de- 
legates from  all  the  churches  in  a  given  district,  the  number  of  delecrates 
from  each  church  or  circuit  being  proportioned  to  their  numbers. 
Ministers  may  be  chosen  delegates,  but  are  not  delegates  by  virtue  of 
their  office.  The  object  of  the  annual  conference  is  to  transact  busi- 
ness which  equally  interests  all  the  local,  primary  bodies — such  as 
the  examination  of  preachers  as  to  their  moral  character,  gifts  and 
usefulness,  the  ordination  of  elders,  the  provision  of  ways  and  means 
for  missionary  operations,  the  support  of  feeble  and  destitute  churches,  ■ 
and  general  objects  of  common  interest.  These  conferences  are  held 
annually,  and  ordinarily  hold  their  session  three  or  four  days.  The 
annual  conference  has  power  to  withdraw  fellowship  from  a  dis- 
orderl}'  church,  but  no  power  to  interfere  with  the  internal  aflairs  of 
any  church,  except  for  unchristian  conduct.  At  the  annual  conference 
circuits  are  sometimes  formed,  and  preachers  engaged  to  supply  them; 
but  conference  has  no  power  to  station  a  preacher  contrary  to  his 
own,  and  the  wishes  of  the  people.  Ordination  is  performed  by  a 
committee  of  elders  chosen  by  the  annual  conference,  the  candidates 
for  orders  first  being  elected  to  orders  by  the  annual  conference. 

The  General  Conference. — The  General  Conference  is  composed  of 
delegates  from  the  annual  conferences,  the  number  of  delegates  from 
the  annual  conferences  in  proportion  to  their  respective  numbers  of 
their  church  members.  The  General  Conference  has  power  to  revise 
the  Discipline  under  certain  limitations.  It  can  pass  no  rule  giving  to 
preachers  power  over  the  people,  except  such  as  belongs  to  them  as 
ministers  of  the  word.  The  alterations  in  Discipline  must,  before  they 
go  into  effect,  first  be  recommended  by  three-fourths  of  the  annual 
conferences,  or  after  the  General  Conference  has  passed  upon  them, 
receive  their  ratification.  General  Conferences  are  held  at  the  call  of 
annual  conferences,  not  periodically,  and  the  delegates  to  them  are 


i 


REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH.  47 1 

chosen  at  the  session  of  the  annual  conferences  next  preceding  the 
General  Conference. 

Such  is  the  outline  of  the  articles  of  religion  and  church  polity  of 
the  Reformed  Methodist  Church.  We  pass  next  to  a  brief  notice  of 
their  progress.  And  here  we  would  premise,  that  a  cause  however 
good,  and  principles  however  wisely  adapted  to  an  end,  cannot  pro- 
gress without  an  appropriate  instrumentality.  The  first  Reformed 
Methodists  had  not  money,  and  as  for  talent,  however  good  it  might 
have  been  in  its  uncultivated  slate,  they  had  not  the  refinement  of  the 
schools  of  learning  or  divinity  with  which  to  command  attention. 
They  were  poor  men,  men  with  families  dependent  upon  their  own 
hands  for  bread,  living  among  the  peaks  of  the  Green  Mountains. 
However,  some  of  them  by  application  have  become  able  ministers 
of  the  New  Testament.  Of  the  original  number  of  the  seceders,  four 
have  been  regarded  as  leading  men  in  the  denomination,  and  have 
contributed  much  by  their  devotion  and  self-denial  to  raise  up  and 
perpetuate  this  body  of  reformers. 

Elijah  Bailey,  father  of  the  writer,  was  a  native  of  the  town  of 
Douglas,  Mass.,  but  immediately  after  his  matrimonial  alliance  with 
Miss  Lydia  Smith,  removed  to  the  town  of  Readsborough,  Vt. ;  this 
mountainous  region  being  then  the  Elysium  of  the  "  Far  West,"  to  the 
people  of  Massachusetts.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  brother,  James 
Bailey,  and  Ezra  Amadon,  his  brother-in-law,  both  of  whom  in  course 
of  time  became  useful  preachers  of  the  Reformed  Methodist  Church. 

Elijah  Bailey  was  a  young  man  of  sober  habits,  of  a  contemplative 
turn  of  mind,  but  indebted  to  a  few  weeks  in  the  common  school  of 
his  times  for  his  education  ;  to  which  should  be  added  the  instructions 
received  from  his  grandfather  Phillips,  a  man  of  great  soundness  of 
moral  principle  and  variety  and  richness  of  maxims  of  law  and  mo- 
rality, with  whom  Mr.  Bailey  passed  the  greater  portion  of  his  juvenile 
years.  Being  bred  a  Congregationalist,  he  knew  not  the  power  of 
godliness,  though  a  strict  observer  of  its  form,  until  the  Methodist 
preachers  came  into  Vermont.  He  was  among  the  first  fruits  of  their 
labours ;  was  awakened,  convicted,  and  received  into  their  society, 
and  continued  an  acceptable  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  up  to  the  year  1814.  In  this  wilderness  country  he  became 
the  father  of  eleven  children,  whom  he  reared  by  the  sweat  of  his  own 
brow,  from  the  products  of  a  small  Green  Mountain  farm,  and  the 
trade  of  a  cooper.  He  was  a  staunch  Jefl^ersonian  in  politics,  was  for 
sixteen  years  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  town  of  Readsborough,  and  at 
the  same  time  a  member  of  the  assembly  from  that  town.  In  the 
legislature  of  that  state  those  lessons  of  democracy,  early  inculcated. 


^•j2  HISTQjlY  OF  THE 

were  more  clearly  explained  and  more  firmly  fixed ;  and  it  is  to  this 
course  of  mental  and  moral  training  that  he  was  afterwards  led 
to  question  the  justice  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  form  of  church 
<Tovernment,  and  ably  to  defend  religious  democracy,  not  only  from 
the  genius  of  Christianity,  and  the  precepts  of  the  New  Testament, 
but  from  the  inalienable  rights  of  man.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  seces- 
sion from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  he  was  but  a  local 
preacher,  and  was  severely  opposed  by  his  family  connexions  for 
attempting  to  exercise  the  ministry  of  the  word  without  a  regular 
course  of  literary  and  theological  training.  But  immediately  after 
the  organization  of  the  Reformed  Methodist  Church  he  was  ordained 
elder,  an  office  which  he  has  continued  to  fill  up,  to  the  present  time ; 
travelling  extensively,  exposing  himself  to  the  inclemency  of  all  sea- 
sons of  the  year,  and  that,  too,  with  no  other  pecuniary  compensation 
than  such  as  friends  from  time  to  time  might  contribute.  To  his  self- 
denying  labours,  labours  unrequited  except  with  spiritual  blessings 
upon  his  own  soul,  is  the  cause  of  Reformed  Methodism  indebted,  as 
much,  if  not  more  than  to  any  other  one.  Although  past  forty-five 
years  of  age  before  he  entered  upon  an  itinerant  life,  few  men  have 
travelled  more  extensively  in  preaching  the  gospel,  in  the  regions 
between  Cape  Cod  on  the  east,  Ohio  on  the  west,  Canada  on  the 
north,  and  Pennsylvania  on  the  south. 

James  Bailey,  brother  of  Elijah,  has  likewise  occupied  a  con- 
spicuous place  in  the  progress  of  this  branch  of  Methodists.  In 
preaching  talent,  though  inferior  to  Elijah  Bailey,  and  not  so  well  versed 
in  the  conference  business  and  the  exposition  of  intricate  questions,  he 
is  a  sound  divine,  and  'will  doubtless  have  many  souls  as  seals  of  his 
ministry  in  the  great  day  of  accounts.  He  is  a  man  of  indomitable 
perseverance,  always  laborious  and  never  discouraged ;  more  local 
in  his  labours,  with  a  wife  who  has  been  confined  to  her  sick  room 
for  nearly  forty  years ;  to  him  the  cause  is  indebted  for  some  of  its 
best  societies  in  central  New  York. 

Ezra  Amadon,  another  of  the  original  seceders,  is,  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word,  a  nursing  father.  Of  strict  integrity  and  universal  love 
for  the  cause,  surrounded  by  a  large  family  connexion,  he  has  been  a 
pillar  in  the  cause  of  reform  in  western  New  York.  His  words  are 
always  few  and  to  the  point,  his  counsels  safe  and  conciliatory,  he 
enjoys  himself  best  when  servant  of  all,  and  the  instrument  of  good ; 
a  truly  great  man  in  the  affections  of  his  acquaintances,  but  of  humble 
pretensions. 

Ebenezer  Davis  was  likewise  of  the  original  fourteen  who  organized 
the  Reformed  Methodist  Church.     He  is,  we  think,  a  native  of  Ver- 


REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH.  473 

mont,  still  resident  in  that  state,  and  has  stood  from  the  beginning  as 
one  of  the  pillars  of  the  cause  in  the  Vermont  Conference.  He  is  a 
self-made  man,  like  his  coadjutors  above  alluded  to,  and  from  a  boy, 
indeed,  has  become  a  man  in  the  things  of  God ;  wise  in  council,  and 
of  universal  integrity  and  Christian  simplicity. 

William  Lake  gave  his  name,  his  heart,  his  hand  to  the  cause  of 
Methodist  reform,  at  the  first  conference.  He  was  a  native  of  White 
Creek,  N.  Y.,  of  Low  Dutch  descent,  and  inherited  all  the  roughness  of 
character  peculiar  to  that  class  of  our  citizens  in  this  state.  Previous 
to  his  .conversion  he  was  a  gambler,  a  horse-jockey,  boxer,  &c.,  a 
rare  specimen  of  a  man  to  look  up,  of  an  ardent  temperament,  hasty 
and  undaunted  in  any  thing  he  undertook.  After  his  conversion,  his 
ardour,  zeal,  and  physical  energies,  were  all  turned  into  a  new  chan- 
nel. He  was  as  zealous  for  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  as  he 
had  before  been  the  devoted  of  all  unrighteousness.  Having  much  of 
the  "good  things  of  this  life,"  he  brought  not  only  his  own  personal 
services  to  the  aid  of  the  cause,  but  by  his  money  did  much  to  sustain 
his  poorer  brethren.  He  has  some  two  years  since  gone  to  his  long- 
sought  rest.  He  was  a  man  distinguished  for  the  power  of  his  ex- 
hortations, more  than  the  richness  and  correctness  of  his  sermons. 
In  the  prime  of  his  years,  the  sinner  trembled  under  the  eloquence 
of  spirit  with  which  he  spoke.  Few  persons  ever  stormed  the  bul- 
warks of  iniquity  with  more  undaunted  courage  and  better  success. 
He  could  accomplish  what  could  be  erfected  by  zeal,  and  moral  and 
physical  force,  better  than  that  which  required  prudence  and  discri- 
mination. He  was  an  iUiterate.  man,  but  acquired  an  easy  use  of  the 
English  language,  and  was  a  fine  specimen  of  natural  eloquence. 
He  travelled  extensively,  was  itinerant  in  his  feelings,  and  in  the 
prime  of  his  years  revivals  uniformly  followed  his  labours.  He 
travelled  a  few  times  into  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  where  his 
boisterous  zeal  very  much  shocked  the  puritanic  habits  of  the  people; 
but  the  greater  portion  of  his  ministry  was  spent  in  Vermont,  New 
York,  and  Upper  Canada.  His  family  residence  was  Granby,  N.  Y., 
for  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life.  Pecuniary  embarrassments 
greatly  depressed  him  in  the  latter  part  of  his  days,  and  to  a  con- 
siderable degree  impaired  his  usefulness ;  but  thousands  will  bless  his 
memory,  and  appear  as  stars  in  his  crown  of  rejoicing  at  the  last 
day. 

Caleb  Whiting  deserves  likewise  to  be  noticed  as  one  of  the  ori- 
ginal band.  Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  Reformed  Methodist 
Church  he  removed  to  this  state,  and  has  been  extensively  useful  as 
a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  in  central  New  York.     He  has  been  dis- 

31 


474 


HISTORY  OF  THK 


tinfTuished  more  for  the  power  of  his  exhortations  than  for  his 
preaching  talent,  though  he  has  held  the  office  of  an  elder  from  the 
befrinninfT,  and  is  worthily  regarded  as  a  father  in  the  cause.  Elder 
WhitincT  is  now  superannuated,  and  resides  at  Berkshire,  Tioga 
county,  N.  Y. 

The  six  persons  above  alluded  to,  are  regarded  as  fathers  in  the 
cause  of  Reformed  Methodism,  and  have  been  the  leading  instru- 
ments in  the  progress  of  this  body  of  Methodists;  their  history  is 
interwoven  with  the  history  of  tl^e  church  with  which  they  stand 
connected.  Other  brethren  of  great  merit  and  usefulness  have  come 
in  to  their  aid,  w'hich  the  limits  of  this  article  will  not  allow  us  to 
notice.  Rev.  Pliny  Brett,  of  Mass.,  early  united  with  the  Reformers, 
and  his  self-denial  and  love  for  souls  have  done  much  for  the  cause  in 
that  state.  But  he,  several  years  since,  left  us  and  joined  the  Pro- 
testant Methodists.  Rev.  Seth  Sterling,  of  Vermont,  a  man  of  God, 
whose  praise  is  in  all  the  church,  likewise  united  with  this  church 
while  in  her  infancy,  and  still  lives,  an  ornament  to  the  Christian 
name.  Rev.  Jeremiah  Fry,  of  the  Green  Mountain  State,  born  a 
Reformed  Methodist,  is  one  of  the  most  talented  ministers,  though 
self-made,  of  any  in  the  Vermont  Conference.  Rev.  Messrs.  Dun- 
ham, Snow,  and  Harris,  of  Mass.,  reared  up  among  the  Reformers, 
are  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament. 

At  the  present  time  we  have  five  conferences  of  Reformed  Metho- 
dists :  the  Massachusetts,  Vermont,  New  York,  New  York  Western, 
and  Canada  Conferences,  and  about  fifty  ordained  preachers  or 
elders,  and  twenty-five  licensed  preachers.  The  memberships  are 
computed  at  3,000. 

Of  the  progress  of  the  cause  in  Vermont,  I  need  not  farther  speak. 
The  year  of  the  close  of  the  war,  with  a  view  to  thrust  labourers  into 
the  field,  a  sort  of  community  was  formed,  Wm.  Lake,  E.  Bailey,  E. 
Davis,  E.  Amadon,  and  several  others  being  members  of  it.  They 
bought  a  farm  on  the  state  line  in  the  town  of  Bennington,  Vt.,  and 
Hosack,  N.  Y.  This  farm  consisted  of  several  hundred  acres,  and 
the  community,  of  near  a  dozen  farmers.  Providence  did  not  seem 
to  smile  on  the  undertaking,  though  conceived  in  the  purest  bene- 
volence. The  cold  season's  coming  on,  the  want  of  funds  to  pay  in 
advance  for  the  farm,  rendered  it  impossible  for  them  to  pay  for  the 
place,  and  after  remaining  near  two  years  on  the  premises,  they  were 
compelled  to  scatter ;  not  scattered  to  abandon  their  principles,  but 
to  promulgate  them  in  other  regions,  where  Providence  might  open 
the  way.  Rev.  E.  Bailey  removed  to  Slatersville,  R.  I.,  in  which  place 
lie  laboured  two  years,  and  then  removed  to  Onondaga,  N.  Y.     For 


REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH.  475 

eighteen  years  his  family  remained  in  Manlius,  Onondaga,  while  he 
himself  was  itinerating  from  Cape  Cod  to  Ohio.  About  ten  years  ago 
he  removed  to  Cape  Cod,  Mass.,  at  which  place  he  has  laboured  since 
that  time,  and  where  he  still  resides,  in  the  77th  year  of  his  age, 
though  capable  of  sustaining  a  pastoral  charge.  He  has  frequently 
remarked,  that  preaching  was  to  him  a  healthful  exercise.  This  is 
owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  natural,  easy  mode  of  speaking  which  he  had 
acquired,  and  the  self-control  he  had  obtained  over  himself ;  so  that 
he  was  always  cool  and  collected,  his  zeal  the  effect  of  the  flow  of 
spirit,  and  not  a  laboured  eflbrt  for  effect,  against  the  impulses  of  his 
own  heart.  He  is  emphatically  a  man  of  integrity,  and  steady  devo- 
tion to  God. 

Rev.  Wm.  Lake,  soon  after  the  community  was  dissolved,  removed 
to  the  town  of  Granby,  N.  Y.,  where  his  family  still  resides ;  and  from 
this  central  point  travelled  extensively,  and  was  eminently  useful  in 
planting  and  watering  the  Reformed  Methodist  societies  in  this  state. 
He  was  unlike  the  Rev.  E.  Bailey  in  the  temperament  of  his  mind 
and  gifts ;  but  for  several  years,  when  the  providence  of  God  opened 
the  way  for  them  to  labour  together,  they  most  harmoniously  drew 
together,  as  true  yoke-fellows,  and  scarcely  did  they  strike  a  blow, 
but  that  a  powerful  revival  attended  the  effort.  He  was  indeed  "a 
son  of  thunder,"  whose  powerful  appeals  touched  the  most  stony 
heart. 

Failing  in  the  "  community"  project,  tended  no  doubt  to  subserve 
the  cause  which  they  had  so  nearly  at  heart.  They  were  scattered, 
and  in  their  scattered  condition  have  accomplished  more  than  they 
would  have  done  if  confined  to  one  spot  as  a  centre  of  operations. 
This  attempt  to  build  up  a  permanent  community  was  an  unwise 
move,  and  is  now  universally  so  regarded  by  the  persons  interested. 
So  the  fathers  think  ;  and  some  of  their  sons,  now  that  property  asso- 
ciations and  communities  are  heralded  as  the  sovereign  panacea  of 
the  ills  of  human  society,  look  back  to  that  time  with  an  instinctive 
dislike  to  such  schemes  for  human  improvement. 

Reformed  Methodism  was  planted  in  Upper  Canada  by  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Wm.  Lake  and  E.  Baily,  some  time  in  1817  or  1818.  Here 
they  soon  found  faithful  co-labourers  in  the  persons  of  Rev.  Messrs. 
Robert  and  Daniel  Perry.  The  history  of  the  revival  which  followed 
their  first  labours  in  this  province  would  be  most  instructive,  affording 
one  of  the  most  interesting  instances,  of  the  conversion  of  hardened 
sinners,  found  in  modern  history  of  revivals.  Instances  of  slaying 
power  were  common.  Infidels  feared  and  trembled  in  viev/  of  the 
manifest  tokens  of  the  divine  presence. 


470 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


In 'the  state  of  New  York,  worthy  co-lahourcrs  soon  came  to  the 
aid  of  "  the  fathers,"  wliose  piety  and  devotion  have  placed  them  high 
in  the  affections  of  the  people  with  which  they  stand  connected.  But 
our  limits  will  not  allow  us  to  notice  them  particularly. 

The  Reformed  Methodists,  up  to  the  year  1837,  laboured  under  the 
inconvenience  of  having  no  periodical  organ.  In  the  year  1837  the 
"South  Cortland  Luminary"  was  started,  edited  by  the  writer.  This 
paper  was  started  by  the  New  York  Conference,  but  was  soon  made 
the  organ  of  the  whole  church.  The  press  in  the  year  1839  was  re- 
moved to  Fayetteville,  N.  Y.,  and  took  the  name  "  Fayetteville  Lu- 
minary," edited  as  before.  In  the  fall  of  1841  an  association  was 
formed  between  the  Reformed  Methodists,  vSociety  Methodists,  and 
local  bodies  of  Wesleyan  Methodists,  the  object  of  which  was  to  aid 
each  other,  without  merging  the  various  bodies  in  one  church.  By 
the  terms  of  this  association,  the  name  of  the  Luminary  waS  changed 
to  that  of  "  Methodist  Reformer,"  the  Reformer  to  be  the  organ  of 
the  association,  but  still  the  press  to  be  the  property  of  the  Reformed 
Methodists.  The  Reformer  was-  started  in  Fayetteville,  but  removed 
to  Utica,  in  the  fall  of  1842  ;  and  after  the  organization  of  the  Wes- 
leyan Methodist  Church,  May,  1843,  by  an  arrangement  between  the 
Reformed  Methodists  and  the  Wesleyans,  on  the  association  principle, 
the  Reformer  subscription  list  was  transferred  to  the  True  Wesleyan, 
published  at  Boston,  Massachusetts,  as  a  preliminary  step  to  a  union 
of  the  two  bodies.  Six  years  only  of  the  time  of  the  existence  of  the 
Reformed  Methodist  body,  they  had  the  advantages  of  the  press. 
Rev.  E.  Bailey  had,  however,  written  two  w^orks,  one  "  Bailey  on  the 
Trinity,"  and  "  Thoughts  on  Government,"  previous  to  this. 

The  Reformers  are  still  distinct  in  their  organization,  but  bound  to 
the  Wesleyan  Methodists  by  the  ties  of  sympathy  in  principle  and 
mode  of  church  polity,  and  likewise  by  an  association  which  secures 
mutual  advantages,  and  it  is  contemplated  that  at  no  distant  day,  they 
will  be  lost  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church. 

Such  is  but  a  meagre  outline  of  the  history  of  this  body  of  Metho- 
dists. It  has  often  been  tauntingly  said,  "  Why,  you  Reformers  have 
done  nothing  !"  We  have,  truly,  nothing  of  which  to  boast.  But 
considering  the  material  witl.  which  they  commenced,  the  number, 
men,  want  of  schools  and  an  edu'^ated  ministry,  the  opposition  which 
a  body  must  meet  that  has  the  plainness  to  intimate  that  the  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church  needs  refonnmg,  and  the  actual  opposition, 
to  say  nothing  of  outright  slander  from  that  quarter :  the  wonder  is 
greater  that  they  have  done  as  much  as  they  have.  The  actual  num- 
ber in  a  denomination  is  not  the  true  standard  of  the  good  they  are 


REFORMED  METHODIST  CHURCH.  47^ 

accomplishing.  The  Reformers  have  been  the  instruments  of  the 
conversion  of  thousands  who,  in  consequence  of  their  itinerant  habits, 
have  sought  a  home  in  other  churches.  One  whole  conference  went 
off  in  Ohio,  and  joined  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church.  Some  ten 
years  since,  more  than  one  half  of  the  ministers  of  the  Massachusetts 
Conference,  and  several  societies,  seceded,  and  joined  the  Protestant 
Methodists.  Then,  again,  it  requires  some  humility  and  attachment 
to  principle  to  induce  men  to  stand  long  with  a  small  and  persecuted 
people.  Reformers  have  had  seceders  from  them — I  will  not  call 
them  apostates — and  all  these  things  taken  into  the  account,  we  have 
abundant  reason  to  thank  God  that  our  labour  has  not  been  altogether 
in  vain. 

I  might  have  added,  under  the  head  of  "  articles  of  religion," 
that  the  Reformed  Methodist  Church  has  always  had  an  article 
against  war,  offensive  and  defensive.  I  add  it  here,  for  I  have  aimed 
to  give  every  "  radical"  as  well  as  "  fanatical"  trait  in  the  history  of 
this  people.  For  if  the  public  have  any  interest  in  the  history  of  this 
branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  they  are  most  interested  in  those  por- 
tions wherein  they  differ  from  others.  And  surely,  we  need  be 
ashamed  of  nothing  but  our  sins.  And  I  must  add  another  fact :  it 
might  be  expected  that  a  body  formed  upon  the  democratical  prin- 
ciple of  the  Reformed  Methodist  Church  would  be  anti-slavery  in  its 
character.  The  Reformed  Methodists  have  from  the  beginnini:^  had 
Mr.  Wesley's  general  rule  with  respect  to  "  buying  or  selling,  men, 
women  and  children,  with  an  intention  to  enslave  them,"  and  not  that 
spurious  interpolated  one  now  in  the  Discipline  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church;  and  when  the  recent  anti-slavery  discussion  sprung 
up,  this  body  was  prompt  to  respond  to  this  effort  to  rid  the  church 
and  country  of  this  "  sum  of  all  villanies."  They  soon  added  an 
article  to  the  Discipline,  excluding  apologists  for  this  sin  against  "God, 
man,  and  nation,"'  from  the  church.  And  we  are  happy  to  add,  that 
they  have  great  harmony  on  this  question. 

In  conclusion,  Mr.  Editor,  I  shall  thank  you  for  allowing  space  in 
your  History  of  the  whole  Church,  for  transmitting  to  posterity  the 
brief  record  of  this  body  of  Christians  which  I  have  furnished  ;  but 
the  haste  with  which  it  has  been  written,  and  amidst  the  pressing  cares 
which  at  present  devolve  upon  me,  and  the  want  of  statistics  and  re- 
cords, I  must  beg  to  urge  as  an  apology  for  deficiencies. 


THUE  WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHUECH. 

BY  REV.  J.  TIMBERMAN, 

PASTOR  OF  THE  FIRST  TRUE  WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHURCH,  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

The  polity  of  the  original  Wesleyan  societies  rested  upon  the 
principle  that  their  illustrious  founder  had  a  right  to  control  every 
minister  and  preacher,  and  every  member  of  his  societies,  in  all  mat- 
ters of  a  prudential  character.  As  he  himself  states,  he  had  the  ex- 
clusive power  to  appoint,  when,  where  and  how,  his  societies  should 
meet;  and  to  remove  those  whose  lives  showed  that  they  had  no 
desire  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come ;  and  this  power  remains  the 
same,  whether  the  people  meeting  together  were  eight  hundred  or 
eight  thousand.  He  exercised  a  similar  power  over  the  preachers,  to 
appoint  each,  when,  where  and  how  to  labour,  and  to  tell  any,  "  If  I  see 
causes,  I  do  not  desire  your  help  any  longer."  Mostly,  the  members 
of  these  societies  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England ;  some 
were  members  of  the  dissenting  churches.  Mr.  Wesley  was  a  min- 
ister of  the  Church  of  England,  and  as  such  he  died  ;  and  with  very 
few  exceptions,  his  preachers  were  laymen.  He  was  their  tutor  and 
governor.  He  was  the  patron  of  all  the  Methodist  pulpits  in  Eng- 
land and  Ireland  for  life:  the  sole  right  of  nomination  being  vested 
in  him  by  the  deeds  of  settlement.  He  was  also  the  patron  of  the 
Methodist  societies  in  America,  and  as  such,  he  is  acknowledged  by 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  as  its  founder.  That  he  is  the  author 
of  the  Episcopacy  of  that  church,  is  questioned  by  some  for  t!.e  fol- 
lowing reasons:  1st.  It  was  not  until  some  years  after  the  institution 
of  Episcopacy  in  1784,  that  Mr.  Wesley's  authority  was  alleged  as 
its  basis.  But  without  any  mention  of  Mr.  Wesley,  the  itinerant 
preachers  declared  in  their  first  minutes:  "  We  will  form  ourselves 
into  an  Episcopal  Church,"  &c.  2d.  Mr.  Wesley  alleged  no  other 
authority  than  himself  to  ordain  ministers,  but  his  right  as  a  presbyter. 
3d.  He  solemnly  forbid  Mr.  Asbury  to  assume  the  title  of  bishop  in 
his  letter  to  Mr.  Shinn,  dated  London,  Sept.  20th,  1788,  in  which 
he  says:  "One  instance  of  this,  your  greatness,  has  given  me  great 


TRUE  WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHURCH.  479 

concern.  How  can  you,  how  dare  you  suffer  yourself  to  be  called 
a  bishop?  I  shudder  at  the  very  thought.  Men  may  call  me  a  man, 
or  a  fool,  or  a  rascal,  or  a  scoundrel,  and  I  am  content ;  but  they  shall 
never,  with  my  consent,  call  me  a  bishop.  For  my  sake,  for  God's 
sake,  for  Christ's  sake,  put  a  full  end  to  this."  Signed,  John  Wesley. 
4th.  Some  of  the  first  symptoms  indicative  of  dissatisfaction  with  the 
new  economy  were  evinced  by  those  preachers,  who  were  well  ac- 
quainted with  Mr.  Wesley's  sentiments  on  this  subject,  and  had  them- 
selves been  made  to  feel  the  tremendous  power  of  this  economy 
among  Methodists,  namely.  Episcopacy.  On  no  question  have  they 
been  so  equally  divided.  No  changes,  however,  have  been  effected. 
The  Episcopacy  still  maintains  its  prerogatives  in  their  original  in- 
tegrity. In  1824,  memorials  and  petitions  were  presented  to  the 
General  Conference,  complaining  of  the  government  being  so  consti- 
tuted and  administered,  as  to  exclude  the  local  preachers  and  the  lay 
members  from  every  sort  of  participation  in  their  own  government, 
as  Methodists.  But  some  of  these  petitioners  were  satisfied  with  the 
plea  of  expediency ;  still  the  most  of  them  took  the  ground  of  right. 
All  of  them  claimed  a  representative  form  of  government.  The  Con- 
ference replied,  that  they  knew  no  such  right,  nor  did  they  compre- 
hend any  such  privileges.  From  that  time  the  controversy  assumed 
a  new  character,  the  result  of  which  was  the  call  of  a  convention  of 
all  Methodist  families,  to  a  representative  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, to  be  held  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  in  November,  1828.  Here, 
a  provisional  government,  under  the  formal  articles  of  association, 
was  adopted,  to  continue  for  two  years ;  after  which,  another  con- 
vention was  also  held  in  Baltimore,  and  continued  its  sessions  from 
the  2d  to  the  23d  of  November,  1830.  One  hundred  and  twelve  per- 
sons were  elected  as  members,  eighty-one  of  whom  attended.  A  con- 
stitution and  discipline  were  adopted;  called,  "  the  Constitution  and 
Discipline  of  the  Protestant  Methodist  Church."  In  this,  much  con- 
templated by  Reformed  Methodists  was  gained,  and  prosperity  greatly 
attended  said  church.  But  many  things  contemplated  by  True  Wes- 
leyans  were  not  yet  gained  ;  for  the  true  founder  of  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dism was  not  only  opposed  to  the  Episcopal  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, as  it  exists  in  America  among  the  Methodists,  but  also  to  slavery 
as  it  exists  in  this  country.  And  yet  this  vile  system  is  cherished  by 
both  Episcopal  and  Protestant  Methodists;  therefore,  both  churches  are 
still  agitated  by  those  who  were  not  one  in  sentiment  upon  Episcopacy 
and  slavery.  True  Wesleyans  and  some  of  the  chief  men  are  en- 
gaged in  this  latter  reform  with  Mr.  Hervey,  who  calls  this  system 
of  slavery  the  vilest  system  ever  seen  beneath  the  sun.     In  the  Me- 


480 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


thodist  Episcopal  Church,  were  Rev.  Leroy  Sunderland,  Orange 
Scott,  Luther  Lee,  J.  Horton,  E.  Smith,  C.  Prindle,  &c.  In  the  Pro- 
testant Methodist  Church,  were  Rev.  John  Crocker,  Hiram  Mackee, 
R.  JMcMurdy,  G.  Pegler,  Dr.  Timberman,  J.  Culver,  &sc.  These, 
with  a  host  of  others  from  different  associated  Methodist  Churches, 
united  in  calling  a  convention  of  ministers  and  laymen,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  forming  a  Wesley  an  Methodist  Church,  free  from  Episcopacy, 
intemperance  and  slavery  ;  which  convention  was  held  at  Utica,  New 
York,  on  May  31st,  1843.  And  after  many  days'  peaceful  deliberation, 
the  glorious  design  of  this  convention  was  accomplished,  viz.,  the 
formation  of  a  Discipline,  called  "  the  Discipline  of  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Church  in  America,"  granting  to  all  men  their  rights,  and 
making  them  free  and  equal,  according  to  the  word  of  God  and  the 
preamble  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  of  these  United  States. 
They  also  organized  six  annual  conferences,  including  the  chief  por- 
tions of  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States,  connected  with  which,  are 
many  interesting  societies,  and  talented  ministers  and  preachers,  which 
number  about  twenty  thousand  members,  and  about  three  hundred 
itinerant  ministers  and  preachers,  besides  a  greater  number  of  unsta- 
tioned  ministers  and  preachers.  Thus  much  for  the  history  of  this 
branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  We  now  come  to  notice  secondly, 
the  doctrines  of  the  True  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church. 

ELEMENTARY   PRINCIPLES. 

1.  A  Christian  church  is  a  society  of  believers  in  Jesus  Christ,  as- 
sembled in  any  one  place  for  religious  worship,  and  is  of  divine  insti- 
tution. 

2.  Christ  is  the  only  Head  of  the  Church  ;  and  the  word  of  God  the 
only  rule  of  faith  and  conduct. 

3.  No  person  who  loves  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  obeys  the 
gospel  of  God  our  Saviour,  ought  to  be  deprived  of  church  mem- 
bership. 

4.  Every  man  has  an  inahenable  right  to  private  judgment,  in 
matters  of  religion;  and  an  equal  right  to  express  his  opinion,  in  any 
way  which  will  not  violate  the  laws  of  God,  or  the  rights  of  his  fcllow^- 
men. 

5.  Church  trials  should  be  conducted  on  gospel  principles  only ; 
and  no  minister  or  member  should  be  excommunicated  except  for 
immorality,  the  propagation  of  unchristian  doctrines,  or  for  the  ne- 
glect of  duties  enjoined  by  the  word  of  God. 

6.  The  pastoral  or  ministerial  office  and  duties  are  of  divine  appoint- 


TRUE  WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHURCH.  481 

ment,  and  all  elders  in  the  Church  of  God  are  equal ;  but  ministers 
are  forbidden  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  or  to  have  dominion  over 
the  faith  of  the  saints. 

7.  The  church  has  a  right  to  form  and  enforce  such  rules  and  regu- 
lations only,  as  are  in  accordance  with  the  holy  scriptures,  and  may 
be  necessary,  or  have  a  tendency,  to  carry  into  effect  the  great  system 
of  practical  Christianity. 

8.  Whatever  power  may  be  necessary  to  the  formation  of  rules 
and  regulations  is  inherent  in  the  ministers  and  members  of  the 
church ;  but  so  much  of  that  power  may  be  delegated  from  time"  to 
time,  upon  a  plan  of  representation,  as  they  may  judge  necessary  and 
proper. 

9.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  ministers,  and  members  of  the  church  to 
maintain  godliness,  and  to  oppose  all  moral  evil. 

10.  It  is  obligatory  on  ministers  of  the  gospel  to  be  faithful  in  the 
discharge  of  their  pastoral  and  ministerial  duties;  and  it  is  also  obli- 
gatory on  the  members  to  esteem  ministers  highly  for  their  work's 
sake,  and  to  render  them  a  righteous  compensation  for  their  labours. 

ARTICLES    OF    RELIGION. 

I.  Of  Faith  in  tlie  Holy  Trinity.— There  is  but  one  living  and  true 
God,  everlasting,  of  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  :  the  Maker 
and  Preserver  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible.  And  in  unity  of  this 
Godhead  there  are  three  persons  of  one  substance,  power,  and  eternity, 
the  Father,  the  Son  (the  Word),  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

11.  Of  the  Son  of  God.— The  only  begotten  Son  of  God  was  con- 
ceived of  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  suffered  under 
Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucified,  dead,  and  buried,  to  be  a  sacrifice,  not 
only  for  original  guilt,  but  also  for  the  actual  sins  of  men,  and  to  re- 
concile us  to  God. 

III.  Oft/ie  Resurrection  of  Christ. — Christ  did  truly  rise  again  from 
the  dead,  taking  his  body,  with  all  things  appertaining  to  the  perfection 
of  man's  nature,  wherewith  He  ascended  into  heaven,  and  there  sitteth 
until  He  shall  return  to  judge  all  men  at  the  last  day. 

IV.  Of  the  Holy  Ghost.— The  Holy  Ghost,  proceeding  from  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  very  and  eternal  God. 

V.  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  Salvation.— The  holy 
scriptures  contain  all  things  necessary  to  salvation ;  so  that  whatso- 
ever is  not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  re- 
quired of  any  man,  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an  article  of  faith,  or 
be  thought  necessary  or  requisite  to  salvation.     In  the  name  of  the 


482  HISTORY  OF  THE 

holy  scriptures,  \vc  do  understand  lliose  canonical  books  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  of  whose  authority  there  is  no  doubt  in  the 
Church. 

The  canonical  books  of  the  Old  Testament  are:  Genesis,  Exodus, 
Leviticus,  Numbers,  Deuteronomy,  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  the  First 
Book  of  Samuel,  the  Second  Book  of  Samuel,  the  First  Book  of  Kincrs, 
the  Second  Book  of  Kings,  the  First  Book  of  Chronicles,  the  Second 
Book  of  Chronicles,  the  Book  of  Ezra,  the  Book  of  Nehemiah,  the 
Book  of  Esther,  the  Book  of  Job,  the  Psalms,  the  Proverbs,  Eccle- 
siastes,  the  Songs  of  Solomon,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Lamentations,  Ezekiel, 
Daniel,  Hosea,  Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah,  Nahum,  Haba- 
kuk,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi. 

The  canonical  books  of  the  New  Testament  are:  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke,  John,  the  Acts,  the  Epislle  to  the  Romans,  First  Corinthians, 
Second  Corinthians,  Galatians,  Ephesians,  Philippians,  Colossians, 
First  Thessalonians,  Second  Thessalonians,  First  Timothy,  Second 
Timothy,  Titus,  PhUemon,  Hebrews,  James,  First  Peter,  Second 
Peter,  First  John,  Second  John,  Third  John,  Jude,  Revelation. 

VI.  Of  the  Old  Testament. — The  Old  Testament  is  not  contrary  to 
the  New  ;  for  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  everlasting  life  is 
offered  to  mankind  through  Christ,  who  is  the  only  mediator  between 
God  and  man,  wherefore  thev  are  not  to  be  heard  who  feign  that  the 
old  fathers  did  look  only  for  transitory  promises.  Although  the  law 
given  from  God  by  Moses,  as  touching  rites  and  ceremonies,  doth  not 
bind  Christians,  nor  ought  the  civil  precepts  thereof  of  necessity  be 
received  in  any  commonwealth ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  ^no  Christian 
whatsoever  is  free  from  the  obedience  of  the  ten  commandments, 
which  are  called  the  moral  law. 

VII.  Of  Relative  Duties. — Those  two  great  commandments  which 
require  us  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  hearts,  and  our 
neighbour  as  ourselves,  contain  the  sum  of  the  divine  law,  as  it  is 
revealed  in  the  scriptures,  and  arc  the  measure  and  perfect  rule  of 
human  duty,  as  well  for  the  ordering  and  directing  of  families  and 
nations  and  all  other  social  bodies,  as  for  individual  acts,  by  which 
we  are  required  to  acknowledge  God  as  our  only  supreme  ruler,  and 
all  men  created  by  Him,  equal  in  all  natural  rights.  Wherefore  all  men 
are  bound  so  to  order  all  their  individual  and  social  acts,  as  to  render 
to  God  entire  and  absolute  obedience,  and  to  secure  all  men  the  en- 
joyment of  every  natural  right,  as  well  as  to  promote  the  greatest 
haj)piness  of  each  in  the  possession  and  exercise  of  such  rights. 

VIII.  Of  Original  or  Birth  Sin. — Original  sin  standeth  not  in  fol- 
lowing of  Adam,  (as  the  Pelagians  do  vainly  talk,)  but  it  is  the  cor- 


TRUE  WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHURCH.  483 

ruption  of  the  nature  of  every  man,  that  naturally  is  engendered  of 
the  offspring  of  Adam,  whereby  man  is  wholly  gone  from  original 
righteousness,  and  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  and  that  con- 
tinually. 

IX.  Of  Free  Will — The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is 
such,  that  he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself  by  his  own  natural 
strength  and  works,  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  God,  without  the 
grace  of  God  by  Christ  working  in  us,  that  we  may  have  a  good 
will,  and  working  with  us  when  we  have  that  good  will. 

X.  Of  the  Justification  of  Man. — We  are  accounted  righteous 
before  God,  only  for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus 
Christ,  by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or  deservings ;  wherefore 
that  we  are  justified  by  faith  only,  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and 
very  full  of  comfort. 

XL  Of  Good  Works. — Although  good  works,  which  are  the  fruit  of 
faith,  and  follow  after  justification,  cannot  put  away  our  sins  and 
endure  the  severity  of  God's  judgments :  yet  are  they  pleasing  and 
acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  and  spring  out  of  a  true  and  lively  faith, 
insomuch  as  by  them  a  lively  faith  may  be  as  evidently  known  as  a 
tree  is  discerned  by  its  fruit. 

XII.  Of  Sin  after  Justification. — Not  every  sin  willingly  committed 
after  justification,  is  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  unpardonable  ; 
wherefore,  repentance  is  not  denied  to  such  as  fall  into  sin  after  justi- 
fication; after  we  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  may  depart 
from  grace  given,  and  fall  into  sin,  and  by  the  grace  of  God,  rise 
again  to  amend  our  lives.  And  therefore  they  are  to  be  condemned, 
who  say  they  can  no  more  sin,  as  long  as  they  live  here ;  or  deny 
the  place  of  forgiveness  to  such  as  truly  repent. 

XIII.  Of  Sacraments. — Sacraments  ordained  of  Christ  are  not  only 
badges  or  tokens  of  Christian  men's  profession  ;  but  they  are  certain 
signs  of  grace,  and  God's  good  will  toward  us,  by  which  he  doth 
work  invisibly  in  us  and  doth  not  only  quicken,  but  also  strengthen 
and  confirm  our  faith  in  him. 

There  are  two  sacraments  ordained  of  Christ  our  Lord,  in  the 
gospel ;  that  is  to  say.  Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  our  Lord. 

XIV.  Of  Baptism. — Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession,  and 
mark  of  ditference,  whereby  Christians  are  distinguished  from  others 
that  are  not  baptized ;  but  it  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration  or  the 
new  birth.  The  baptism  of  young  children  is  to  be  retained  in  the 
church. 

XV.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper. — The  Supper  of  the  Lord  is  not  only  a 
sign  of  the  love  that  Christians  ought  to  have  among  themselves  one 


484  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  another,  but  rather  it  is  a  sacranient  of  our  redemption  by  Christ's 
death ;  insomuch  that,  to  such  as  rightly,  worthily,  and  with  faith 
receive  the  same,  it  is  made  a  medium  through  which  God  doth 
communicate  grace  to  the  heart. 

XVI.  Of  the  one  Oblation  of  Christ  finished  on  the  Cross. — The 
offering  of  Christ,  once  made,  is  that  perfect  redemption  and  propi- 
tiation for  all  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and  actual ; 
and  there  is  none  other  satisfaction  for  sin  but  that  alone.  Where- 
fore, to  expect  salvation  on  the  ground  of  our  own  works,  or  by  suf- 
fering the  pains  our  sins  deserve,  either  in  the  present  or  future  state, 
is  derogatory  to  Christ's  offering  for  us,  and  a  dangerous  deceit. 

XVII.  Of  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  Churches. — It  is  not  neces- 
sary that  rites  and  ceremonies  should  in  all  places  be  alike ;  for  they 
have  always  been  different,  and  may  be  changed  according  to  the 
diversity  of  countries,  times,  and  men's  manners,  so  that  nothing  be 
ordained  against  God's  word.  Every  particular  church  may  ordain, 
change,  or  abolish  rites  and  ceremonies,  so  that  all  things  may  be  done 
to  edification. 

XVIII.  Of  the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead. — There  will  be  a  general 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  the  unjust,  at  which 
time  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men  will  be  reunited,  to  receive  together 
a  just  retribution  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  bod}'. 

XIX.  Of  the  General  Judgment. — There  will  be  a  general  judg- 
ment at  the  end  of  the  world,  when  God  will  judge  all  men  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  receive  the  righteous  into  his  heavenly  kingdom,  where 
they  shall  be  for  ever  secure  and  happy;  and  adjudge  the  wicked  to 
everlasting  punishment  suited  to  the  demerit  of  their  sins. 

STATISTICS  OF  THE  TRUE  WESLEYAN  CHURCH. 

Boundaries  of  Annual  Corferences. — 1.  The  New  England  Con- 
ference comprises  the  New  England  States,  except  that  portion  of 
Vermont  west  of  the  Green  Mountains.  In  the  bounds  of  this  con- 
ference are  contained  thirty-four  circuits  and  congregations,  and 
nineteen  ministers. 

2.  Champlain  Conference  includes  that  part  of  Vermont  west  of 
the  Green  Mountains;  that  part  of  New  York  State  which  lies  north 
and  east  of  Black  river,  and  a  line  running  from  Carthage  to  thq 
west  corner  of  Vermont.  This  conference  contains  at  present  nine 
stations  and  eleven  ministers. 

3.  New  York  Conference  comprises  so  much  of  New  York  as  is 
not  included  in  the  Champlain  Conference,  Eastern  Pennsylvania, 


TRUE  WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHURCH.  435 

and  New  Jersey.     In  this  conference  are  contained  thirty-five  sta- 
tions and  thirty  ministers. 

4.  Alleghany  Conference  includes  that  part  of  Pennsylvania  west 
of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  that  part  of  Ohio  east  of  the  Scioto 
river,  and  Western  Virginia.  We  find  included  in  this  conference 
thirteen  stations  and  circuits,  and  eleven  ministers. 

5.  Miami  Conference  includes  the  State  of  Ohio  west  of  the  Scioto 

* 
river,  the  States  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  the  Territories  of  Wiscon- 
sin and   Iowa,   containing   twelve   stations   and   circuits,   and   five 
ministers. 

6.  Michigan  Conference  embraces  the  State  of  Michigan,  contain- 
ing nine  stations  and  fourteen  ministers. 

Reserve  List  of  Preachers — Contains  nine  preachers. 

Thus  making  the  summary,  as  before  stated,  reckoning  from  the 
best  data  in  our  possession,  of  six  conferences,  including  about  three 
hundred  ministers  and  preachers,  who  itinerate,  and  upwards  of  three 
hundred  other  ministers  and  preachers  who  are  as  yet  unstationed ; 
and  about  twenty  thousand  communicating  members  of  the  respec- 
tive churches  belonging  to  this  division  of  the  vineyard  of  our  com- 
mon Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Having  thus  seceded  from  the  other  branches  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  after  much  prayerful  deUberation,  and  purely  from  con- 
scientious motives,  whilst  our  devout  and  fervent  prayer  is,  that 
grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  from  God  the  Father,  and  his  anointed 
Son,  Jesus,  our  Saviour,  through  the  effectual  operations  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Comforter,  may  be  multiplied  abundantly  unto  all  who 
love  and  long  for  the  appearance  of  the  great  God,  our  Saviour :  we 
would  go  forward  in  relying  on  the  grace  of  that  God  which  maketh 
rich  and  addeth  no  sorrow,  in  accompUshing  the  work  which  God 
has  given  us  to  do ;  whilst  we  would  ever  look  to  the  Redeeming 
Saviour  to  work  in  us  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure. 
Amen. 


THE  MENNONITES. 


BY  CHRISTIAN  HERR.* 

The  names  of  CEcolampacUus,  Luther,  Zwinglius,  Mclancthon, 
Buccr,  Bullinger,  Calvin,  and  others,  whom  God  in  his  providence 
raised  up  as  humble  instruments  to  reform,  to  no  small  extent,  abuses 
which  had  crept  into  the  church,  are  familiar  to  almost  every  ordi- 
nary reader  ;  while  that  of  Menno  Simon  is  little  known,  although  he 
■was  cotemporary  with  Luther,  Zwinglius,  and  others,  and  with  some 
of  whom  he  had  personal  interviews — with  Luther  and  Melancthon, 
in  Wittenberg ;  with  Bullinger,  at  Zurich  ;  and  at  Strasburg,  with 
Bucer. 

In  an  article  necessarily  brief  as  this  must  be,  the  question.  Whe- 
ther the  Mennonites  are  descendants  from  the  Waldenses  ?  cannot  be 
discussed.  The  testimony,  however,  of  Dr.  Ypeij,  Professor  of  Theo- 
logy at  Groningen,  and  a  member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church, 
may  here  be  appropriately,  introduced,  on  this  point.  In  a  work 
written  by  the  Professor,  published  at  Breda,  1813,  he  says:  "We 
have  now  seen  that  the  Baptists,  who  were  formerly  called  Anabap- 
tists, and  in  later  times  Mennonites,  were  the  original  Waldenses ; 
and  have  long  in  the  history  of  the  Church  received  the  honour  of  that 
origin."  This  testimony  is  borne  from  high  official  authority  in  the 
Dutch  Reformed  Church. 

The  Mennonites  freely  acknowledge  that  they  derived  their  name 
from  Menno  Simon,  a  native  of  Witmarsum,  born  in  Friesland,  A.  D. 
1495.  He,  as  well  as  all  his  cotemporaries,  was  educated  a  Catholic, 
and  in  his  twenty-fourth  year,  he  undertook  the  duties  of  a  priest 
in  his  father's  village,  called  Pinningum,  in  Friesland ;  although  in 
utlcr  darkness  of  mind  and  worldlincss  of  spirit,  yet  not  without  some 
tenderness  of  conscience  and  apparent  piety.     In  1530,  he  was  in- 

•  This  article  has  been  prepared  by  the  aid  of  the  Rev.  Christian  Ilerr,  of  Pequea, 
Lancaster  county,  a  Bishop  in  tlie  Mcnnonitc  Cliurch,  and  lias  liis  approbation. — En. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  MENNONITES.  497 

duced  to  examine  the  New  Testament  for  himself.  "  I  had  not,"  says 
he,  "  proceeded  far  therein,  before  I  discovered  that  I  was  deceived." 
His  mind  was  completely  changed ;  he  renounced  his  former  views, 
and  embraced  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament,  and  which  he 
zealously  advocated. 

He  now  commenced  to  travel,  with  a  view  to  consult  with  some  of 
his  cotemporaries,  such  as  Luther,  Bucer,  Bullinger,  and  others; 
having  done  so,  he  strenuously  opposed  the  Munsterites.  "  He  con- 
demned," says  Mosheim,  "  the  plan  of  ecclesiastical  discipline  of  the 
Munsterites,  that  was  founded  on  the  prospect  of  a  new  kingdom,  to 
be  miraculously  established  by  Jesus  Christ  on  the  ruins  of  civil  go- 
vernment, and  the  destruction  of  human  rulers,  and  which  had  been 
the  pestilential  source  of  such  dreadful  commotions,  such  execrable 
rebellions,  and  such  enormous  crimes."* 

Menno  Simon  plainly  foresaw  to  what  horrid  extremities  the  perni- 
cious doctrines  of  the  Munsterites  were  calculated  to  lead  the  inconsi- 
derate and  unwary;  nevertheless,  as  there  were  many  pious  souls  who 
had  been  misled  by  this  pernicious  sect,  but  who  had  renounced  all  con- 
nexion and  intercourse  with  them,  and  as  there  were  also  others, 
descendants  of  the  ancient  Waldenses,  all  of  whom  were  as  dispersed 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel :  Menno,  at  their  earnest  solicitation,  as- 
sumed among  them  the  rank  and  functions  of  a  public  teacher.  That 
he  was  calculated  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office,  is  evident  from 
his  success,  "  He  had,"  says  Mosheim,  "  the  inestimable  advantage 
of  a  natural  and  persuasive  eloquence,  and  his  learning  was  sufficient 
to  make  him  pass  for  an  oracle  in  the  eyes  of  the  multitude.  He 
appears,  moreover,  to  have  been  a  man  of  probity,  of  a  meek  and 
tractable  spirit,  gentle  in  his  manners,  pliant  and  obsequious  in  his  in- 
tercourse with  persons  of  all  ranks  and  characters,  and  extremely 
zealous  in  promoting  practical  religion  and  virtue,  Vv'hich  he  recom- 
mended by  his  example,  as  well  as  by  his  precepts.  A  man  of  such 
talents  and  dispositions  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  admiration  of  the 
people,  and  to  gain  a  good  number  of  adherents  wherever  he  exer- 
cised his  ministry."! 

From  1537,  Menno  Simon,  in  the  capacity  of  a  public  teacher, 
commenced  travelling  from  one  country  to  another,  amidst  pressures 
and  calamities  of  various  kinds,  and  was  constantly  exposed  to  the 
imminent  danger  of  falling  a  victim  to  the  severity  of  the  laws.  He 
first  visited  East  and  West  Friesland,  the  province  of  Groningen, 
thence  he  directed    his  course  to  Holland,    Guelderland,  Brabant, 

*  Mosheim,  Eccl.  History,  vol.  ii.  p.  132,  t  Ibid. 


488 


IIISTOKY  OF  THE 


Westphalia,  and  continued  through  the  German  provinces  that  lie  on 
the  coast  of  the  Baltic  Sea,  and  penetrated  as  far  as  Livonia.     "  In 

all  these  places  his  ministerial  labours  were  attended  with  remarkable 
success,  and  added  a  prodigious  number  of  followers."*  He  laboured 
assiduously  till  the  close  of  his  life.  He  died  at  Fresenburg,  near 
Oldeslohe,  January  31,  15G1. 

His  object  was  reformation,  and  the  spiritual  edification  of  his 
fellow-men,  which  he  accomplished  to  an  unparalleled  extent. 
He  purified  the  doctrines  of  the  Anabaptists — some  of  them  he  re- 
claimed, others  he  excluded,  who  were  tainted  with  the  Munsterite 
heresy.     He  founded  many  communities  in  various  parts  of  Europe. 

From  the  year  1537,  to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  many 
of  the  Mennonites  were  sorely  persecuted  in  Europe.  They  were 
compelled  to  flee  from  one  country  to  another,  and  consequently  have 
been  dispersed.  Some  went  to  Russia,  Prussia,  Poland,  Holland, 
Denmark,  and  many,  on  the  invitation  of  the  liberal-minded  William 
Penn,  transported  themselves  and  families,  into  the  province  of  Penn- 
sylvania, as  early  as  A..  D.  1683.  Those  who  came  in  that  year  and 
in  1G98,  settled  in  and  about  Germantown,  where  they  erected  a 
school  and  meeting  house  in  1708. 

In  170D  other  families  from  the  Palatinate,  descendants  of  the  dis- 
tressed and  persecuted  Swiss,  emigrated  to  America,  and  settled  in 
Pequea  Vallev,  then  Chester,  now  Lancaster  county.  Among  these 
were  the  Herrs  Meylius,  Kendigs,  Millers,  Oberholtz,  Funks,  Bow- 
mans  and  others.  They  settled  in  the  midst  of  the  Mingo  or  Cones- 
toga,  Pequea,  and  Shawanese  Indians,  where  under  unpropitious 
circumstances,  they  improved  lands.  The  first  who  settled  here  were 
soon  joined  by  others,  who  came  to  America  in  1711,  1717, 1727,  and 
at  a  later  period.  Before  the  year  1735  there  w-ere  probably  rising 
of  five  hundred  families  settled  in  Lancaster  county.  For  some  time 
they  held  their  religious  meetings,  and  school,  in  the  same  rude  build- 
ings. As  a  body,  in  this  country,  the  Mennonites  have  spent  little 
money  in  erecting  stately  buildings  as  churches,  or  for  schools. 
Economy  and  comfort  being  their  chief  aim,  they  discard  ornament. 

Their  religious  views  were  at  an  early  date,  and  since,  misrepre- 
sented, and  no  small  degree  of  prejudice  excited  against  them.  To 
allay  such  unfounded  prejudices,  they  had  "  The  Christian  Confession 
of  Faith,  &c.,  containing  the  chief  doctrines  held  by  them,  translated 
into  English,  and  published  at  Philadelphia,  in  1727."  In  the  preface 
to  that  publication,  they  say — *'  that  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  the 

*  Mosheiiii. 


MENNONITES.  489 

harmless  and  defenceless  Christians,  called  Mennonites,  is  as  yet 
little  known,  &c. :  so  that  the  greatest  portion  of  people  doth  not 
know  what  they  believe  and  confess  of  the  word  of  God,  and  by 
reason  of  that  ignorance,  cannot  speak  and  judge  rightly  of  their 
confession,  nor  of  the  confessors  themselves  ;  nay,  through  prejudice, 
as  a  strange  and  unheard  of  thing,  do  abhor  them,  so  as  not  to  speak 
well,  but  oftentimes  ill  of  them.  Therefore  it  hath  been  thought  fit 
and  needful  to  translate,  at  the  desire  of  some  of  our  fellow-believers 
in  Pennsylvania,  our  Confession  of  Faith  into  English,  so  as  for  many 
years  it  hath  been  printed  in  the  Dutch,  German,  and  French  lan- 
guages; which  confession  hath  been  well  approved  of,  both  in  the 
Low^  Countries  and  in  France,  by  several  eminent  persons  of  the 
Reformed  religion ;  and  therefore  it  hath  been  thought  worth  the  while 
to  turn  it  also  into  English,  that  so  those  of  that  nation  may  become 
acquainted  with  it,  and  so  might  have  a  better  opinion  thereof,  and 
of  its  professors  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  also  that  every  well-meaning 
soul  might  inquire  and  try  all  things,  and  keep  that  which  is  best." 

This  confession,  which  is  given  below,  was,  at  that  time,  (1727,) 
approved  and  received  by  the  elders  and  ministers  of  the  congrega- 
tions of  the  people  called  Mennonites.  "  We  do,  (say  they,)  acknow- 
ledge and  hereby  make  known,  that  we  own  the  Confession.  In 
testimony  whereof,  and  that  we  believe  the  same  to  be  good,  we 
have  subscribed  our  names: 

"  Shipack — Jacob  Gaedtschlack,  Henry  Kolb,  Claes  Jansen,  Michael 
Zigeler.  Germantown — John  Gorgas,  John  Conerads,  Clas  Ritting- 
hausen.  Conestoga — Hans  Burgholtzer,  Christian  Heer,  Benedict 
Hirchi,  Martin  Bear,  Johannes  Bowman.  Great  Swamp — Vclte 
Clemer.    Manatant — Daniel  Langenecker,  Jacob  Beghtly." 


ARTICLES    OF    FAITH. 

The  leading  Articles  of  the  Christian  Faith  of  the  ChurcJies  of  the  United 
Flemish,  Frieslaiid,  and  other  Mennonites,  and  those  in  America, 
adopted  A.  D.  1632. 

I.  Of  God,  of  the  Creation  of  all  things  and  of  Man. — Since  it  is 
testified,  that  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God,  and  that 
whosoever  would  come  to  God,  must  believe  God  is,  and  that  he  is  a 
rewarder  of  all  those  who  seek  him;  we  therefore  confess  and 
believe,  according  tR  the  scriptures,  with  all  the  pious,  in  one  eterhal, 
omnipotent,  and  incomprehensible  God :  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost;  and  in  no  more  or  none  other;  before  whom  there  was  no 

32 


490  HISTORY  OF  THE 

God,  nor  shall  there  be  any  after  him ;  for  from  him,  by  him,  and  in 
him,  are  all  things ;  to  whom  be  praise,  honour,  and  glory  for  ever 
and  ever :  Amen.  (Heb.  xi.  6 ;  Deut.  vi.  4 ;  Gen.  xvii.  1  ;  Isa.  xlvi.  8  ; 
Job  V.  7 ;  Rom.  xi.  36.) 

We  believe  in  this  one  God,  who  works  all  in  all ;  and  confess  that 
he  is  the  Creator  of  all  things^  visible  and  invisible ;  who,  in  six  days, 
created  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea  and  all  that  is  therein ;  and  that  he 
governs  and  upholds  all  his  works  by  his  wisdom,  and  by  the  word 
of  his  power.  (1  Cor.  xii.  6;  Gen.  i.  1-28;  Acts  xiv.  14.) 

Now,  as  he  had  finished  his  work,  and  had  ordained  and  prepared 
every  thing  good  and  perfect  in  its  nature  and  properties,  according 
to  his  good  pleasure,  so  at  last  he  created  the  first  man,  Adam,  the 
father  of  us  all ;  gave  him  a  body,  formed  of  the  dust  of  the  earth, 
and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  so  that  he  became  a 
living  soul,  created  by  God  after  his  own  image  and  likeness,  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness,  unto  eternal  life.  He  esteemed  him 
above  all  creatures,  and  endowed  him  with  many  and  great  gifts; 
placed  him  in  a  delightful  garden,  or  paradise,  and  gave  him  a  com- 
mand and  a  prohibition ;  afterwards  he  took  a  rib  from  Adam,  made 
a  woman,  and  brought  her  to  Adam  for  a  helpmate,  consort,  and 
wife.  The  consequence  is,  that  from  this  first  and  only  man,  Adam, 
all  men  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  have  descended.  (Gen.  i.  27;  ii.  7  ; 
V.  1 ;  ii.  18;  xvii.  22  ;  Acts  xvii.  26.) 

II.  Of  the  Fall  of  Man. — We  believe  and  confess,  according  to 
the  tenor  of  the  scriptures,  that  our  first  parents,  Adam  and  Eve,  did 
not  remain  long  in  the  glorious  state  in  which  they  were  created ; 
but  being  deceived  by  the  subtlety  of  the  serpent  and  the  envy  of  the 
devil,  they  transgressed  the  high  commandment  of  God,  and  dis- 
obeyed their  Creator ;  by  which  disobedience  sin  entered  the  world, 
and  death  by  sin,  which  has  thus  passed  upon  all  men,  in  that  all 
have  sinned,  and  hence  incurred  the  wrath  of  God  and  condemna- 
tion. They  were,  therefore,  driven  of  God  out  of  paradise,  to  till 
the  earth,  to  toil  for  sustenance,  and  to  eat  their  bread  in  the  sweat 
of  their  face,  till  they  should  return  to  the  earth  whence  they  had 
been  taken.  And  that  they,  by  this  one  sin,  fell  so  far  as  to  be  sepa- 
rated and  estranged  from  God,  that  neither  they  themselves,  nor  any 
of  their  posterity,  nor  angel,  nor  man,  nor  any  other  creature  in 
heaven  or  on  earth,  could  help  them,  redeem  them,  or  reconcile  them 
to  God ;  but  they  must  have  been  eternally  lost,  had  not  God,  in 
compassion  for  his  creatures,  made  provision  for  them,  interposing 
with  love  and  mercy.  (Gen.  iii.  6;  Rom.  v,  12 ;  Gen.  iii.  23  ;  Psalm 
xlix.  8,  9  ;  Rev.  v.  1,  5  ;  John  iii.  16.) 


MENNONITES.  49  j 

III.  Of  the  Restoration  of  Man  by  the  promise  of  Christ's  coming. — 
Concerning  the  restoration  of  the  first  man  and  his  posterity,  we 
believe  and  confess,  that  God,  notwithstanding  their  fall,  transgres- 
sion, sin,  and  perfect  inability,  was  not  willing  to  cast  them  off 
entirely,  nor  suffer  them  to  be  eternally  lost ;  but  that  he  called  them 
again  to  him,  comforted  them,  and  testified  that  there  was  yet  a 
means  of  reconciliation ;  namely,  the  Lamb  without  spot,  the  Son  of 
God, -who  was  appointed  for  this  purpose  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  and  was  promised  while  they  were  yet  in  paradise,  for 
consolation,  redemption,  and  salvation  unto  them  and  all  their  pos- 
terity ;  nay,  from  that  time  forth  was  bestowed  upon  them  by  faith ; 
afterwards  all  the  pious  forefathers,  to  whom  this  promise  was  fre- 
quently renewed,  longed  for,  desired,  saw  by  faith,  and  waited  for 
the  fulfilment,  that  at  his  coming  he  would  redeem,  liberate,  and 
release  fallen  man  from  sin,  guilt,  and  unrighteousness.  (John  i.  29 ; 
1  Pet.  i.  19;  Gen.  iii.  15;  John  iii.  8;  ii.  1;  Heb.  xi.  13,  39;  Gal. 
iv.  4.) 

IV.  Of  the  Coming  of  Christ,  and  the  Cause  of  his  Coming, — We 
further  believe  and  confess,  that  when  the  time  of  his  promise,  which 
all  the  forefathers  anxiously  expected,  was  fulfilled,  the  promised 
Messiah,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour,  proceeded  from  God,  was  sent,  and 
according  to  the  predictions  of  the  prophets,  and  the  testimony  of  the 
evangelists,  came  into  the  world,  nay,  was  made  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  and  thus  the  Word  was  made  flesh  and  man  ;  that  he  was  con- 
ceived by  the  Virgin  Mary,  who  was  espoused  to  Joseph,  of  the 
House  of  David ;  and  that  she  brought  forth  her  first-born  Son  at 
Bethlehem,  wrapped  him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  him  in  a 
manger.  (John  iv.  25;  xvi.  28;  1  Tim.  iii.  15;  John  i.  14:  Matt.  i. 
22;  Luke  ii.  7.) 

We  confess  and  believe,  that  this  is  he  whose  going  forth  is  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  without  beginning  of  days,  or  end  of  life ; 
of  whom  it  is  testified  that  he  is  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
the  end,  the  first  and  the  last ;  that  he  is  the  same,  and  no  other,  who 
was  provided,  promised,  sent  and  came  into  the  world,  and  who 
is  God's  first  and  only  Son,  and  who  was  before  John  the  Baptist, 
Abraham,  and  prior  to  the  formation  of  the  world  ;  nay,  who  was  the 
Lord  of  David,  and  the  God  of  the  universe,  the  first  born  of  all 
creatures,  who  was  sent  into  the  world,  and  yielded  up  the  body 
which  was  prepared  for  him,  a  sacrifice  and  offering,  for  a  sweet 
savour  to  God ;  nay,  for  the  consolation,  redemption,  and  salvation 
of  the  whole  world.    (Micah  v.  1 ;    Heb.  vii.  3;  Rev.  i.  8,  18;  John 


492 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


iii.  16;  Heb.  i.  C;  Rom.  viii.  32;  John  i.  30;  Matt.  xx.  11,  41  ;  Col. 
i.  15.) 

But  as  to  how  and  in  what  manner  this  worthy  body  was  prepared, 
and  how  the  Word  became  flesh,  we  are  satisfied  with  the  statement 
given  by  the  evangelists;  agreeably  to  which,  we  confess,  with  all 
the  saints,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  in  whom  alone  consist 
all  our  hope,  consolation,  redemption,  and  salvation.  (Luke  i.  30,  31  ; 
John  XX.  30,  31  ;  Matt.  xvi.  16.) 

We  further  believe  and  confess  with  the  scriptures,  that  when  he 
had  fulfilled  his  course,  and  finished  the  work  for  which  he  had  been 
sent  into  the  world,  he  was,  according  to  the  providence  of  God,  de- 
livered into  the  hands  of  wicked  men ;  that  he  suffered  under  Pontius 
Pilate;  was  crucified, dead,  and  buried;  rose  again  from  the  dead  on 
the  third  day ;  ascended  to  heaven,  and  sits  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
majesty  of  God  on  high ;  whence  he  will  come  again  to  judge  the 
living  and  the  dead.  (Luke  xxii.  53;  xxiii.  1  ;  xxiv.  5,  6,  51.) 

And  also  that  the  Son  of  God  died,  tasted  death,  and  shed  his  pre- 
cious blood,  for  all  men ;  and  that  thereby  he  bruised  the  serpent's 
head,  destroyed  the  works  of  the  devil,  abolished  the  handwriting, 
and  obtained  the  remission  of  sins  for  the  whole  human  family;  that 
he  became  the  means  (author)  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  those  who, 
from  Adam  to  the  end  of  the  world,  believe  in  and  obey  him.  (Gen. 
iii.  15;  John  iii.  8;  Col.  ii.  14;  Rom.  v.  18.) 

V.  Of  the  Law  of  Christ — the  Gospel  or  the  JVexo  Testament. — We 
believe  and  confess,  that  previous  to  his  ascension,  he  made,  instituted, 
and  left  his  JVeia  Testament,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  that  it  should 
remain  an  everlasting  testament,  which  he  confirmed  and  sealed  with 
his  blood,  and  commended  it  so  highly  to  them,  that  it  is  not  to  be 
altered,  neither  by  angels  nor  men,  neither  to  be  added  thereto,  nor 
taken  therefrom.  And  that,  inasmuch  as  it  contains  the  whole  will 
and  counsel  of  his  heavenly  Father,  as  far  as  is  necessary  for  salva- 
tion, he  has  caused  it  to  be  promulgated  by  his  apostles,  missionaries, 
and  ministers,  whom  he  called  and  chose  for  that  purpose,  and  sent 
into  all  the  world,  to  preach  in  his  name  among  all  people,  and  na- 
tions and  tongues,  testifying  repentance  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins ; 
and  that  consequently  he  has  therein  declared  all  men,  without  ex- 
ception, as  his  children  and  lawful  heirs,  so  far  as  they  follow  and 
live  up  to  the  contents  of  the  same  by  faith,  as  obedient  children ;  and 
thus,  he  has  not  excluded  any  from  the  glorious  inheritance  of  ever- 
lasting life,  except  the  unbelieving,  the  disobedient,  the  obstinate,  and 
the  perverse,  who  despise  it,  and,  by  their  continual  sinning,  render 


MENNONITES.  493 

themselves  unworthy  of  eternal  life.  (Jer.  xxxi.  18;  Heb.  is.  15;  xvi. 
17;  Matt.  xxvi.  27;  Gal.  i.  8;  1  Tim.  vi.  3;  John  xv.  15;  Matt, 
xviii.  19;  Mark  xvi.  13;  Luke  xxiv.  4,  5;  Ronn.  viii.  17;  Acts  xiii. 
46.) 

VI.  Of  Repentance  and  Reformation. — We  believe  and  confess, 
since  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  are  evil  from  youth,  and  prone  to 
unrighteousness,  sin,  and  wickedness,  that  the  first  lesson  of  the 
New  Testament  of  the  Son  of  God,  is  repentance  and  reformation. 
Men,  therefore,  who  have  ears  to  hear  and  hearts  to  understand, 
must  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,  reform  their  lives,  be- 
lieve the  gospel,  eschew  evil  and  do  good,  desist  from  sin  and  for- 
sake unrighteousness,  put  off  the  old  man  with  all  his  works,  and  put 
on  the  new  man,  created  after  God  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness ;  for  neither  baptism,  supper,  church,  nor  any  other  outward  cere- 
mony, can,  without  faith,  regeneration,  change  or  reformation  of  life, 
enable  us  to  please  God,  or  obtain  from  him  any  consolation,  or  pro- 
mise of  salvation.  But  we  must  go  to  God  with  sincere  hearts  and 
true  and  perfect  faith,  and  believe  on  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  the  scriptures ;  by  this  living  faith  we  obtain  remission 
or  forgiveness  of  sins,  are  justified,  sanctified,  nay,  made  children  of 
God,  partakers  of  his  image,  nature,  and  mind :  being  born  again  of 
God  from  above,  through  the  incorruptible  seed.  (Gen.  viii.  21  ; 
Mark  i.  15;  Ezekiel  xii.  1  ;  1  Col.  ViT.  9,  ID ;  Eph.  iv.  21,  22;  Heb. 
X.  21,  22;  John  vii.  38.) 

VII.  Of  Baptism. — As  regards  baptism,  we  confess  that  all  peni- 
tent believers,  who,  by  faith,  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  are  made  one  with  God  and  written  in  heaven,  must  upon 
their  scriptural  confession  of  faith,  and  reformation  of  life,  be  bap- 
tized with  water,*  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  agreeably  to  the  doctrine  and  command  of  Christ, 
and  the  usage  of  his  apostles,  to  the  burying  of  their  sins  ;  and  thus 
be  received  into  fellowship  with  the  saints;  whereupon  they  must 
learn  to  observe  all  things  which  the  Son  of  God  taught,  left  to,  and 
commanded  his  disciples.  (Matt,  xviii.  19,20;  Rom.  vi.  4;  Mark 
xvi.  15;  Matt.  iii.  15;  Acts  ii.  28;  viii.  11  ;  ix.  18;  x.  47;  xvi.  33; 
Col.  ii.  11,  12.) 

VIII.  Of  the  Church  of  Christ. — We  believe  and  confess  there  is 
a  visible  Church  of  God ;  namely,  those  who,  as  aforementioned,  do 
works  meet  for  repentance,  have  true  faith,  and  received  a  true  bap- 

*  The  Mennonites  baptize  by  pouring  water  upon  the  head  of  the  person  baptized. — 
Editor. 


494  HICTORY  OF   THE 

tism,  are  made  one  vviih  God  in  heaven,  and  received  into  fellowship 
of  the  saints  here  upon  earth :  those  we  profess  are  the  chosen  gene- 
ration, the  royal  priesthood,  the  holy  nation,  who  have  the  witness 
that  they  are  the  spouse  and  bride  of  Christ ;  nay,  the  children  and 
heirs  of  everlasting  life  ;  a  habitation,  a  tabernacle,  a  dwelling-place 
of  God  in  the  spirit,  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  the 
prophets,  Christ  being  the  chief  corner-stone  (upon  which  his  church 
is  built) — this  church  of  the  living  God,  which  he  bought,  purchased, 
and  redeemed  with  his  own  precious  blood,  with  which  church,  ac- 
cording to  his  promise,  he  will  always  remain  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  as  protector  and  comforter  of  believers,  nay,  will  dwell  with 
them,  walk  among  them,  and  so  protect  them,  that  neither  floods  nor 
tempests,  nor  the  gates  of  hell  shall  prevail  against  or  overthrow 
them.  This  church  is  to  be  distinguished  by  scriptural  faith,  doc- 
trine, love,  godly  walk  or  deportment,  as  also  by  a  profitable  or 
fruitful  conversation,  use  and  observance  of  the  true  ordinances  of 
Christ,  which  he  strictly  enjoined  upon  his  followers.  (1  Cor.  xii.  1  ; 
1  Pet.  ii.  9;  John  iii.  29;  Rev.  xix.  7;  Tit.  iii.  6,  7  ;  Eph.  ii.  19,  20, 
21  ;   Matt.  xvi.  18;   1  Pet.  i.  18,  19;  2  Cor.  vi.  16;   Matt.  vii.  35.) 

IX.  Of  the  Election  and  Office  of  Teacher's,  Deacons,  and  Dea- 
conesses in  the  Church. — As  regards  offices  and  elections  in  the 
church,  we  believe  and  confess,  since  the  church  cannot  subsist  in 
her  growth,  nor  remain  an  elSifice  without  officers  and  discipline, 
that,  therefore,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  instituted  and  ordained 
offices  and  ordinances,  and  gave  commands  and  directions,  how 
every  one  ought  to  walk  therein,  take  heed  to  his  work  and  voca- 
tion, and  do  that  which  is  right  and  necessary  ;  for  he,  as  the  true, 
great  and  chief  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  our  souls,  was  sent  and  came 
into  the  world,  not  to  wound  or  destroy  the  souls  of  men,  but  to  heal 
and  restore  them  ;  to  seek  the  lost ;  to  break  down  the  middle  wall  of 
partition  ;  of  two  to  make  one  ;  to  gather  toge  her  out  of  Jews,  Gen- 
tiles, and  all  nations,  a  fold  to  have  fellowship  in  his  name ;  for 
which,  in  order  that  none  might  err  or  go  astray,  he  laid  down  his 
own  life,  and  thus  made  a  way  for  their  salvation,  redeeming  and 
releasing  them,  when  there  was  no  one  to  help  or  assist.  (1  Pet.  ii. 
29;  Matt.  xii.  19;  xviii.  11 ;  Eph.  ii.  13;  Gal.  iii.  28;  John  x.  9;  xi. 
15;  Ps.  xlix.  8.) 

And  further,  that  he  provided  his  church,  before  his  departure,  with 
faithful  ministers,  evangelists,  pastors  and  teachers,  whom  he  had 
chosen  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  prayers  and  supplications,  in  order 
that  they  might  govern  the  church,  feed  his  flock,  watch  over  them, 
defend,  and  provide  for  them ;  nay,  do  in  all  things  as  he  did,  going 


MENNONITES.  495 

before  them,  as  he  taught,  acted  and  commanded  ;  teaching  them  to 
do  all  things  whatsoever  he  commanded  them.  (Eph.  iv.  11;  Luke 
X.  1 ;  vi,  12,  13;  John  ii.  15;  Matt,  xxviii.  20.) 

That  the  apostles,  likewise,  as  true  followers  of  Christ,  and  leaders 
of  the  church,  were  diligent  with  prayers  and  supplication  to  God, 
in  electing  brethren,  providing  every  city,  place  or  church,  with 
bishops,  pastors  and  leaders,  and  ordaining  such  persons  as  took  heed 
to  themselves,  and  to  the  doctrine  and  flock ;  who  were  sound  in  the 
faith,  virtuous  in  life  and  conversation,  and  were  of  good  report,  both 
in  and  out  of  the  church,  in  order  that  they  might  be  an  example, 
light,  and  pattern,  in  all  godliness,  with  good  works,  worthily  admi- 
nistering the  Lord's  ordinances,  baptism  and  supper,  and  that  they 
might  appoint  in  ail  places,  faithful  men  as  elders,  capable  of  teach- 
ing others,  ordaining  them  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord ;  further,  to  have  the  care,  according  to  their  ability,  for  all 
things  necessary  in  the  church;  so  that  as  faithful  servants,  they 
might  husband  well  their  Lord's  talent,  gain  by  it,  and  consequently 
save  themselves  and  those  who  hear  them.  (I  Tim.  iii. ;  Acts  i.  23, 
24;  Tit.  s.  5;  1  Tim.  iv.  14,  16;  Tit.  ii.  1,  2;  2  Tim.  ii.  2;  1  Tim. 
V.  2,) 

That  they  should  also  have  a  care  for  every  one,  of  whom  they 
have  the  oversight ;  to  provide  in  all  places  deacons,  who  may  re- 
ceive contributions  and  alms,  in  order  faithfully  to  dispense  them  to 
the  necessitous  saints,  with  all  becoming  honesty  and  decorum. 
(Luke  xix.  13.  Of  deacons.  Acts  v.  3-6;  of  deaconesses,  1  Tim.  v. 
9 ;  Rom.  xvi.  1  ;  James  i.  27.) 

That  honourable  and  aged  widows  should  be  chosen  deaconesses, 
who,  with  the  deacons,  may  visit,  comfort,  and  provide  for  poor, 
weak,  infirm,  distressed  and  indigent  persons,  as  also  to  visit  widows 
and  orphans ;  and  further,  assist  in  taking  care  of  the  concerns  of  the 
church,  according  to  their  abilit}^ 

And  further  respecting  deacons,  that  they,  particularly  when  they 
are  capable,  being  elected  and  ordained  thereto  by  the  church,  for  the 
relief  and  assistance  of  the  elders,  may  admonish  the  members  of  the 
church,  being  appointed  thereto,  and  labour  in  word  and  doctrine, 
assisting  one  artother  out  of  love  with  the  gift  received  of  the  Lord  ; 
by  which  means,  through  the  mutual  service  and  assistance  of  every 
member,  according  to  his  measure,  the  body  of  Christ  may  be  edified, 
and  the  vine  and  church  of  the  Lord  may  grow  up,  increase,  and  be 
preserved. 

X.  Of  the  Holy  Supper. — We  likewise  confess  and  observe  a  break- 
ing of  bread,  or  supper,  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  instituted  with 


496 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


bread  and  wine  before  his  passion,  did  eat  it  with  his  apostles,  and 
commanded  it  to  be  kept  in  remembrance  of  himself;  which  they 
consequently  taught  and  observed  in  the  church,  and  commanded  to 
be  kept  by  believers,  in  remembrance  of  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
the  Lord,  and  that  his  body  was  broken,  and  his  precious  blood  was 
shed  for  us,  and  for  the  whole  human  family ;  as  also  the  fruits 
thereof,  namely,  redemption  and  everlasting  salvation,  which  he  pro- 
cured thereby,  exhibiting  so  great  love  towards  sinners,  by  which  we 
are  greatly  admonished  to  love  one  another,  to  love  our  neighbour, 
forgiving  him,  as  he  has  done  unto  us,  and  we  are  to  strive  to  pre- 
serve the  unity  and  fellowship  which  we  have  with  God  and  with 
one  another,  which  is  also  represented  to  us,  in  the  breaking  of  bread. 
(Acts  ii.  46.) 

XI.  Of  Washing  the  Saints'  Feet. — We  also  confess  the  washing  of 
the  saints'  feet,  which  the  Lord  not  only  instituted  and  commanded, 
but  he  actually  washed  his  apostles'  feet,  although  he  was  their  Lord 
and  Master,  and  gave  them  an  example  that  they  should  wash  one 
another's  feet,  and  do  as  he  had  done  unto  them :  they,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  taught  the  believers  to  observe  this  as  a  sign  of  true  humi- 
lity, and  particularly  as  directing  the  mind  by  feet-icashing,  to  that 
right  washing,  by  which  we  are  washed  in  his  blood,  and  have  our 
souls  made  pure.  (John  xiii.  4-17;  1  Tim.  v.  JO;  Gen.  xvii.  4;  xix. 
2;  xxiv.  32;  xliii.  24.) 

XII.  Of  Matrimony  or  State  of  Marriage. — We  confess  that  there 
is  in  the  church,  an  honourable  marriage  between  two  believers,  as 
God  ordained  it  in  the  beginning  in  paradise,  and  instituted  it  between 
Adam  and  Eve;  as  also  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  opposed  and  did  away 
the  abuses  of  marriage,  which  had  crept  in,  and  restored  it  to  its 
primitive  institution.  (Gen.  i.  27;  Matt.  xi.  4.) 

In  this  manner,  the  Apostle  Paul  also  taught  marriage  in  the 
Church ;  and  left  it  free  for  every  one,  according  to  its  primitive  in- 
stitution, to  be  married  in  the  Lord,  to  any  one  who  may  consent ;  by 
the  phrase,  in  the  Lord,  we  think  it  ought  to  be  understood,  that  as  the 
patriarchs  had  to  marry  among  their  own  kindred  or  relatives,  so 
likewise  the  believers  of  the  Now  Testament  are  not  at  liberty  to 
marry,  except  among  the  chosen  generation  and  the  spiritual  kindred 
or  relatives  of  Christ ;  namely,  such  and  no  others,  as  have  been 
united  to  the  church,  as  one  heart  and  soul,  having  received  baptism 
and  stand  in  the  same  communion,  faith,  doctrine  and  conversation, 
before  they  become  united  in  marriage.  Such  are  then  joined  together 
according  to  the  original  ordinance  of  God  in  his  church,  and  this  is 


MENNONITES.  497 

called  marrying  in  the  Lord.  (I  Cor.  v.  11 ;  ix.  5;  Gen.  xxiv. ;  xxviii. ; 
1  Cor.  vii.  30.) 

XIII.  Of  the  Magistracy. — We  believe  and  confess,  that  God  insti- 
tuted and  appointed  authority  and  a  magistracy  for  the  punishing  of 
the  evil-doers,  and  to  protect  the  good  ;  as  also  to  govern  the  world, 
and  preserve  the  good  order  of  cities  and  countries ;  hence,  we  dare 
not  despise,  gainsay  or  resist  the  same;  but  we  must  acknowledge 
the  magistracy  as  the  minister  of  God,  be  subject  and  obedient  there- 
unto in  all  good  works,  especially  in  all  things  not  repugnant  to  God's 
law,  will  and  commandment ;  also  faithfully  pay  tribute  and  tax,  and 
render  that  which  is  due,  even  as  the  Son  of  God  taught  and  prac- 
tised, and  commanded  his  disciples  to  do ;  that  it  is  our  duty,  con- 
stantly and  earnestly  to  pray  to  the  Lord  for  the  government,  its 
prosperity,  and  the  welfare  of  the  country,  that  we  may  live  under  its 
protection,  gain  a  livelihood,  and  lead  a  quiet,  peaceable  life,  in  all 
godliness  and  sobriety.  And  further,  that  the  Lord  may  reward 
them  in  time  and  eternity,  for  all  the  favours,  benefits,  and  the  liberty 
we  here  enjoy  under  their  praiseworthy  administration.  (Rom.  xiii. 
1-7;  Tit.  iii.  1 ;  1  Pet.  ii.  17;  Matt.  xxii.  21 ;  1  Tim.  ii.  1.) 

XIV.  Of  Defence  or  Revenge. — As  regards  revenge,  or  defence,  in 
which  men  resist  their  enemies  with  the  sword :  we  believe  and  con- 
fess, that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  forbade  his  disciples  his  followers,  all 
revenge  and  defence,  and  commanded  them,  besides,  not  to  render 
evil  for  evil,  nor  railing  for  railing,  but  to  sheathe  their  swords,  or  in 
the  words  of  the  prophet,  "  to  beat  them  into  ploughshares."  (Matt. 
V.  39-44;  Rom.  xii.  14;  1  Pet.  iii.  9;  Isa.  ii.  4;  Mic.  iv.  3;  Zech. 
ix.  8,  9.) 

Hence  it  is  evident,  according  to  his  example  and  doctrine,  that 
we  should  not  provoke  or  do  violence  to  any  man,  but  we  are  to 
seek  to  promote  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  all  men  ;  even,  when 
necessary,  to  flee,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  from  one  country  to  another, 
and  take  patiently  the  spoiling  of  our  goods ;  but  to  do  violence  to  no 
man :  when  we  are  smitten  on  one  cheek  to  turn  the  other,  rather 
than  take  revenge  or  resent  evil.  And,  moreover,  that  we  must  pray 
for  our  enemies,  feed  and  refresh  them  when  they  are  hungry  or 
thirsty,  and  thus  convince  them  by  kindness,  and  overcome  all  igno- 
rance. (Rom.  xii.  19,  20.)  Finally,  that  we  should  do  good,  and 
approve  ourselves  to  the  consciences  of  all  men  ;  and  according  to 
the  law  of  Christ,  do  unto  others  as  we  w^ould  wish  them  to  do  unto 
us.  (2  Cor.  iv.  2;  Matt.  vii.  12;  xii.  7.) 

XV.  Of  Oaths  or  Swearing. — Respecting  judicial  oaths,  we  believe 
and  confess,  that  Christ  our  Lord  did  forbid  his  disciples  the  use  of 


496  HISTORY  OF  THE 

them,  and  commanded  them  that  they  should  not  swear  at  all ;  but 
that  yea  should  be  yea ;  and  nay,  nay.  Hence  we  infer,  that  all 
oaths,  greater  and  minor,  are  prohibited;  and  that  we  must,  instead 
of  oaths,  confirm  all  our  promises  and  assertions,  nay,  all  our  decla- 
rations or  testimonies,  in  every  case,  with  the  word  yea  in  that  which 
is  yea;  and  with  nay  in  that  which  is  nay;  hence  we  should 
always  and  in  all  cases  perform,  keep,  follow,  and  live  up  to  our  word 
or  engagement  as  fully  as  if  we  had  confirmed  and  established  it  by 
an  oath.  And  we  do  this ;  we  have  the  confidence  that  no  man,  not 
even  the  magistrate,  will  have  just  reason  to  lay  a  more  grievous 
burden  on  our  mind  and  conscience.  (Matt.  v.  34,  35 ;  James  v.  12 ; 
2  Cor.  i.  17.) 

XVI.  Of  Ecclesiastical  Excommunication  or  Separation  from  the 
Church. — We  also  believe  and  profess  a  ban,  excommunication,  or 
separation,  and  Christian  correction  in  the  church,  for  amendment, 
and  not  for  destruction,  whereby  the  clean  or  pure  may  be  separated 
from  the  unclean  or  defiled.  Namely,  if  any  one,  after  having  been 
enlightened,  and  has  attained  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  has 
been  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the  saints,  sins  either  volun- 
tarily or  presumptuously  against  God,  or  unto  3eath',  and  falls  into 
the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  by  which  he  separates  himself  from 
God,  and  is  debarred  his  kingdom  ;  such  a  person,  we  believe,  when 
the  deed  is  manifest  and  the  church  has  sufficient  evidence,  ought  not 
to  remain  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous ;  but  shall  and  must  be 
separated  as  an  offending  member  and  an  open  sinner ;  be  excom- 
municated and  reproved  in  the  presence  of  all,  and  purged  out  as 
leaven ;  and  this  to  be  done  for  his  own  amendment,  and  an  example 
and  terror  to  others,  that  the  church  be  kept  pure  from  such  foul 
spots;  lest,  in  default  of  this,  the  name  of  the  Lord  be  blasphemed, 
the  church  dishonoured,' and  a  stumbling-block  and  cause  of  offence 
be  given  to  them  that  are  without;  in  fine,  that  the  sinner  may  not  be 
damned  with  the  world,  but  become  convicted,  repent  and  reform. 
(Jsa.  lix.  2;  1  Cor.  v.  5,  12;  1  Tim.  v.  20;  2  Cor.  x.  8;  xiii.  10; 
James  v.  8, 9.) 

Further,  regarding  brotherly  reproof  or  admonition,  as  also  the  in- 
struction of  those  who  err,  it  is  necessary  to  use  all  care  and  diligence 
to  observe  them,  instructing  them  with  all  meekness  to  their  own 
amendment,  and  reproving  the  obstinate  according  as  the  case  may 
require.  In  short,  that  the  church  must  excommunicate  him  that  sins 
either  in  doctrine  or  life,  and  no  other.  (Tit.  iii.  10;   1  Cor.  v.  12.) 

XVII.  Of  Shunning  or  Avoiding  the  Separated  or  Excommunicated. 
— Touching  the  avoiding  of  the  separated,  we  believe  and  confess, 


MENNONITES.  499 

that  if  any  one  has  so  far  fallen  off,  either  by  a  wicked  life  or  per- 
verted doctrine,  that  he  is  separated  from  God,  and  consequently  is 
justly  separated  from  and  corrected  or  punished  by  the  church,  such 
a  person  must  be  shunned,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  and  avoided  without  partiality  by  all  the  members  of  the 
church,  especially  by  those  to  whom  it  is  known,  whether  in  eating 
or  drinking,  or  other  similar  temporal  matters ;  and  they  shall  have 
no  dealings  with  him  :  to  the  end  that  they  may  not  be  contaminated 
by  intercourse  with  him,  nor  made  partakers  of  his  sins  ;  but  that  the 
sinner  may  be  made  ashamed,  be  convicted,  and  again  led  to  repent- 
ance. (1  Cor.  V.  9,  10,  11 ;  2  Thess.  iii.  14;  Tit.  iii.  10.) 

That  there  be  used,  as  well  in  the  avoidance  as  in  the  separation, 
such  moderation  and  Christian  charity  as  may  have  a  tendency,  not 
to  promote  his  destruction,  but  to  insure  his  reformation.  For  if  he 
is  poor,  hungry,  thirsty,  naked,  sick,  or  in  distress,  we  are  in  duty 
bound,  according  to  necessity,  and  agreeably  to  love  and  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  to  render  him  aid  and  assistance; 
otherwise,  in  such  cases,  the  avoidance  might  tend  more  to  his  ruin 
than  to  his  reformation.  (2  Thess.  v.  14.) 

Hence  we  must  not  consider  excommunicated  members  as  enemies, 
but  admonish  them  as  brethren,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  knowledge, 
repentance,  and  sorrow  for  their  sins,  that  they  may  be  reconciled 
with  God  and  his  church ;  and,  of  course,  be  received  again  into 
the  church,  and  so  may  continue  in  love  towards  him,  as  his  case 
demands. 

XVIII.  Of  the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead,  and  the  last  Judgment. — 
Relative  to  the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead,  we  believe  and  confess, 
agreeably  to  the  scriptures,  that  all  men  who  have  died  and  fallen 
asleep,  shall  be  awakened,  quickened,  and  raised  on  the  last  day,  by  the 
incomprehensible  power  of  God ;  and  that  these,  together  with  those 
that  are  then  alive,  and  who  shall  be  changed  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  at  the  sound  of  the  last  trumpet,  shall  be  placed  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ,  and  the  good  be  separated  from  the  wicked ;  that 
then  every  one  shall  receive  in  his  own  body  according  to  his  works, 
whether  they  be  good  or  evil ;  and  that  the  good  and  pious  shall  be 
taken  up  with  Christ,  as  the  blessed,  enter  into  everlasting  life,  and 
obtain  that  joy,  which  no  eye  hath  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  mind  con- 
ceived, to  reign  and  triumph  with  Christ  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting. (Matt.  xxii.  30,  31;  Dan.  xii.  12;  Job  xix.  26,  27 ;  John  v. 
28;  2  Cor.  v.  10;  1  Cor.  xv. ;  Rev.  xxi.  11 ;   1  Thess.  iv.  13.) 

And  that,  on  the  contrary,  the  wicked  or  impious  shall  be  driven 
away  as  accursed,  and  thrust  down  into  utter  darkness ;  nay,  into 


500  HISTORY  OF  THE 

everlasting  pains  of  hell,  where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not 
quenched  ;  and  that  they  shall  never  have  any  prospect  of  hope,  com- 
fort, or  redemption.  (Mark  ix.  44.) 

May  the  Lord  grant  that  none  of  us  may  meet  the  fate  of  the 
wicked ;  but  that  we  may  take  heed  and  be  diligent,  so  that  we  may 
be  found  before  him  in  peace,  without  spot,  and  blameless.     Amen. 

Done  and  finished  in  our  United  Churches,  in  the  city  of  Dortrecht, 
21st  April,  A.  D.,  1632;  subscribed  : 

Dortrecht  —  Isaac  de  Koning,  John  Jacobs,  Hans  Corbryssen, 
Jaques  Terwen,  Nicholas  Dirkson,  Mels  Gylberts,  Adriaan  Cornelis- 
son.  Zeeland — Cornelius  de  Moir,  Isaac  Claasz.  Middleburg — Bas- 
tian  Willemsen,  John  Winkelmans.  Vlissingen — Oillaeri  Willeborts, 
Jacob  Pennen,  Lieven  Marynesz.  Zierich — Anthony  Cornellison, 
Peter  Jansen  Zimmerman.  Gorcum — Jacob  Van  der  Heyde  Se- 
brechts,  Hans  Jansen  van  de  Kruysen.  Arnhem — Cornelius  Jahnsen, 
Dirk  Ronderson.  Rotterdam — Balten  Centen  Schoomaker,  Michel 
Michelsson,  Israel  van  Halmael,  Henry  Jahnsen  Appeldoorn,  Andries 
Lucken,  jr.  Amsterdam — Tobias  Govertson,  Peter  Jahnsen  Moyer, 
Abraham  Dirkson,  David  ter  Haer,  Peter  Jahnsen  van  Singel.  Ley- 
den — Christian  de  Koning,  Johannes  Weyns.  Harlem — Johannes 
Doom,  Peter  Gryspeer,  Dirk  Wouters  Kolenkamp,  Peter  Joosten. 
Schiedam  —  Cornelius  Bom,  Lambert  Paeldink.  Blokziel  —  Claes 
Claesen,  Peter  Petersen,  Dirk  Rendersen.  Utrecht — Hermann  Se- 
gerts,  John  Hendricksen  Hooghvelt,  Daniel  Horens,  Abraham  Spronk, 
William  von  Brockhuysen.  Bommel — Wilhelm  Jansen  van  Exselt, 
Gyspert  Spiering.  Germany  —  Peter  van  Borsel,  Anthony  Hans. 
Krevelt — Herman  op  de  Graff,  Wilhelm  Kreynen. 

The  foregoing  articles  are  received  and  maintained  by  all  the  Men- 
nonites  throughout  the  United  States,  Territories,  and  in  Canada, 
wherever  they  have  been  dispersed ;  for,  since  the  first  immigration 
of  the  Mennonites  to  this  country,  they  have  been  spread  over  a  great 
portion  of  Pennsylvania,  where  large  bodies  of  them  are  found  in 
Lancaster  county,  in  Bucks,  Chester,  Philadelphia,  Montgomery, 
Dauphin,  Cumberland,  Juniata,  Mifflin,  Franklin,  York,  Westmore- 
land, and  some  other  counties,  and  also  in  Maryland,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
New  York,  and  in  Canada. 

The  Mennonite  congregations  in  Pennsylvania  are  divided  into 
three  general  circuits,  within  each  of  which,  semi-annual  con- 
ferences, consisting  of  bishops,  elders  or  ministers,  and  deacons,  are 
held  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  each  other,  and  devising  means  to 
advance  the  spiritual  prosperity  of  the  members.     A  similar  confer- 


MENNONITES.  501 

ence  is  held  in  Ohio,  where  the  Mennonites  are  very  numerous,  con- 
sisting, however,  principally  of  foreign  immigrants  who  have  settled 
there  within  the  last  thirty  years.  The  members  of  the  congregations 
in  Indiana  are  principally  from  Switzerland.  In  Canada  they  have 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  places  where  religious  meetings  are  held;  their 
semi-annual  conferences  are  alternately  held  at  Waterloo,  Clinton, 
and  Markham. 

Bishops,  elders  or  ministers,  and  deacons,  are  usually  chosen  by 
casting  lots.  Their  pastors  neither  receive  nor  accept  stipulated  sa- 
laries, nor  any  kind  of  remuneration  for  preaching  the  gospel,  or  in 
attending  to  the  functions  of  their  oifice.  Their  number  of  ministers, 
members,  congregations,  and  houses  of  public  worship,  in  America, 
has  been  variously  estimated  ;  but  the  exact  number  of  members 
cannot  be  given,*  as  they  keep  no  records  among  them  for  that  pur- 
pose. In  this  they  hold  the  same  views  as  they  do  in  giving  alms, 
when  our  Saviour  says  (Matt,  vi.) :  "  Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  your 
alms,"  &c.  So  they  believe  it  would  not  be  acceptable  in  the  sight 
of  God  to  make  a  public  display  of  the  number  of  their  communi- 
cants, as  they  know  the  Head  of  the  Church  of  God,  namely,  Jesus 
Christ,  sees  and  knows  who  are  his  children  in  the  whole  world. 
Furthermore,  they  bear  in  mind  the  confession  of  King  David,  de- 
claring himself  that  he  greatly  sinned  by  causing  Israel  to  be  num- 
bered. (2  Sam.  xxiv.) 

*  In  a  letter  to  the  editor  from  Sheen  Zool<,  who  is  well-informed  in  the  religious  sta- 
tistics of  the  Mennonites,  he  says,  when  speaking  of  the  Mennonites,  "  their  number  in  the 
United  States  has  been  computed  at  120,000."  This  estimate,  we  think,  is  too  high.  So 
far  as  we  can  ascertain,  they  have  about  ninety -five  ministers  in  Pennsylvania,  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  places  of  public  worship;  in  Virginia,  from  thirty  to  forty  ministers, 
about  thirty-five  places  of  worship.  In  Maryland,  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  New  York,  pro- 
bably eighty-five  ministers,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty  places  of  worship.  In  all  Ame- 
rica, about  two  hundred  and  thirty  or  forty  ministers,  and  rising  of  four  hundred  places 
of  public  worship,  and  between  fifty  and  sixty  thousand  members.  The  whole  Mennonite 
population  may  probably  exceed  120,000;  but  they  have  not  that  number  of  communi- 
cating members. 

They  are  distinguished  above  all  others  for  their  plainness  in  dress,  economy  in  their 
domestic  arrangements  ;  being  frugal,  thrifty,  and  withal  very  hospitable.  They  take  in 
strangers;  treat  them  kindly  without  charge.  They  suffer  none  of  their  members  to  be- 
come a  public  charge. — Ed. 


IIEFOEMED   MENNONITE  SOCIETY.* 


BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  HERR, 

STRASBURG,  LANCASTER  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


HISTORY. 


The  Mennonite  denomination  derived  its  name  from  Menno  Simon, 
a  very  zealous  and  successful  reformer ;  but,  owing  to  the  manner  in 
which  he  and  his  followers  were  persecuted,  and  his  doctrines  and 
views  misrepresented,  through  the  malice  of  his  papistical  adversa- 
ries, his  name  was  never  handed  down  to  posterity,  side  by  side  with 
that  of  Luther,  Calvin,  and  others ;  though  it  must  be  admitted,  he 
did  as  much  towards  the  enlightening  of  mankind,  and  contended 
with  adversaries  as  powerful,  as  ever  impeded  the  progress  of  Luther, 
and  all  those  illustrious  personages,  whose  names  shed  such  a  lustre 
on  the  history  of  the  Reformation. 

But  as  there  is  required  a  history  of  the  Reformed  branch  of  the 
Mennonite  Society  only,  it  will  not  fall  within  the  design  of  this 
sketch,  to  trace  her  history  to  that  dark  and  superstitious  period, 
when  the  earth  was  daily  drenched  with  the  blood  of  the"righteous. 

How  long  the  followers  of  Menno,  adhered  to  the  doctrines  he  had 
inculcated — how  long  they  practised  his  precepts,  and  guarded  with 
a  jealous  eye  those  divine  truths,  that  he  had  promulgated,  is  not  ex- 
actly known ;  but  we  are  informed  from  a  source  which  cannot  be 
doubted,  that  soon  after  the  persecution  ceased,  there  was  a  gradual 
falling  off  from  their  former  purity,  and  that  they  did  not  carry  into 
effect  the  doctrines  they  had  formerly  taught  and  professed.  From 
this  it  is  evident,  that  they  became,  by  degrees,  more  and  more  cor- 
rupted. 

•  This  article  has  the  sanction  of  the  Rev.  John  Herr,  of  Strasburg,  a  Bishop  of  this 
Society. — Ed. 


REFORMED  MENNONITE  SOCIETY.  503 

It  was  when  viewing  their  fallen  state,  and  on  reflecting  how  they 
had  deviated  from  the  path  in  which  they  had  formerly  trod;  how 
they  resisted  minor  evils,  though  they  were  ii  striicted  that  the  New 
Testament  showed  expressly,  that  Christ  taught  his  disciples  to  resist 
no  evil  whatever ;  in  short,  it  was  when  contrasting  their  conditions 
now,  with  what  they  professed  then,  that  a  few  individuals  contem- 
plated the  design  of  restoring  them  to  their  former  purity.     They, 
for  this  purpose,  met  repeatedly,  and  exchanged  in  simplicity  of  heart 
the  sentiments  of  their  minds.     They  warned  the  Mennonites  of  their 
delusion ;  but  as  they  were  unwilling  to  be  convinced  of  the  errors 
under  which  they  were  labouring,  and  as  those  few  enlightened  souls 
found  it  impossible  to  take  part  in  their  proceedings,  as  long  as  they 
remained  in  their  defiled  condition,  they  found  it  necessary  to  reno- 
vate and  renew  the  whole  Meimonite  doctrine.     They  accordingly 
razed  the  rubbish  to  the  foundation,  on  which  they  commenced  build- 
ing the  church  of  Christ  anew.     This  happened  in  the  year  1811  ; 
and  as  their  number  was  continually  on  the  increase,  they  found  it 
necessary,  after  much  prayer,  supplication,  and  submission  to  the  will 
of  God,  to  appoint  one,  from  amongst  their  number,  to  superintend 
this  desirable  work.     But  as  they  were  all  aware  that  the  under- 
taking was  of  no  ordinary  kind;  and  each  one  being  impressed  with 
the  conviction  that  he  was  too  feeble  to  take  the  lead  in  exposing  the 
evils  that  arise  from  holding  the  laws  of  God  at  defiance,  and  from 
bringing  perverted  and  sinful  souls  from  darkness  unto  light,  they,  as 
may  be  readily  supposed,  felt  considerable  diffidence  about  making  a 
choice.     It  was,  for  a  long  time,  their  general  theme  for  discussion 
at  their  private  meetings ;  but,  on  finding  that  it  was  unnecessary  to 
delay  it  any  longer,  and  being  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  appoint- 
ing one  to  fill  the  ministerial  station,  they  made  a  choice,  which  de- 
volved upon  John  Herr.     It  was  a  grievous  task — as  he  himself 
expresses  it — but,  owing  to  the  conviction  that  he  had  been  called  by 
the  Almighty  to   exert    himself  to  the  utmost   to  re-estabUsh   the 
fallen  state  of  the  church ;  and  to  the  powerful  appeals  and  pressing 
solicitations  of  his  fellow-labourers,  he  found  himself  unable  to  refuse. 
And  now  that  they  were  fairly  in  the  field,  they  invited  the  public, 
and  commenced  operations  with  redoubled  vigour ;  and  though  public 
opinion  has  pointed  the  finger  of  scorn  at  their  perseverance  and  ex- 
ertions; and  though  their  doctrines  were  despised  by  the  ignorant 
multitude,  and  the  difficulties  they  had  to  surmount  not  a  few,  they 
nevertheless  removed  every  obstacle  that  was  intended  to  impede 
their  progress,  fearless  and  undismayed ;    and  notwithstanding  the 


504 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


predictions   to   the   contrary,   by   certain   individuals,    success   has 
crowned  their  efforts. 

Before  concluding  the  first  part  of  this  sketch,  it  will  not  be  amiss, 
perhaps,  to  give  the  reader  a  passage  from  the  Illustrating  Mirror, 
page  393,  written  by  John  Herr. 

Speaking  about  his  entering  on  his  ministerial  duties,  he  says :  "  At 
last  I  consented  to  put  my  talent  to  usury,  according  as  God  imparted 
to  me  the  measure  of  faith,  by  the  influence  of  his  Spirit;  to  him  alone 
be  the  praise,  who  has  at  all  times  comforted  and  supported  me  in  all 
my  infirmities  under  which  I  have  frequently  groaned.  Yes,  from  the 
depth  of  my  soul  I  thank  the  everlasting  God,  through  Jesus  Christ, 
who  granted  me  blessing,  power  and  success  in  speaking  his  words 
without  timidity,  and  made  it  fruitful  in  the  hearts  of  many,  who,  by 
the  hearing  of  the  word,  have  been  brought  to  believe;  yea,  have 
been  turned,  through  Jesus,  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  to  God.  So  I  began  to  labour  at  this  holy  city  and  temple, 
not  only  with  the  word  of  repentance  and  faith,  but  also  with  the  holy 
baptism,  supper,  foot-washing  and  all  the  apostolical  ordinances,  and 
to  join  the  fallen  and  scattered  stones  together  again  for  a  spiritual 
body  and  temple  of  the  Lord.  Moreover,  the  Lord  of  mercy  ren- 
dered me  assistance,  by  the  word  of  his  power,  in  bringing  the  rough 
and  unshapen  stones  from  the  mountain  of  sublimity  and  carnal 
reason ;  which  stones,  through  the  hidden  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
were,  and  daily  are,  changed  or  dressed,  and  made  brilliant  by  the 
rays  of  eternal  light;  to  the  eternal  and  only  wise  God,  the  Father  of 
mercies  and  all  good,  be  alone  the  honour  and  the  praise,  through 
Jesus  Christ,  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen." 

DOCTRINE. 

Regarding  the  doctrinal  points,  it  becomes  necessary  to  state  that 
the  articles  of  their  Confession  of  Faith  have  beeil  modified  and  con- 
densed, as  much  as  is  allowable,  without  destroying  the  sense,  in 
order  to  make  it  as  brief  and  perspicuous  as  possible. 

A  representation  of  the  ckicf  Articles  of  their  Christian  Faith,  as  taught 
and  2»'actiscd  in  their  Church. 

1.  They  believe,  and  confess,  according  to  scripture,  in  one  Eternal, 
Almighty,  and  Incomprehensible  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  and  no  more,  and  no  other  ;  who  works  all  in  all,  and  is  the 


REFORMED  MENNONITE  SOCIETY, 


505 


Creator  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible ;  and  that  he  created  our 
first  parents  after  his  own  image  and  likeness,  in  righteousness  and 
true  holiness,  unto  eternal  life ;  and  that  he  endowed  them  with  many 
and  great  gifts,  and  placed  theai  in  paradise,  and  gave  them  a 
command  and  prohibition. 

2.  They  believe  and  confess,  that  our  first  parents  were  created 
with  a  free  will,  susceptible  of  change ;  and  that  they  were  at  liberty 
to  fear,  serve,  and  obey  their  Creator,  or  disobey  and  forsake  him ; 
and  that,  through  the  subtlety  of  the  serpent,  and  the  envy  of  the  devil, 
they  transgressed  the  command  of  God,  and  disobeyed  their  Creator ; 
by  which  disobedience  sin  and  death  came  into  the  world,  and  thus 
passed  upon  all  men.  They  also  believe  that,  by  this  one  sin,  they 
were  driven  from  paradise,  became  so  far  fallen,  separated,  and 
estranged  from  God,  that  neither  they  nor  their  posterity,  nor  any 
other  creature  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  could  redeem  or  reconcile  them 
to  God ;  and  that  they  would  have  been  eternally  lost,  had  not  God 
interposed  with  his  love  and  mercy. 

3.  They  believe  and  confess,  that  God,  notwithstanding  their  fall 
and  transgression,  did  not  wish  to  cast  them  away,  and  have  them 
eternally  lost;  but  that  he  called  them  again  to  him,  comforted  them, 
and  testified  that  there  was  yet  a  means  of  reconciliation ;  namely, 
that  the  Son  of  God,  who  was  appointed  unto  this  purpose  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  who  was  promised  unto  them  and  their 
posterity,  for  their  reconciliation  and  redemption,  while  yet  in  para- 
dise, from  that  time  forth  was  bestowed  upon  them  by  faith. 

4.  They  believe  and  confess,  that  when  the  time  of  the  promise 
was  fulfilled,  this  promised  Messiah  proceeded  from  God,  was  sent, 
and  came  into  the  world,  and  thus  the  Word  was  made  flesh  and 
man ;  they  also  believe,  that  his  going  forth  is  from  everlastino-  to 
everlasting,  without  beginning  of  days,  or  end  of  life  ;  that  he  is  the 
beginning  and  the  end,  the  first  and  the  last ;  and,  also,  that  he  was 
God's  first  and  only  Son,  and  who  was  the  Lord  of  David,  and  the 
God  of  the  world. 

They  further  believe,  that  when  he  had  fulfilled  his  course,  he  was 
delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  wicked ;  was  crucified,  dead,  and 
buried  ;  rose  again  on  the  third  day,  ascended  to  heaven,  and  sits  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  majesty  of  God ;  from  whence  he  will  come 
again  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  And  that  through  his  death, 
and  the  shedding  of  his  blood  for  all  men,  he  bruised  the  serpent's 
head,  destroyed  the  works  of  the  devil,  and  obtained  the  forgiveness 
of  sins  for  tRe  whole  human  family, 

5.  They  believe  and  confess,  that  previously  to  his  ascension  he 

33 


506 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


instituted  and  left  his  New  Testament,  which  he  confirmed  and  sealed 
•with  his  blood,  and  commended  it  so  highly  to  his  disciples,  that  it  is 
not  to  be  altered,  nor  added  to,  nor  diminished.  And  that,  inasmuch 
as  it  contains  the  whole  will  of  his  heavenly  Father,  he  has  caused  it 
to  be  promulgated  over  the  earth,  and  appointed  apostles,  missiona- 
ries, and  ministers,  to  teach  it  in  his  name  to  all  people,  nations,  and 
tonsrues;  and  has  therein  declared  all  men  his  children  and  lawful 
heirs,  provided  they  live  up  to  the  same  by  faith. 

6.  They  believe  and  confess,  that  the  first  lesson  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament of  the  Son  of  God  is  repentance  and  reformation ;  hence  it  is 
their  opinion,  that  men  must  reform  their  lives,  believe  in  the  gospel, 
desist  from  sin,  forsake  unrighteousness,  sacrifice  the  old  man  with 
all  his  works,  and  put  on  the  new  man  created  after  God  in  unsullied 
holiness. 

7.  As  regards  baptism,  they  confess,  that  all  penitent  believers,  who 
by  faith,  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  made 
one  with  God  must,  upon  their  scriptural  confession  of  faith,  and  re- 
formation of  life,  be  baptized  with  water,  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  agreeably  to  the  doctrine  and 
commandment  of  Christ;  whereupon  they  must  learn  to  observe  all 
which  the  Son  of  God  taught  and  commanded  his  disciples. 

8.  They  believe  and  confess  a  visible  Church  of  God ;  namely, 
those  that  are  made  one  with  God  in  heaven,  and  received  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  saints  here  on  earth.  They  also  confess,  that  the 
same  are  the  chosen  people,  the  royal  priesthood,  the  holy  nation, 
and  the  children  and  heirs  of  everlasting  life,  a  dwelling-place  of  God 
in  the  spirit,  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
Christ  being  the  chief  corner-stone,  upon  which  the  church  is  built ; 
and  this  church  must  be  known,  by  her  obedience  to  her  supreme 
Head  and  King;  in  all  matters  of  faith  to  obey  him,  and  to  keep  all 
his  commandments ;  and  as  a  virgin  and  bride  forsakes  father,  mo- 
ther, and  all  strange  company,  and  yields  herself  to  the  will  of  her 
bridegroom,  so  all  the  true  children  of  God,  must  separate  from  all 
false  worship,  flee  from  the  voice  of  strangers,  and  give  ear  unto  no 
one,  except  Christ  and  his  commissioned  ministers. 

9.  With  regard  to  the  offices  and  elections  of  the  church,  they  be- 
lieve and  confess,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  instituted  and 
ordained  offices,  and  ordinances,  and  gave  directions  how  every  one 
should  do  that  which  is  right  and  necessary ;  and  further,  that  he 
provided  his  church,  before  his  departure,  with  ministers,  evangelists, 
pastors,  and  teachers,  in  order  that  they  might  govern  the  church, 
watch  over  his  flock,  and  defend  and  provide  for  it ;  and  that  the 
apostles  likewise  elected  brethren,  and  provided  every  city,  place,  or 


REFORMED  MENNONITE  SOCIETY.  597 

church,  with  bishops,  pastors  and  leaders  ;  and  that  they  always  had 
to  be  sound  in  faith,  virtuous  in  life  and  conversation,  and  of  good 
report  both  in  and  out  of  church,  in  order  that  they  might  be  an  ex- 
ample in  all  good  and  virtuous  deeds. 

10.  They  also  confess,  and  observe  a  breaking  of  bread  or  supper, 
which  Christ  instituted  with  bread  and  wine  before  his  suffering,  eat 
it  with  his  apostles,  and  commanded  it  to  be  kept  in  remembrance  of 
himself,  which  they  consequently  taught  and  practised  in  the  church, 
and  commanded  to  be  kept  by  all  true  believers  in  remembrance  of 
the  sufferings  and  death  of  the  Lord  ;  and  that  his  body  was  broken, 
and  his  precious  blood  shed  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  human 
race ;  the  fruits  of  which  are  redemption  and  everlasting  salvation, 
which  he  procured  thereby,  manifesting  such  great  love  towards  sin- 
ners, by  which  all  true  believers  are  greatly  admonished  to  love  one 
another,  even  as  he  has  loved  them  ;  and  as  many  grains  are  united 
together  into  one  bread,  and  many  grapes  into  one  cup  of  wine :  so 
shall  they  as  many  members  be  united  into  one  body,  and  all  par- 
takers of  the  same  bread  ;  and  without  this  union  of  spirit,  and  true 
holiness,  no  one  can  be  admitted  to  this  holy  supper. 

11.  They  also  confess  the  washing  of  thje  saints'  feet,  because  the 
Lord  not  only  commanded  it,  but  actually  washed  the  feet  of  his  dis- 
ciples, although  he  was  their  Lord  and  Master ;  and  by  so  doing,  he 
gave  them  an  example,  which  they  were  necessitated  to  follow. 
Besides,  they  believe  it  their  duty  to  consider  with  profound  medita- 
tion, how  the  blessed  Son  of  God  humbled  himself,  not  only  in  wash- 
ing his  disciples'  feet,  but  much  rather,  because  he  washed  and  purified 
our  souls,  with  his  precious  blood,  from  all  the  pollution  of  eternal 
damnation. 

12.  With  regard  to  marriage,  they  believe  there  is  in  the  church 
an  honourable  marriage,  between  two  believers,  as  God  ordained  in 
the  beginning  in  paradise,  and  instituted  it  between  Adam  and  Eve  ; 
as  also  Christ  opposed  and  reformed  the  abuses  that  had  taken  place, 
and  restored  it  to  its  original  condition.  They  further  believe,  that 
as  the  patriarchs  had  to  marry  among  their  own  kindred,  so  like- 
wise, the  followers  of  Christ  are  not  at  liberty  to  marry,  except  such, 
and  no  others,  as  have  been  united  with  the  church  as  one  heart,  and 
one  soul,  and  stand  in  the  same  communion,  faith,  and  doctrine. 

13.  They  confess  and  believe,  that  God  instituted  and  appointed 
authority  and  the  magistracy  as  a  punishment  for  evil-doers,  and  a 
protection  for  the  good ;  hence  they  dare  not  gainsay  or  resist  it ; 
but  must  acknowledge  the  magistracy  as  the  minister  of  God,  be  sub- 
ject and  obedient  in  all  things,  not  repugnant  to  God's  law  and  com- 


508 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


mandments ;  also  faithfully  pay  tribute  and  tax,  and  render  that 
which  is  due,  as  Christ  taught,  practised,  and  commanded  his  disci- 
ples to  do;  and  also,  that  it  is  their  duty  to  pray  constantly  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  government  and  welfare  of  the  country.  Tliey 
further  believe  that,  as  Christ  avoided  the  grandeur  of  this  world,  and 
conducted  himself  as  an  humble  minister,  none  of  his  followers  must 
discharge  the  duties  of  a  magisterial  office,  or  any  branch  of  it,  fol- 
lowing, in  this,  the  example  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  under  whose 
church  these  specified  offices  were  not  administered ;  and  as  they  are 
instructed  not  to  hold  any  worldly  office  whatever,  they  likewise 
think  themselves  deprived  of  the  liberty  of  elevating  others  to  a  ma- 
gisterial, or  any  other  office. 

14.  Concerning  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ,  they  confess  and 
believe,  that  it  is  not  of  this  world ;  and  that  he  dissuaded  all  his 
ministers  and  followers  from  all  worldly  power,  forbidding  the  same, 
and  instituted  a  diversity  of  offices  in  his  church,  whereby  the  saints 
may  be  joined  together,  so  as  to  build  up  the  body  of  Christ ;  and 
that  they  must  not  be  equipped  with  carnal  weapons ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  with  the  armour  of  God,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 
is  the  word  of  God,  in  order  that  they  may  be  enabled  to  fight 
against,  and  overcome  flesh  and  blood — the  allurements  of  the  world 
and  sin — and  thus,  finally  to  overcome  and  receive,  through  grace, 
the  crown  of  everlasting  life,  from  this  our  Eternal  King,  as  their  re- 
compense and  reward. 

15.  As  regards  revenge,  they  believe  and  confess,  that  Christ  did 
forbid  his  disciples  all  revenge  and  defence,  and  commanded  them 
not  to  render  evil  for  evil ;  hence  they  consider  it  evident,  according 
to  his  example  and  doctrine,  that  they  should  not  provoke,  or  do  vio- 
lence to  any  man,  or  enter  into  any  legal  process,  but  seek  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  and  happiness  of  all  men ;  and  that  they  should 
pray  for  their  enemies,  feed  and  refresh  them  when  hungry  or  thirsty, 
and  thus  convince  them  by  kindness,  and  overcome  all  ignorance  by 
doing  unto  others,  as  they  would  that  others  should  do  unto  them. 

IG.  Respecting  oaths,  they  believe  and  confess,  that  Christ  did  forbid 
his  disciples  the  use  of  them,  and  commanded  that  they  should  not 
swear  at  all.  Hence  they  infer,  that  all  oaths,  greater  or  minor,  are 
prohibited ;  and  that  they  must,  instead  of  this,  confirm  all  their  decla- 
rations, assertions,  and  testimohies  with  the  word  yea  in  that  which 
is  yea,  and  nay  in  that  which  is  nay.  Hence  they  should  always  per- 
form, follow,  keep  and  live  up  to  their  words,  as  though  they  had 
confirmed  them  with  an  oath. 

17.  They  also  believe  and  confess  a  ban,  separation,  and  Christian 


REFORMED  MENNONITE  SOCIETY.  599 

correction  in  the  church,  whereby  the  pure  may  be  distinguished  from 
the  defiled.  Namely,  if  any  one,  who  has  embraced  religion,  and 
attained  the  knowledge  of  truth,  sins  either  voluntarily  or  presump- 
tuously against  God  or  unto  death  :  they  believe  that  such  a  person, 
when  the  church  has  sufficient  evidence  of  the  case,  cannot  remain 
in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous ;  but  shall  and  must  be  separated, 
excommunicated  and  reproved  in  the  presence  of  all,  and  considered 
as  an  offending  member  and  open  sinner;  in  order  that  he  may  be  an 
example  and  terror  to  others,  and  that  the  church  may  remain  pure 
and  undefiled.  And  concerning  brotherly  reproofs  and  admonition, 
they  consider  it  necessary  to  instruct  them  with  all  meekness  to  their 
own  amendment,  and  reprove  the  obstinate,  according  as  the  case 
may  require. 

18.  Respecting  the  avoiding  of  the  separated,  they  believe  and 
confess,  that  if  any  one,  by  a  wicked  life,  or  perverted  doctrine,  has 
separated  himself  from  God,  and  consequently  from  the  church,  he 
must  be  shamed,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
and  avoided  without  partiality,  by  all  members  of  the  church  unto 
whom  it  is  known,  whether  in  eating,  drinking,  or  other  similar 
matters ;  and  that  they  should  have  no  dealings  with  him ;  for  the 
purpose  of  making  the  sinner  ashamed,  be  convicted,  and  called  to 
repentance. 

It  is  also  their  belief,  that  there  should  be  used  in  the  avoiding,  as 
well  as  in  the  separation,  such  moderation  and  Christian  charity,  as 
may  have  a  tendency  to  insure  his  reformation ;  hence  they  do  not 
consider  them  as  enemies,  but  admonish  them  as  brethren,  in  order  to 
bring  them  to  knowledge,  and  be  reconciled  to  God  and  his  church. 

19.  Relative  to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  they  believe  and  con- 
fess, agreeably  to  scripture,  that  all  men  that  have  died,  shall  be 
awakened,  quickened,  and  raised  on  the  last  day,  by  the  incompre- 
hensible power  of  God ;  and  that  these,  together  with  those  that 
are  then  alive,  who  shall  be  changed  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  at 
the  sound  of  the  last  trumpet,  shall  be  placed  before  the  judgment 
seat  of  Christ;  and  that  the  good  will  be  separated  from  the  wicked: 
that  then  every  one  shall  receive  in  his  own  body,  according  to  his 
works,  whether  they  be  good  or  evil ;  and  that  the  good  or  pious  shall 
be  taken  up  with  Christ,  as  the  blessed,  enter  into  everlasting  life, 
and  obtain  that  joy,  which  no  eye  hath  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  mind 
conceived,  to  reign  with  Christ  from  everlasting  to  everlasting. 

And  that,  on  the  contrary,  the  wicked  shall  be  driven  away  as 
accursed,  and  thrust  down  to  outer  darkness,  and  into  the  everlasting 
pains  of  hell,  where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched  ; 


510 


REFORMED  MENNONITE  SOCIETY. 


and  that  they  shall  have  not  any  prospect  of  hope,  comfort,  or  re- 
demption. 

These,  as  briefly  stated  above,  are  the  chief  articles  of  their  general 
Christian  faith,  which  they  teach  and  practise  universally  in  their 
churches  and  among  their  members,  which  in  their  conviction  are  the 
only  true  Christian  faith,  which  the  apostles  taught,  nay  testified  with 
their  death,  and  some  also  sealed  with  their  blood ;  wherein  they 
willingly  abide,  live,  and  die,  that  they  may  with  them  attain  to 
salvation  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord. 

Respecting  the  statistical  part  of  this  sketch,  it  becomes  necessary 
to  say,  that  they  never  deemed  themselves  at  liberty  to  keep  an  accu- 
rate account  of  their  members ;  because  they  do  not  wish  to  make  a 
great  display  respecting  their  numbers,  but  they  believe  all  that  is 
necessary,  is  to  have  their  names  recorded  in  the  book  of  life ;  and 
because  they  read  (2  Sam.  xxiv.  and  1  Chron.  xxi.)  that  the  anger  of 
the  Lord  was  kindled  against  David  for  numbering  his  people,  so 
that  he  sent  a  pestilence  which  destroyed  seventy  thousand. 

The  number  of  churches,  however,  that  have  been  organized  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country,  are  as  follows  : 

Lancaster  county — where  the  reformation  first  commenced — Mont- 
gomery county,  Dauphin  county,  Cumberland  county,  Franklin 
county,  Pennsylvania;  Richland  and  Wayne  counties,  Ohio;  Wayne 
county,  Indiana  ;  Erie  county,  and  Livingston  county,  New  York  ; 
and  in  the  province  of  Canada ;  besides  which,  there  are  numbers 
scattered  through  the  adjoining  counties,  that  have  never  been  regu- 
larly organized. 

The  churches  above  stated  are  all  provided  with  ministers,  deacons, 
pastors,  &c. 


MILLENARIANISM. 


BV  THE  REV.  JOHN  S.  EBAUGH. 

OF  THE  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 


I.  The  history  of  Millenarianism  is  essentially  as  old  as  the  sacred 
scriptures.  And  hence,  as  the  light  of  divine  revelation  gradually 
increased,  even  to  the  completion  of  the  canon  of  the  sacred  volume, 
in  the  same  degree  did  the  views  of  the  Church  of  God,  both  under 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  become  more  distinct  and  definite  on 
this  important  subject. 

This  doctrine  was  professed  with  great  distinctness  by  the  Jewish 
Church,  during  the  three  centuries  preceding  the  incarnation  of  the 
Saviour ;  but  their  radical  error  consisted  in  their  mental  vision  and 
feelings  being  entirely  absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  thos6  prophe- 
cies which  describe,  in  such  glowing  colours,  the  glory  and  triumph 
which  shall  attend  his  appearance  and  reign  as  the  anointed  King  of 
Zion,  on  his  second  advent,  when  he  will  come  to  reign  and  not  to 
suffer,  having  once  suffered  for  all,  as  the  substitute  and  surety  of 
sinners,  so  as  to  make  an  end  of  sin,  and  bring  in  an  everlasting 
righteousness  by  the  death  of  the  cross. 

Hence  it  was  that  the  Jews  (with  comparatively  few  exceptions) 
overlooked  or  misapprehended  those  predictions,  which  so  emphati- 
cally describe  the  sufferings  and  humiliation  consequent  upon  his  first 
advent,  even  from  the  manger  of  Bethlehem  to  the  accursed  cross  on 
ever-memorable  Calvary. 

And  that  these  were  the  doctrines  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  is  clearly  evident  from  the  whole  tenor  of  their  writings,  as 
contained  in  the  New  Testament.  And  hence  the  frequency  and  ur- 
gency of  their  exhortations  to  their  hearers,  to  make  due  preparation 
to  meet  their  Saviour,  when  the  voice  shall  be  heard,  "  Behold  the 
bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye  out  to  meet  him  !" 

These  were  also  the  doctrines  of  the  primitive  Church  of  Christ, 
for  the  whole  of  the  three  first  centuries  of  its  history,  insomuch  that 


512 


HISTORY  OF 


it  was  accounted  flagrant  heterodoxy  by  the  great  mass  of  believers 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  attempt  to  deny  it. 

But  some  time  after  this  period,  these  views  of  sacred  scripture 
became  gradually  obscured  by  the  workings  of  the  Man  of  Sin,  the 
spirit  of  Antichrist,,  until  these  doctrines  were  at  length  buried,  as  it 
were,  under  the  idle  and  God-dishonouring  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  baptized  heathenism  wiiich  constituted  the  service  of  the  Church 
of  Rome. 

In  this  condition  matters  remained  during  the  lapse  of  centuries 
commonly  known  as  the  dark  ages  of  nominal  Christendom,  except- 
ing in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  by  the  Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  who 
constituted,  without  a  doubt,  the  true  Church  of  Christ,  during  those 
dire  ages  of  antichristian  darkness. 

But  in  the  glorious  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  Bible 
was  released  from  its  long  confinement  in  the  antiquated  convent,  and, 
by  its  illuminating  rays,  these  precious  doctrines  of  the  Millennium 
were  again  revived,  and* in  their  diffusion  gave  life  and  animation  to 
the  Church  of  Immanuel. 

For  that  these  doctrines  were  held  by  the  Reformers,  and  their  suc- 
cessors for  centuries  after  the  Reformation,  no  one  can  doubt  who 
is  acquainted  with  their  writings. 

So  that  Whitby,  who  lived  a  century  after  the  Reformers  had  gone 
home  to  glory,  may  be  justly  considered  as  the  great  Coryphaeus  of 
introducing  in  the  Protestant  church  a  system  of  spiritualizing  the 
prophecies,  to  such  an  extent  as  to  leave  little  to  be  anticipated  in 
relation  to  the  personal  reign  of  great  David's  greater  Son,  on 'the 
throne  of  his  father  David,  as  King  of  Zion. 

But,  even  through  this  period  of  the  church's  history,  many  of  the 
most  ffisantic  minds  and  briijhtest  luminaries  of  the  different  branches 
of  the  Church  of  Christ,  held  these  views  of  Christian  doctrine. 

Such,  for  instance,  as  the  majority  of  the  members,  who  composed 
that  august  body,  known  as  the  Westminster  Assembly  of  Divines, 
the  profoundly  learned  Mr.  Mead,  Bishops  Newton,  Tillotson,  Top- 
lady,  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  Dr.  Gill,  and  a  host  of  others  who  lived  in 
the  last  and  preceding  centuries. 

But  it  was  not  until  within  the  last  twenty  years,  that  these  doc- 
trines have  claimed  the  special  attention  of  many  of  the  great  and 
good,  both  of  European  and  American  churches,  so  that  they  have, 
and  do  even  now,  number  among  their  advocates  many  of  the  most 
distinguished  divines  of  the  present  age. 

Such  as  Dr.  Chalmers,  the  late  Rev.  Robert  Hall  of  Bristol,  the 
Hon.  Messrs.  Noels,  Rev.  Messrs.  Bickcrstiths,  Brooks,  Anderson, 


MILLENARIANISM.  »  5I3 

Cunningham,  Pollock,  Habersham,  Woodvvorth,  McNeils,  and  many 
other  transatlantic  names  of  renown. 

And  in  our  own  country  we  find  among  the  advocates  of  the  per- 
sonal reign  of  Christ  on  the  earth,  during  the  Millennium,  such  persons 
as  Bishops  Mcllvain,  Henshaw,  Hopkins  and  Ives,  Drs.  Broadhead, 
Duffield,  McCarty,  Andrews,  Tyng,  Breckenridge,  Forsyth,  Lillies, 
Lindsey,  Shimeall,  Winebrenner,  and  upwards  of  three  hundred  other 
divines  distinguished  for  their  zeal  and  learning  in  the  diflerent  evan- 
gelical branches  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  these  United  States  of 
America. 

II.  We  proceed  now,  according  to  our  prescribed  arrangement, 
to  give  an  outline  of  the  doctrines  properly  denominated  Millena- 
rian. 

But  in  doing  this,  we  must  premise  that,  like  every  other  great 
system  of  truth,  these  doctrines  are  received  by  their  advocates  and 
professors  with  some  shades  of  difierence  of  opinion  as  to  their  minute 
details,  whilst  they  agree  in  the  main  and  fundamental  truths  of  the 
system. 

The  doctrines  pertaining  to  the  millennial  reign  of  the  Messiah  on 
earth,  are  in  substance  as  follows : 

1.  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  come  again  in  like  manner  as 
he  ascended  into  heaven,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Millennium,  at 
which  time  the  sign  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  as  he  himself 
declares,  will  be  as  suddenly  manifested  as  the  lightning's  glance,  and 
in  such  a  manner  that  every  eye  shall  behold  it. 

2.  Upon  the  appearance  of  the  Saviour  in  all  the  refulgence  of  his 
glorified  human  nature,  as  the  anointed  King  of  Zion,  his  voice 
will  penetrate  all  the  receptacles  of  all  the  righteous  dead  who  have 
fallen  asleep  in  Christ,  from  righteous  Abel,  down  to  the  youngest  son 
or  daughter  of  the  Lord  Almighty,  and  consisting  of  all  kindreds, 
nations,  tongues,  and  people,  under  the  whole  heavens ;  and  hearing 
his  voice  they  will  all  arise,  and  come  forth  from  their  respective 
resting-places,  and  be  conformed  unto  the  glorious  body  of  the  Re- 
deeming Saviour,  as  members  of  the  first  resurrection,  so  clearly  pre- 
dicted in  the  twentieth  chapter  of  the  Revelations,  and  as  that  better 
resurrection,  to  attainment  of  which  the  Apostle  Paul  used  such  un- 
remitted diligence. 

Immediately  after  this  resurrection,  those  who  are  yet  found  in  the 
body,  having  been  regenerated  by  the  grace  and  spirit  of  God,  and 
being  thus  united  to  Christ,  will  be  changed  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
and  together  with  the  risen  dead,  wall  include  all  the  members  of  his 


514  HISTORY  OF 

elect  church,  or  his  bride,  or  the  Lamb's  wife ;  and  as  such  will  be 
caught  up  to  him  in  the  air. 

At  this  juncture  of  the  concerns  of  the  human  family,  the  declara- 
tion of  the  Saviour  will  be  literally  fulfilled,  namely,  that  "  Two  shall 
be  grinding  at  the  mill,  the  one  shall  be  taken  and  the  other  left,"  &c. 
The  meaning  of  which  passage  certainly  is,  that  those  individuals, 
in  families,  who  are  found  in  the  Lord,  shall  on  his  appearing  be 
changed  immediately  into  a  state  of  happy  immortality,  and  thus  be 
caught  up  to  meet  the  Bridegroom  of  their  souls ;  while  those  who 
are  found  on  that  occasion  in  their  natural  state,  will  be  left  behind  as 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.* 


*  While  the  Saviour  and  his  saints  who  are  caught  up  to  meet  him  in  the  air,  thus 
remain  together,  as  tlie  united  bride  and  royal  Bridegroom,  in  midheaven,  is  it  not  probable, 
from  many  analogies  found  in  the  Bible,  especially  in  the  forty  days  of  Moses,  for  in- 
stance, communing  with  God  on  Mount  Sinai ;  the  forty  days  of  the  spies  in  the  land  of 
Canaan  ;  the  forty  years  of  the  Israelites  journeying  through  the  wilderness  to  Canaan; 
the  temptation  of  Christ  in  the  wilderness  for  forty  days  ;  the  rains  descending  from  hea- 
ven for  forty  days  atid  forty  nights,  by  which  the  antediluvian  world  of  the  ungodly  was 
drowned,  and  other  instances  of  a  similar  nature;  judging,  I  say,  from  such  analogies, 
is  it  not  highly  probable  that  the  Saviour,  together  with  all  the  members  of  his  elect 
church,  will  occupy  their  station  in  the  air  or  midheaven  for  something  like  forty  years, 
during  which  period  the  tribes  of  Israel  may  all  return  to  Palestine,  rebuild  Jerusalem, 
and  by  reason  of  the  great  multitudes  returning  to  take  possession  of  the  country  solemnly 
promised  by  God  to  Abraham,  (for  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  this  wonderful  people  arc, 
notwithstanding  their  manifold  persecutions,  more  numerous  and  more  wcaltliy,  at  pre- 
sent, than  they  ever  were  since  the  call  of  Abraham  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldces  to  the  pre- 
sent day,  numbering,  if  we  include  ten  so  long  lost  tribes  of  Israel,  recently  found  in 
Bucharia,  Tliibet,  and  Cashmere,  and  consisting  of  more  than  eight  millions  of  souls, 
together  witli  the  tribe  of  Judah  and  half  tribe  of  Benjamin,  consisting  of  upwards  of  five 
millions  more,  making,  in  all,  upwards  of  thirteen  millions;)  I  say,  when  these  multitudes 
all  return,  and  in  fulfilment  of  God's  promise,  in  the  thirty -seventh  chapter  of  Ezekiel,  arc 
planted  on  the  mountains  of  Israel,  how  well  will  their  swelling  numbers  tend  to  fulfil 
the  sure  prediction  of  God's  spirit  by  the  mouth  of  the  prophet,  Then  shall  the  people  of 
Israel  say  :  The  land  is  loo  straight  for  us,  and  they  shall  occupy  the  whole  of  the  original 
grant  to  Abraham,  of  all  the  country  from  the  river  of  Egypt  to  the  great  sea,  and  to  the 
river  Euphrates  ? 

And  thus  becoming  a  great  and  notable  people  in  point  of  location,  of  riches,  and  num- 
bers, how  naturally  may  tlicse  combined  circumstances  excite  tiie  jealousy  of  the  sur- 
rounding  nations  of  tlie  earth  so  as  to  bring  about  precisely  the  awful  scenes  so  graphi- 
cally described  in  the  fourteenth  cliapter  of  Zcchariah  :  when  all  nations  sliall  be  gatlicrcd 
together,  to  fight  against  Jerusalem;  and  in  the  midst  of  whicli  tumult,  blood,  and  car- 
nage, the  Lord  shall  come,  and  all  his  saints  with  him,  when  he  shall  gird  on  his  great 
Bword,  and  drive  on  conquering  and  to  conquer,  until  his  own  right  arm  procures  the 
final  victory  over  all  his  combined  enemies;  expels  Satan  and  all  his  legions  from  the 
earth,  and  introduces  the  golden  ago  of  millennial  glory. 

But  let  us  take  another  view  of  this  momentous  subject.'  At  the  first  resurrection, 
which  shall  take  place,  immediately  after  the  sign  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man 


MILLENARIANISM.  5I5 

3.  During  the  time  that  the  Saviour,  together  with  all  the  members 
of  the  first  resurrection,  and  those  members  of  his  mystical  body 
which  have  just  passed  through  their  living  change,  are  together 
in  the  air,  this  world  will  undergo  a  great  change,  in  which  the  at- 
mospheric heavens,  as  well  as  the  earth,  will  be  purged  from  their 
defilements,  and  both  be  restored,  in  a  great,  degree,  to  their  paradi- 
sical beauty  and  loveliness;  during  which  process,  God  will  find 
some,  to  us  at  present  unknown,  way  of  preserving  a  portion  of  the 

;  human  family  from  these  desolating  judgments  and  convulsions  in  the 
earth,  as  he  saved  Noah  and  his  family  in  the  ark,  so  as  to  prevent 
this  world  from  being  entirely  depopulated. 

4.  This  earth  having  thus  been  prepared,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
together  with  all  his  saints,  will  descend  to  this  earth  in  circum- 
stances of  awful  grandeur ;  such  as  are  described  in  Daniel  vii.  9- 
14,  and  in  Zechariah  xiv.  4;  in  which  passages  it  is  expressly 
declared,  that  he,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  shall  come,  accompanied  by 
his  militant  thousands  of  attendants,  to  take  possession  of  a  universal 
kingdom  over  all  the  earth ;  and  that  "  His  feet,  in  that  day,  shall 
stand  on  Mount  Olivet." 

When  he  is  thus  revealed  from  heaven,  every  eye  shall  see  him, 
and  especially  the  family  of  Abraham,  who  shall  have  been  gathered 
home  to  Palestine,  shall  then  look  upon  him  as  the  august  personage 
whom  they  and  their  fathers  pierced,  and  they  shall  then  mourn  in 
all  the  ingenuousness  of  that  godly  sorrow  which  shall  never  be 
repented  of;  and  the  momentous  inquiry  shall  then  be  affirmatively 
answered,  which  is  made  by  God's  inspired*  prophet :  "  Have  a 
nation  been  born  in  a  day  t"  For  in  that  day  shall  all  the  united 
tribes  of  Judah  and  Israel  turn  with  full  purpose  of  heart  unto  the 
Lord,  and  constitute  the  happy  and  loyal  subjects  of  Messiah's 
kingdom. 

5.  The  lav/  of  Christ  and  the  glad  tidings  of  his  kingdom  shall 

shall  appear  in  heaven,  all  the  righteous  who  have  ever  lived  on  the  earth,  and  those  then 
found  in  the  body,  shall  be  taken  away  from  the  earth,  and  those  who  are  left  behind  are 
all  in  their  natural  state  of  enmity  and  rebellion  against  God  and  his  anointed  Son,  and 
we  may  tiierefore  well  imagine  into  what  a  vortex  of  rioting,  rapine,  and  heaven-insult- 
ing rebellion,  the  nations  of  the  earth  will  speedily  plunge,  when  the  righteous,  who  have 
ever  salted  and  savoured  the  earth,  are  all  taken  home,  the  restraining  grace  of  God  with- 
drawn, and  Satan,  as  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  brings  all  his  machinations  to 
work  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedience.  So  that  through  such  concomitant 
circumstances  the  Man  of  Sin,  the  Son  of  Perdition,  may  soon  be  revealed,  and  nation 
shall  meet  nation  in  mad  and  fell  encounter,  and  thus  go  on  awfully  verifying  the  sure 
word  of  prophecy,  that  ihey  shall  go  on  overturning  and  overturning,  and  overturning, 
until  he  comes,  with  all  his  saints,  whose  right  it  is  to  reign  ? 


516  HISTORY  OF 

then  go  out  anew  from  Jerusalem,  rebuilt  through  the  instrumen- 
tahty  of  this  new-born  nation  of  missionaries ;  and  all  the  world  will 
be  speedily  filled  with  the  saving  knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters 
cover  the  great  deep  :  insomuch  that  it  will  no  longer  be  necessary  to 
make  the  inquiry,  «'  Know  ye  the  Lord?"  "  For  all  shall  know  him, 
from  the  greatest  even  to -the  least." 

6.  The  Man  of  Sin,  and  all  that  exaltcth  itself  against  God  and  his 
anointed  Son,  having  been  "  destroyed  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth 
and  the  brightness  of  his  appearing,"  the  Saviour  will  sway  his 
triumphant  sceptre,  and  reign  King  of  all  nations,  as  he  now  reigns 
King  of  Saints. 

A  pure  theocracy  will  thus  be  established  over  the  whole  earth, 
and  the  primeval  communion  and  intercourse  of  Eden,  will  in  a 
great  measure  be  restored  between  earth  and  heaven,  so  that  the 
vision  of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  in  which  he  saw  "  the  angels  of  God 
descending  from  heaven  to  earth,  and  ascending  from  earth  to 
heaven,"  will  be  literally  fulfilled ;  as  also  the  declaration  of  him 
who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  namely :  "  Hereafter  ye  shall  see 
the  heavens  opened  and  the  angels  of  God  descending  to  and  ascend- 
ing from  the  Son  of  Man." 

"  Jerusalem  shall  then  be  created  a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a 
joy ;"  insomuch  that  the  voice  of  weeping  shall  no  more  be  heard 
therein,  nor  the  voice  of  crying. 

7.  Antediluvian  longevity  will  be  restored  during  the  period  of  the 
Millennium  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  so  that,  according  to  the 
assurance  given  us  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  sixty-fifth  chapter  of 
Isaiah,  "  The  child  shall  die  an  hundred  years  old," — that  is,  the  per- 
son who  dies,  during  that  happy  age  of  millennial  blessedness,  at  the 
age  of  an  hundred  years,  will  be  considered  as  having  died  in  his 
childhood.  For,  "  as  the  days  of  a  tree,  are  the  days  of  my  people," 
which,  according  to  the  best  testimony,  is  from  800  to  1000  years  in 
Palestine. 

And  so  universally  shall  peace  and  prosperity  prevail  throughout 
the  teeming  millions  of  earth's  happy  inhabitants,  during  the  Millen- 
nium, "  That  there  shall  be  none  to  hurt,  nor  to  destroy  in  all  God's 
holy  mountain ;"  for  even  the  wild  beasts,  and  all  irrational  creatures, 
will  be  subdued  and  brought  to  dwell  in  peace  and  harmony  together, 
as  they  did  in  Eden  before  the  apostacy  of  man. 

For,  "  the  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  feed  together,  and  the  lion  shall 
eat  straw  like  the  ox." 

8.  The  works  of  the  devil  will  be  completely  destroyed,  and  Satan 
with  all  his  legions  will  be  driven  from  the  earth  and  be  confined  in 


MILLENARIANISM.  5I7 

the  prison-house  of  despair,  during  the  period  of  the  Millennium ;  so 
that  he  be  despoiled  of  every  vestige  of  his  dominion  as  the  present 
god  of  this  world,  and  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air. 

9.  iVll  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  who  are  converted  from  sin  to 
holiness,  after  the  coming  of  Chri^  to  reign  as  King  of  Zion,  shall  be 
known  by  the  appellation  of  the  subjects  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  in 
contradistinction  to  the  members  of  his  elect  Church,  consisting  of  the 
risen  and  changed  or  immortalized  saints;  the  members  of  which,  as 
his  bride,  are  perfected  in  graces,  beauty  and  holiness,  and  prepared 
for  the  Messiah,  as  the  royal  bridegroom  at  his  coming. 

10.  The  great  metropolis  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  on  the  earth 
will  be  the  New  Jerusalem  in  Palestine,  as  it  is  most  meet  for  him  to 
reign  where  he  once  suffered  all  the  contradictions  of  sinners,  com- 
bined with  the  assaults  of  all  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  the  dregs  of 
divine  displeasure  and  wrath  against  the  sins  of  mankind,  and  thus 
poured  forth  a  price,  all  price  beyond,  in  laying  down  his  life  as  a 
ransom  for  his  Church  and  kingdom. 

But  although  the  Messiah,  as  King  of  Zion,  together  with  his  saints 
who  shall  reign  with  him  in  glory,  shall  establish  Jerusalem  as  the 
capital  of  their  conjoint  reign  during  the  Millennium, — still  we  do  not 
believe  that  they  will  be  confined  to  Jerusalem,  or  any  other  part  of 
the  earth. 

For  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  Saviour  and  all  the  members  of 
his  mystical  body,  the  elect  Church,  shall,  according  to  Christ's  own 
declaration,  be  like  or  equal  to  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  that  they 
may  therefore  pass  with  inconceivable  swiftness,  to  any  part  of 
Jehovah's  vast  dominions,  as  shall  most  conduce  to  the  declaratory 
glory  of  the  Triune  God,  and  best  promote  the  interests  of  the  intelli- 
gent universe. 

For  instance,  they  may  bear  to  all  realms  of  Jehovah's  vast  empire 
the  intelligence  of  the  experiment  made  by  the  inhabitants  of  earth,  of 
apostacy,  and  foul  rebellion  against  God  and  his  anointed  Son ;  and 
the  (to  all  worlds  astounding)  manner  in  which  this  opposition  to 
the  sway  of  Jehovah's  sceptre  was  subdued  by  the  death  of  God's 
own  incarnate  Son,  on  the  accursed  cross ;  insomuch  that  the  cross 
of  Christ,  on  ever-memorable  Calvary,  shall  for  ever  remain  the  central 
focus  of  the  glory  of  the  God,  man,  Mediator.  And  this  may  prove 
the  means  in  the  hand  of  God,  of  confirming  all  intelligent  beings  in 
the  universe,  (excepting  those  confined  for  ever  in  the  prison-house  of 
hell,)  in  their  loyalty  and  allegiance  to  the  throne  of  the  Eternal. 

11.  The  undisturbed  and  universal  reign  of  the  Messiah  will  endure 
through  the  whole  period  of  the  Millennium,  so  that  there  will  be  none 


518 


HISTORY  OF 


to  dispute  his  right  to  reign ;  but  at  the  end  of  this  long  and  happy 
period,  Satan  will  be  loosed  for  a  little  season,  and  will  go  abroad  in 
the  earth  to  deceive  all  nations. 

And  whereas  even  during  the  Millennium,  mankind  will  not  be 
born  immaculate  or  holy,  but  only  become  holy  through  the  grace 
and  Spirit  of  God  in  early  life:  so  during  that  little  season  in  which 
Satan  will  be  set  at  liberty,  he  will  bring  to  bear  all  his  satanic 
influences  upon  the  minds  of  the  children  of  men,  so  as  to  seduce 
many  of  them,  as  he  did  our  first  parents  in  paradise,  to  apostatize 
from  their  allegiance  to  God  and  his  Son,  the  reigning  Messiah. 

And  in  process  of  time  Satan  will  thus  collect  a  mighty  army  from 
all  parts  of  the  earth,  who,  with  Satan  as  their  leader,  will  undertake 
to  dispute  the  sceptre  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  reigning  King 
of  Zion  ;  and  when  all  his  legions  are  marshalled  in  battle  array,  and 
are  ready  for  their  onset  upon  the  camp  of  Zion,  fire  will  come  down 
from  heaven,  and  at  once  consume  and  overwhelm  them  all  in  one 
common  destruction. 

12.  This  utter  discomfiture  of  Satan  and  all  his  hosts  having  been 
summarily  accomplished,  the  blast  of  Michael  the  archangel's  trum- 
pet will  awaken  all  the  sleeping  dead ;  when  all  the  righteous  who 
died  during  the  Millennium,  and  all  the  wicked  who  had  ever  lived  on 
the  earth,  will  arise  from  their  graves,  as  members  of  the  second 
resurrection ;  and  they  will  all  be  congregated  before  the  great  white 
throne  of  judgment,  before  which  a  final  adjustment  of  all  the  con- 
cerns of  men  and  angels  will  be  made ;  at  which  time  the  righteous 
will  be  welcomed  by  the  Judge  of  the  quick  and  the  dead,  to  enter 
into  life  eternal,  as  the  kingdom  prepared  for  them  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world. 

And  at  the  same  time  also,  the  wicked  will  be  doomed  to  depart, 
as  accursed,  into  that  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels  ;  and 
they  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment ;  and  even  death  and 
hell  will  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  for  ever. 

Immediately  upon  these  final  allotments  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  a  fiery  stream  will  issue  forth  from  the  judgment-throne, 
which  will  set  on  fire  the  deep  foundations  of  the  earth,  and  speedily 
wrap  in  one  general  conflagration  every  part  of  land  and  ocean  con- 
tained in  this  terrestrial  globe;  whilst  the  atmospheric  heavens  shall 
likevvfte  be  dissolved  with  fervent  heat,  and  pass  away  with  a  great 
noise,  according  to  the  express  prediction  of  God  by  the  mouth  of 
the  Apostle  Peter. 

In  this  process  the  earth  will  be  thoroughly  purified  from  all  the 
pollutions  of  sin,  and  every  eftect  of  the  curse  consequent  upon  man's 


MILLENARIANISM.  5ig 

apostacy;  and  a  new  earth  and  new  heavens  will  arise,  phcenix-like, 
from  the  ashes  of  the  old,  more  beautiful  than  ever,  and  in  which 
shall  dwell  righteousness  for  evermore.  For  thus  says  God's  Spirit, 
(2  Peter  iii.  7,)  "  But  the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now,  by 
the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unt»  fire  against  the  day 
of  judgment  and  the  perdition  of  ungodly  men."  And,  (2  Peter  iii. 
13,)  "Nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new 
heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." 

Here  the  curtain  of  time  drops  ! — revelation  ceases ! — and  all  be- 
yond the  awful  scenes  of  the  judgment-day — that  great  and  notable 
day  of  the  Lord,  in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  deliver  up  the 
kingdom  to  the  Father,  lay  down  his  mediatorial  office,  and  God 
become  all  in  all — I  say,  all  beyond  this  final  winding  up  of  the 
affairs  of  angels  and  men,  belongs  to  the  untold  realities  of  vast 
eternity! 

III.  The  number  of  those  Christians  who  hold  substantially  the 
foregoing  views  of  the  Millennium,  cannot  be  computed  with  any 
degree  of  certainty ;  but  from  the  writings  of  distinguished  divines, 
both  in  the  European  and  American  churches,  we  are  warranted  in 
estimating  their  number  at  many  thousands  already;  and  according 
to  the  sure  word  of  prophecy,  we  are  led  to  believe  that  the  time  is 
at  hand,  when  these  views  will  become  universally  prevalent  through- 
out the  habitable  globe. 

For,  according  to  the  signs  of  the  times,  the  developement  of  most 
astounding  events  in  reference  to  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
are  just  at  hand,  even  at  the  door.  "Even  so,  come, Lord  Jesus! 
come  quickly !"     Amen ! 

REFERENCES. 

Those  who  are  desirous  of  making  themselves  more  minutely  ac- 
quainted with  the  views  of  the  Millenarians,  are  affectionately  advised 
to  consult  a  periodical  called  the  "  Literalist,"  a  republication  of  the 
works  of  many  of  the  master  spirits  of  Europe ;  and  we  would  also 
refer  them  to  Dr.  George  Duffield  on  "  Prophecy,"  and  his  reply  to 
Professor  Stewart,  of  Andover ;  Bishop  Henshaw,  and  Dr.  Brecken- 
ridge,  on  the  "  Millennium  ;"  Rev.  Mr.  Shimeall  on  the  "  Age  of  the 
World  ;"  Rev.  John  Lillie,  on  "  The  Perpetuity  of  the  Earth ;"  Judge 
Jones,  on  "  Prophecy  Interpreted  Literally,"  &c. ;  Rev.  Mr.  Ramsey 
on  the  "  Coming  of  Christ ;"  and  other  kindred  works  on  this  delight- 
ful and  important  subject. 


NEW  JERUSALEM, 


NEW    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH 


BY  A  LAYMAN  OF  THAT  DENOMINATION. 

This  body  of  Christians  receives  the  doctrines  and  theological 
writings  of  tJie  late  Hon.  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  as  a  rational  and 
authoritative  exposition  of  Scripture.  Before  proceeding  to  a  sketch 
of  its  doctrines,  it  is  proper  to  premise,  that  this  church  refuses  to  be 
regarded  as  one  of  the  many  different  sects  into  which  the  general 
body  of  Christians  is  unhappily  divided  ;  but  claims,  as  the  name 
imports,  to  be  an  entirely  new  dispensation  of  doctrinal  truth,  as  com- 
pared with  any  of  the  systems  which  at  present  prevail. 

"  A  new  church!"  will  the  reader  exclaim  in  wonder  or  indigna- 
tion :  "Where's  the  necessity?"  And  we  meet  the  inquiry  at  the 
threshold.  The  reasons  are  many.  We  can  here  cite  but  a  few — 
and  even  these  cannot  be  given  without  reference  to  opinions  of  other 
Christians,  from  which  we  dissent.  We  would,  therefore,  premise 
that  we  desire  such  reference  and  such  dissent  may  not  be  interpreted 
into  any  want  of  respect  to  their  holders  as  such;  since  erroneous 
opinions  may  be  innocently  adopted  or  retained,  although  there  has 
been  no  full  collation  of  conflicting  systems. 

There  was  a  time  when  the  followers  of  our  Lord  w-ere  of  one  heart 
and  one  mind ;  but  now  we  see  them  hopelessly  sundered  into  Ro- 
manists on  the  one  hand,  and  Greeks  and  Protestants  on  the  other ; 
and  the  latter  rent  into  many-coloured  and  uncompromising  factions. 
And  if  there  be  a  temporary  or  seeming  union  among  them,  neutral 
spectators  still  think  or  fear,  that  it  is  not  because  they  love  each  other 
more,  but  Rome  less.  What  is  the  object  of  any  church,  but  to  preserve 
and  propagate  the  truth  for  the  sake  of  good  ?  And  has  the  former  Chris- 
tian church  done  this?  While  we  acknowledge  with  Protestants,  that 
it  iiad  become  utterly  corrupt  in  doctrine  and  practice  before  the  Refor- 
mation, the  radical  differences  among  themselves  show  that  they  cannot 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  50  j 

all  be  right ;  nor  will  it  avail  to  assert  that  they  agree  in  fundamentals. 
We  know  of  no  such  accordance  in  any  one  doctrine,  either  as  to  the 
nature  of  God,  the  character  and  wants  of  man,  the  mode  of  divine 
interposition,  or  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures.  Granting  that  each 
sect  has  retained  some  truth, — and  were  there  not  a  portion  in  the 
worst,  we  should  not,  as  we  do,  see  good  men  in  every  one, — the  true 
system  of  doctrine  has  been  lost ;  the  true  ideal  of  Christian  character 
has  been  forgotten,  if  it  was  ever  fully  known,  and  men  were  left  to 
suppose  that  this  religion  was  incompatible  with  rational  pleasure  and 
manly  dignity  or  virtue.  Christianity  lies  in  ruins,  and  the  life  of  its 
several  fragments  is  only  that  of  the  segments  of  a  polypus,  hopeless 
of  reunion.  And  it  must  be  owned,  that,  if  we  are  to  look  for  no- 
thing better  in  the  future  than  the  past,  it  has  proved  a  failure.  The 
adulterous  connexion  with  the  state  early  led  to  its  corruption,  and 
to  the  reproach  that  Catholicism,  like  the  Koran,  if  not  propagated, 
has  at  least  been  maintained,  by  policy  and  the  sword.  Remonstrants 
were  denounced  under  the  name  of  heretics — their  tenets  and  apolo- 
gies suppressed  with  them.  Some  fragments,  even  now,  lay  more 
stress  on  church  government  and  obedience  to  authority,  than  on 
knowledge;  and  all  insist  more  on  faith  than  on  works.  Reason  has 
been  discarded  as  an  enemy,  and  mystery  received  into  alliance. 
As  a  natural  consequence,  the  ablest  minds  have  become  infidel,  or 
indifferent  to  religion  as  a  personal  affair;  or,  seeing  that  society 
cannot  subsist  without  it,  diey  yield  a  formal  and  political  support, 
vthile  the  feeble  have  been  inflamed  to  fanaticism. 

The  clergy  have  sometimes  complained  of  the  slight  esteem  in 
which  their  order  is  held  where  not  patronized  by  the  state,  and  of 
the  opposition  they  encounter  where  they  are.  Not  to  mention  their 
demeanour  towards  opponents  and  their  unwavering  regard  to  theLi- 
corporate  interests,  we  think  they  need  look  no  farther  than  to  their 
own  dogmas,  to  account  for  the  decline  of  reverence  for  their  sacred 
function.  We  do  not  say  that  their  lives  are  spent  operose  nihil  agendo  ; 
for  any  religion  which  does  not  discourage  good  morals  is  better  than 
none ;  but  they  do  reap  an  immature  and  stunted  harvest,  themselves 
being  judges.  Men  will  not  freely  bestow  even  on  spiritual  rulers 
the  fruits  of  their  labours  without  an  adequate  return.  Why  is  it,  that, 
after  eighteen  centuries,  Mahommedism  is  more  extended  than  Chris- 
tendom, and  Heathenism  more  than  either?  Nay,  why  did  Mahommed 
rise  at  all  1  and  why  is  the  conversion  of  his  followers  so  hopeless, 
and  the  missionary  crippled  in  his  efforts  at  every  turn  ?  Why  are 
irresponsible  societies  left  to  discharge  the  duty  of  the  Church  1  It  is, 
that  those  who  had  the  control  of  religion  "  did  not  understand  FJis 

34 


522  HISTORV  OF  THE 

Word."  "  Thev  erred,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures,  or  the  power 
OF  God." 

But  if  we  concede  for  a  moment  the  purity  of  what  is  taught,  it  is 
inadequate  to  the  increased  demand  of  the  general  mind.  Men  out- 
grow^  the  garments  of  their  youth.  Philosophy  and  religion  are  in 
unnatural  conflict.  We  need  a  new  developement  of  Christianity,  in 
which  all  parts  of  knowledge  shall  assume  their  proper  position.  We 
have  no  clear  views  in  the  fundamentals  of  all  religion,  as  distin- 
guished from  those  of  the  wiser  Heathen  and  Deists.  They  believe  in 
one  God,  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  retribution ;  and  the  preva- 
lent systems  throw  us  back  on  their  insufficient  ideas.  Or  rather, 
we  are  fain  to  believe  that,  with  advancing  time,- we  know  less  and 
less  of  the  truth.  If  our  present  teachers  know  all  that  is  necessary, 
free  of  error,  why  is  it  that  the  good  and  wise  do  not  see  it?  and  if 
either  Protestant  or  Catholic  is  entitled  to  exclusive  ascendency,  why 
has  Providence  permitted  neither  to  attain  it? 

Again,  however  opposed  to  the  received  opinion,  we  think  that 
Scripture  clearly  teaches  us  that  "  the  earth  abideth  for  ever."*  Can 
we  suppose,  then,  that  our  benevolent  Teacher  will  permit  the  existing 
state  of  doubt  and  distraction  to  be  also  perpetuated,  and  never  inter- 
pose for  our  relief?  Why  should  he  not  ?  Every  founder  of  a  sect, 
every  believer  in  a  Millennium,  in  effect,  says,  that  he  may.  He  has 
no  where  told  us  that  he  would  never  clear  up  the  mysteries  of  his 
Word.  To  do  so  would  but  be  in  accordance  with  the  progressive 
character  of  all  former  dispensations,  which  were  given  as  necessity 
arose.  If  Moses  and  the  Prophets  have  been  so  perverted  that  they 
cannot  be  understood :  there  cannot  occur  a  more  fitting  occasion  for 
divine  interference  than  the  present,'  when  the  hearts  of  men  are  fail- 
ing them  for  fear,  and  when  many  are  looking  and  praying  for  such 
a  blessing ;  though  some,  when  it  is  offered,  refuse  it,  with  a  strange 
perverseness,  as  inconsistent  with  ideas  which  -prevail. 

But  the  one  sufficient  reason  is  reserved  to  the  last.  Said  our 
Lord  to  his  disciples  while  on  earth,  "  I  have  many  things  to  say  unto 

*  Ecc.  i.  4 ;  Ps.  Ixxii.  17  ;  Ixxviii.  69  ;  Ixxxix.  35-37  ;  xcvi.  10 ;  xciii.  1 ;  civ.  5 ;  cxxv.  1 ; 
cxix,  90;  cxlviii.  6;  (2  Sam.  vii.  IG;  Isa.  ix.  7  ;  Dan.  ii.  44;  vii.  14,  27;  Micah  iv.  5,  7; 
Comp.  Luke  i.  33  and  Rev.  xi.  15.)  Every  Greek  scholar  knows  tliat  the  phrase  "end  of 
the  world"  in  Matt.  xiii.  39  ;  xxiv.  30 ;  xxviii.  20  ;  should  be  translated  "  consummation 
of  the  age."  Peter,  who  (Acts  ii.  16-20.)  had  explained  similar  language  of  the  prophet 
Jool  as  fulfilled  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  in  his  2d  Epistle  iii.  7-10,  has  reference  to  the 
above  words  of  our  Lord ;  of  course  to  be  fulfilled  in  a  similar  manner,  as  also  wherever 
it  is  used  in  the  prophetic  style.  Matt.  v.  18,  Luke  xvi.  17,  and  the  like,  declare,  by  a 
strong  Hebraism,  of  two  events  that  bolft  are  equally  improbable ;  so  that  the  passages 
just  cited  retain  their  literal  import. 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  523 

you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now The  time  cometh  .... 

when  1  shall  show  you  plainly  of  the  Father."  (John  xvi.  12-25.) 
Himself  had  predicted  the  decline  of  that  dispensation,  and  its  utter 
overthrow  from  its  foundations;  and  that  he  would  come  again. 
(Matt,  xxiv.)  And  the  prophet  of  the  future  fortunes  of  the  Church 
saw  in  vision  "  the  Holy  City,  New  Jerusalem,  descending  from  God 
out  of  heaven,  like  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband;" — "the  tabernacle 
of  God  with  men."  (Rev.  xxi.  1-5.)  "  The  kingdoms  o(  this  world  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord."  (xi.  15.)  It  is  for  the  fulfilment  of 
this  promise,  that  we  believe  all  things  are  now  ready.  It  is  for  this 
hope's  sake,  nay,  confidence,  that  he  has  come — not  in  person,  as 
many  are  even  now  looking  for  him — but  in  the  'power  and  glory  of 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  his  Word,  which  has  heretofore  been  clouded 
by  the  literal  sense,  that  we  are  denounced  as  enthusiasts  or  worse. 
Is  a  prophecy  ever  understood  until  accomplished  1  When  he  does 
"come,  is  it  probable  that  the  world  in  general  will  be  aware  either  of 
the  fact  or  mode  of  his  appearance;  or  believe  it,  if  true?  (Matt, 
xxiv.  44;  Luke  xviii.  8.) 

In  all  religious  inquiries,  the  principal  object  should  be  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  As,  if  clear  ideas  are  wanting  here,  all  subsequent 
reasoning  is  darkened  and  perplexed,  if  not  entirely  vitiated.  We 
suppose  few  will  be  found  at  the  present  day  to  deny,  at  least  in 
words,  that  God  is  one,  and  God  is  good  ;  and  that  this  is  discovera- 
ble from  his  works.  But  the  Christian  is  asked  yet  another  question, 
— and  surely  when  aided  by  revelation,  his  answer  should  be  full  and 
exact, — *'  Who  then  was  that  dread,  mysterious  one  that  walked  the 
earth  more  than  eighteen  centuries  since,  whose  appearance  was  the 
signal  for  a  contest  of  opinions,  which  has  widened  and  extended  to 
our  own  day  ?"  We  do  not  care,  even  if  our  space  permitted,  to 
rake  into  ecclesiastical  history,  among  the  ashes  of  forgotten  heresies, 
whose  authors  "  would  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  them."  Let 
us  descend  to  more  recent  times.  The  master  himself,  when  here, 
inquired  of  his  disciples,  "  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?"  and  the  question 
is  re-echoed  through  the  long  tract  of  ages.  "  He  is  one  of  three 
divine  per507?s,  each  of  whom  is  by  himself  God,"  says  the  Athanasian. 
"  Be  it  so,"  says  the  Arian,  "  if  you  grant  that  his  is  a  derived  divi- 
nity." "  He  is  one  three  somewhats"  says  the  mathematical !  Dr. 
Wallis.  Sirs,  we  do  not  understand  you;  nor  can  we  accompany 
the  logic  which  would  put  a  difference  between  three  separate  divine 
persons,  and  three  distinct  gods  !  "  Your  objection  is  natural,"  says 
Priestley  ;  "  he  was  a  good  man  :  a  prophet,  if  you  will :  but  still  the 
son  of  Joseph  .and  Mary,  and  naturally  fallible  and  peccable  as  you 


524 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


or  I."  "  I  go  farther,"  says  Mr.  Belsham,  "  and  assert  that  his  too 
partial  biographers  may  have  suppressed  certain  portions  of  his  pri- 
vate history,  which  would  have  proved  him  actually  guilty  of  common 
frailties."  Sirs,  your  statement  is  intelligible ;  but  it  contradicts  the 
general  tenor  and  many  express  declarations  of  Scripture.  "We 
would  offend  neither  prejudice  nor  reason,"  says  the  transcendental 
Unitarian  ;  "  we  believe  in  but  one  God,  and  neither  affirm  nor  deny 
the  divinity  of  Christ;  but  we  do  accept  him  as  our  teacher."  Very 
good  apology  for  a  lover  of  mystery,  all  of  whose  honours,  however, 
yoit  disclaim.  "  We  are  not  required  to  express  an  opinion,"  says 
John  Locke,  or  Alexander  Campbell ;  "  sufficient  it  is,  if  we  believe, 
with  the  primitive  Christians,  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  the  Saviour 
of  the  world."     Very  well,  and  who  is  the  Messiah? 

It  is  plain,  that,  on  a  point  of  such  importance,  statements  so 
various  or  inadequate  cannot  be  satisfactory  to  all  minds.  And 
should  any  unsatisfied  inquirer  put  the  question  to  us,  we  answer, 
without  ambiguity,  equivocation,  evasion  or  reserve,  He  was  God 
manifest  in  the  Jlesh.  We  know,  we  conceive  of,  we  worship  no 
other;  we  pray  to  no  other  for  his  sake.  We  have  an  apostle's  as- 
sertion that  "in  him  dwells  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily;" 
and  his  own,  that  "  whosoever  sees  him,  seeth  the  Father:"  and  that 
he  hath  "  all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth."  The  Deist  and  the  Pan- 
theist believe  in  a  God  diffused  through  all  space.  This  is  the  Chris- 
tian's God — visible  in  a  human  form.  The  anthropomorphism  that  is 
to  be  shunned,  is  not  that  which  ascribes  body  and  parts  to  the  Deity, 
(for  the  human  form  is  the  original  type  from  which  all  organized 
forms  are  degradations,)  but  the  malignant  passions  of  anger,  wrath, 
and  revenge,  from  which,  surely  one  being  in  the  universe  ought  to 
be  exempt. 

But  farther — what  was  the  true  character  of  man,  and  the  occasion 
of  God's  becoming  incarnate  ?  "  He  is  wholly  defiled  in  all  the  facul- 
ties and  parts  of  soul  and  body ;"  says  a  particular  creed  ;  "  utterly 
indisposed,  disabled,  and  made  opposite  to  all  good,  and  wholly  in- 
clined to  all  evil."  Even  if  not  a  reflection  on  his  Maker,  does  not 
this  statement  leave  man  irresponsible  ?  "  The  new-born  infant," 
says  the  Pelagian,  "  is  as  pure  as  was  the  first  man  before  the  fall— 
the  consequences  of  whose  sin  are  confined  to  his  own  person."  If 
so,  what  need  of  a  Redeemer?  and  why  do  all  inevitably  degenerate? 

To  return — what  did  he  do  on  our  behalf  while  here  ?  and  what 
connexion  is  there  between  his  obedience  and  sufferings  and  our  bene- 
fit? "  He  died  that  he  might  rise  again,"  and  "  thus  bring  life  and 
immortality  to  light,"  savs  the  Unitarian ;  and  so  far  trulv.   "  He  died 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  525 

to  exhibit  God's  hatred  of  sin,"  says  Dr.  Murdock.  "  He  did  some- 
thing,''^ says  Coleridge,  "  we  do  not  and  cannot  know  what,  beyond 
its  effects ;  and  it  is  not  proper  that  the  various  metaphors  by  which 
Paul  would  illustrate  the  manifold  consequences  of  the  redemptive 
act,  should  be  set  up  as  separate  and  substantive  doctrines."  "  Some 
have  attempted  to  account  for  it,  hut  we  do  not  perceive  that  it  is 
explained  in  Scripture,"  says  Bishop  Butler,  with  the  modesty  of  a 
great  man  who  was  not  a  dogmatist.  "  How  is  this,"  says  the  rigidly 
orthodox,  "  need  any  thing  be  plainer  1  Our  salvation  ivas  bought 
and  sold.  Man  having  disobeyed  the  law,  its  honour  required  that 
punishment  should  fall  somewhere,  to  avert  the  wrath  of  the  Father, 
who  could  not  else  be  just  and  merciful.  The  son  of  God  undertook 
to  mediate  between  us  and  the  Father,  became  incarnate,  obeyed, 
suffered  penally  and  in  our  stead;  and  thus  paid  the  infinite  debt  we 
had  contracted  to  the  law.  It  is  not  altogether  certain  whether  he 
paid  it  to  the  Law,  the  Father,  or  the  devil;  but  he  rose,  ascended, 
and  now  intercedes  with  the  Father,  for  the  sake  of  his  merits,  wounds 
and  sufferings,  to  have  mercy  on  the  elect,  who,  if  they  will  only  be- 
lieve all  this,  will  have  their  sins  blotted  out,  and  his  merits  imputed 
to  them,"  &c.  It  is  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the.objections  which 
justly  lie  against  this  whole  alleged  proceeding.  Enough,  that  no 
ingenuity  can  reconcile  it,  either  with  the  unity  of  the  Deity  or  his 
attribute  of  justice.  Nor  are  we  singular  in  rejecting  it  as  having  no 
foundation  either  in  reason  or  Scripture  properly  interpreted.  We 
regret  that  we  can  only  glance  at  what  we  would  offer  in  lieu  thereof, 
as  the  true  doctrine,  and  which  is  largely  dwelt  on  in  the  writings  of 
our  author;  and,  in  order  to  this,  the  reader  will  pardon  a  slight  appa- 
rent digression. 

All  things  in  the  universe,  which  are  according  to  divine  order, 
have  relation  to  goodness  or  truth  ;  those  which  have  departed  from 
this  order,  to  evil  or  falsehood.  God  himself  is  love  and  wisdom,  the 
correlatives  of  the  two  former,  (1  John  iv.  8;  v.  6 ;  John  xiv.  6;) 
and  this  is  that  likeness  in  which  man  was  created.  The  consti- 
tuents of  the  human  mind  are  the  will  and  the  understanding ;  the 
former,  the  seat  of  the  affections — the  latter  of  the  thoughts.  And  the 
soul  itself  is  not  an  ethereal  vapour,  nor  a  bundle  of  ideas  or  of  facul- 
ties, nor  simply  the  result  of  bodily  organization ;  but  a  substantial  form 
(the  image  of  God)  receptive  of  goodness  and  truth,  which  are  spiri- 
tual light  and  heat,  from  their  source;  or  of  their  opposiles  from 
below.  When  the  internal  man  has  been  deformed  from  the  latter 
cause,  the  great  object  o{ regeneration  is  to  restore  its  lost  symmetry. 
This  is  the  grand  end  of  Providence  in   maintaining  a  church  on 


)26 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


earth ;  and  all  minor  events  are  overruled  to  its  furtherance.  The 
Platonic  idea,  that,  "  As  beauty  is  the  virtue  of  the  body,  so  virtue  is 
the  beauty  of  the  nnind,"  and  which  has  been  regarded  as  a  rhetorical 
metaphor,  is  thus  a  most  emphatic  truth.  And  ideas  themselves  are 
not  the  airy,  evanescent  things,  the  intangible  abstractions,  set  forth 
by  modern  metaphysicians  ;  but  may  and  ought  to  be  presented  to  the 
mental  eye  in  corresponding  forms,  and  thus  they  do  appear  in  that 
world  which  is  freed  from  the  trammels  of  time  and  space. 

We  gather  from  the  allegorical  language  of  the  first  chapters  of 
Genesis,  that  the  early  race  of  men  on  this  earth  held  direct  commu- 
nication with  their  Maker,  who  either  taught  them  what  was  for 
their  good  by  a  sensible  internal  dictate,  or  enabled  them  to  read  it 
in  the  outward  creation,  whose  significance  was  then  understood  ; 
that,  in  the  use  of  freedom  and  reason,  without  which  they  would 
not  have  been  men,  and  which  they  exercised  as  if  from  themselves, 
they  attained  a  high  degree  of  wisdom  and  virtue;  that,  although 
these,  together  with  life  itself,  were  gifts  continually  received  from 
Jehovah,  by  virtue  of  their  union  icitk  him,  in  process  of  time,  and 
because  it  did  not  so  appear  to  them,  they  began  to  call  this  in  ques- 
tion, and  fell  at  length  into  the  amazing  fallacy  that  these  were  all 
their  own  and  self-derived.  Here  was  the  origin  of  evil.  Is  it  asked, 
"  Why  was  this  permitted?"  we  answer,  "  It  could  not  have  been  pre- 
vented without  the  destruction  of  mankind."  Sin  is  necessarily  in- 
cidental to  every  probationary  system.  Until  we  upset  the  axiom, 
"  That  it  is  impossil)le  for  the  same  thing  to  be  and  not  to  be  at  the 
same  time,"  it  is  no  derogation  from  Omnipotence  to  say,  that  it  could 
not  do  things  so  contradictory  as  to  convert  man  into  a  machine  and 
still  preserve  his  freedom.  We  do  not  suppose  that  the  fall  was  sud- 
den or  total,  but  the  degeneracy  was  gradual;  and  in  time  it  became 
necessary,  in  order  to  his  preservation,  that  the  relation  of  man  to 
his  Maker  should  be  changed.  The  immediate  intercourse  was  now 
suspended  as  dangerous,  and  all  the  communion  from  thence  forward 
to  the  incarnation  was  through  the  intervention  of  an  angel.  {Gen. 
xlviii.  16;  Ex.  iii.  2;  xxiii.  20-23;  Is.  Ixiii.  9;  Heb.  xii.  29.)  To 
meet  his  successive  declensions,  and  continue  the  possibility  of  salva- 
tion, successive  churches  were  provided  of  Divine  Providence — the 
germ  of  a  new  one,  before  its  predecessor  had  become  corrupt  or 
inadequate.  Throughout  this  long  interval,  the  free-will  of  man, 
which  consisted  in  his  being  placed  in  equilibria  between  good  and 
evil  spiritual  infli^ences,  with  power  to  yield  to  either,  was  preserved. 
Still  the  ungrateful,  reckless  race,  having  once  turned  their  backs  on 
the  Sun,  wandered  farther  into  ihe'crloom — forgot  their  God — sunk  to 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH,  507 

the  lowest  depth  consistent  with  humanity,  when  liberty  itself  was 
threatened  by  a  preponderance  of  the  evil  influence,  which,  from  op- 
pressing the  spirits,  had  come  to  possess  the  very  bodies  of  men ! 
And  did  their  merciful  Parent  desert  them  here?  Alas!  the  crea- 
tures had  hurt  themselves,  and  not  him,  by  their  folly.  In  this  extre- 
mity it  was, — this  "  fulness  of  time"  which  he  had  foreseen, — that 
himself  became  incarnate  as  divine  truth,  restored  in  his  own  per- 
son the  true  exemplar  of  humanity,  conquered  the  hells,  which  could 
not  else  be  reached  without  destruction  to  all  concerned,  and  thus 
rendered  salvation  for  ever  possible  to  all  men  on  all  earths  without 
danger  of  their  again  falling  into  a  like  abyss.  Then  it  was  that  all 
things  necessary  were  done,  though  then  they  could  not  be  seen  in 
the  fulness  of  light.  But  all  may  see  it  now.  This  is  the  love  which 
demands  our  eternal  gratitude ;  this  the  condescension  of  the  Supreme 
which  we  contemplate  with  wonder  and  with  awe. 

We  say  then,  that  we  know  of  no  son  of  God  born  from  eternity. 
That  title  should  alone  be  predicated  of  the  human  nature  born  in 
time,  (Luke  i.  35,)  at  first  properly  termed  the  son  of  Mary,  though 
afterwards  changed.  Physiologists  know  that  a  man  receives  his 
soul  from  his  father,  and  his  body  from  his  mother.  As  the  latter 
was  produced  without  the  intervention  of  an  earthly  father,  (Luke  i. 
20-25,)  our  Lord  could  have  had  nothing  corresponding  with  a  human 
soul ;  but  was  animated  directly  by  the  Divinity  instead.  (Mai.  iii.  1 ; 
com.  John  ii.  21 ;  Heb.  x.  5.)  We  likewise  believe  that  the  human  mind 
has  three  stveral  degrees ;  the  natural,  serving  as  the  basis  of  the 
other  two,  which  are  successively  opened.  His  body  or  humanity, 
including  the  natural  mind,  being  derived  from  an  imperfect  mother, 
partook  of  her  infirmity,  (Job  xiv.  4,)  was  subject  to  temptation  ; 
(Malt.  iv.  1-8  ;  xxii.  18  ;  Heb.  iv.  15 ;  com.  Jas.  i.  13,  and  Ex.  xxxiii. 
20,)  and  had  tendency  to  sin.  It  was  by  submitting  to  temptation  in  all 
possible  variety,  and  by  a  successful  resistance  in  every  case,  that  this 
human  nature  was  perfected,  (Heb.  ii.  10,  18,)  glorified,  (John  xiii. 
31,  32;  xvii.  15;  xii.  27,  28  ;  Luke  xxiv.  20,)  or  made  divine.  This 
process  was  gradual,  (Luke  ii.  40,  52,)  and  any  seeming  difference 
between  the  Father  and  himself  was  previous  to  its  completion.  Indeed, 
his  whole  life  was  a  combat  with  an  infernal  influence,  (Isa.  Ixiii. 
1-9;  Ixix.  16,  17,  20;  Jer.  xlvi.  5,  10;  Ps.  xlv.  4-7;  John  xii. 
31;  xvi.  11;  xvii.  33;  Luke  x.  18;  Rev.  i.  18,)  in  which  he  was 
progressively  victorious,  not  fur  himself  alone,  but  for  man  also,  in  the 
true  principle  of  overcoming  evil  with  good.  The  tendency  of  the 
soul  is  generally  to  assimilate  the  body  to  itself.  In  his  case,  when 
the  principles  of  the  infirm  humanity,  with  their  corresponding  forms, 


528 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


were  successively  75?/^  off  during  temptations,  divine  forms  were  put 
on  in  their  stead.  The  last  temptation  was  the  passion  of  the  cross, 
when  the  warfare  was  finished,  (John  xix.  30,)  and  the  union  between 
the  human  and  divine  nature  was  complete  and  reciprocal.  (John 
xvii.  10,  21.)  From  thenceforth  this  Divine  Humanity  became  the  fit 
residence,  the  appropriate  organ  through  which  the  Holy  Spirit,  or 
neAv  divine  influence,  operates  throughout  creation.  (John  vii.  39 ; 
XX.  22.  And  thereafter  all  appearance  of  personality  separate  from 
the  Father  is  merged  in  ihis  indissoluble  union ;  or  rather,  he  is  the 
■person  of  the  Father.  (Heb.  i.  3.)  His  suftcrings,  which  had  no 
merit  as  such,  and  could  not  satisfy  a  benevolent  Parent,  were  not 
-penal,  nor  substituted,  but  merely  incidental  to  his  changes  of  state 
and  his  intense  anxiety,  bordering  on  despair,  during  his  humiliation, 
and  were  endured  by  him  to  represent  the  state  of  the  church  at  that 
lime,  and  in  all  ages,  when  it  rejects  or  falsifies  his  truth,  and  "  does 
despite  to  the  spirit  of  his  grace."  His  merit  consisted  in  that  exer- 
cise of  divine  power  and  virtue,  whereby  he  glorified  human  nature 
in  himself,  and  healed,  restored  and  elevated  it  into  newness  of  life  in 
his  creatures.  This  merit  or  righteousness  is  a  satisfaction  to  his 
Father,  because  it  answers  the  cravings  of  the  divine  love  within  him. 

Here,  then,  is  the  one  God  in  one  person ;  in  whom,  nevertheless, 
we  acknowledge  a  trinity^;  for  the  Father  dwells  in  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  proceeds  from  Him,  as  the  divine  love  dwells  in  the 
divine  wisdom,  and  the  spirit  of  truth  proceeds  from  it. 

It  was  ignorance  of  this  glorification,  which  caused  most  of  the 
heresies  which  have  disgraced  ecclesiastical  history,  arrested  the 
spread  of  the  church,  and  have  shorn  it  of  its  best  influence  where  it 
remained.  And  yet  each  individual  carries  in  his  own  person  an 
analogy  which  would  sufliciently  illustrate  such  a  union  to  the  plainest 
mind.  For  he  possesses  a  soul,  a  body,  and  a  power  or  operative 
energy,  which  is  the  result  of  the  joint  action  of  the  other  two ;  and 
the  regeneration  which  we  all  need,  is  but  an  image  of  that  glorifi- 
cation.  (Matt.  xix.  28.) 

To  the  classical  reader  we  say,  that  "person"  {persona,  per  sonans,) 
originally  meant  an  actor's  mask — by  transfer,  the  character  which 
he  enacted.  "  Making  satisfaction,"  is  doing  enough.  "  Atonement," 
means  reconciliation,  and  not  the  payment  of  a  debt.  To  "  sacrifice" 
is  to  make  holy,  to  consecrate,  to  dedicate ;  and  its  essence  is  not 
shedding  of  blood,  "  Redemption"  is  recovery  from  bondage.  "  To 
intercede"  is  to  go  between ;  "  to  mediate,"  to  serve  as  a  medium 
"  to  propitiate,"  (prope  ito,)  is  to  make  nigh  to.     "  To  justify"  is  to 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  529 

make  just,  as  clearly  as  "  to  sanctify"  is  to  make  holy.  We  rejoice 
to  believe  that  God  appeared  in  a  new  aspect  or  character  in  Christ 
Jesus;  that  he  has  done  ennvgk  for  our  salvation,  by  the  consecration 
of  his  human  nature;  that  he  has  thus  rescued  us  from  spiritual  sla- 
very ;  that  his  divine  humanity  goes  between  us  and  the  Father ; 
nay,  serves  as  the  perpetual  medium  by  which  we  may  draio  near 
to  Him,  be  reconciled,  made  just,  and  fit  for  heaven. 

The  whole  Word  of  God  in  its  celestial  or  highest  sense,  ex- 
plains in  its  progress  this  most  stupendous  event  that  ever  occurred 
in  the  universe.  It  is  divinely  shadowed  forth  in  the  lives  of  the 
Patriarchs ;  more  clearly  in  the  acts  and  sufferings  of  the  Prophets  ; 
but  more  particularly  in  the  afflictions  of  David,  the  great  representer 
of  the  Lord,  as  expressed  in  the  book  of  Psalms.  In  the  New  Testa- 
ment it  is  briefly,  but  plainly  asserted. 

It  was  not  then  any  selfish  regard  "  to  his  own  glory,"  which  led 
to  this  grand  expedient,  but  "  in  his  love  and  his  jntij  he  redeemed 
us."  There  never  was  any  "  conflict"  between  his  attributes.  The 
justice  of  God  is  but  his  goodness  in  restorative  action.  He  does 
not  demand  the  punishment  of  an  innocent  substitute.  (Gen.  xviii.  25; 
Ez.  xviii.  20.)  He  requires  our  repentance  and  reformation  alone. 
(Jer.  xviii.  7,  8  ;  Isa.  Ivi.  7  ;  Luke  xxiv.  47-8  ;  Acts  v.  30-1  ;  1  John 
i.  9.)  It  is  not  enough  barely  to  believe  all  this,  though  true ;  to  re- 
pent in  extremity ;  or  to  confess  our  sins  in  the  gross.  Man  must 
examine  himself  in  detail ;  fight  against  his  evils  in  the  strength  of 
the  Lord  ;  follow  the  great  exemplar;  (Matt.  x.  38;  xvi.  24;  xix.  28; 
1  Pet.  ii.  21-2  ;  John  xii.  20  ;  1  Cor.  x.  13 ;  2  Cor.  iii.  17,  18  ;  iv.  16 ;) 
and  thus,  by  an  union  of  faith,  charity  and  good  works,  without 
attaching  any  merit  to  either,  "  work  out  his  own  salvation,"  or 
qualify  himself  for  happiness.  We  know  of  no  shorter  road  to  heaven. 
A  God  of  truth  will  not  impute  to  us,  either  the  good  or  evil  which 
was  not  and  could  not  have  been  done  by  us.  (Ez.  xviii.  20,  21.) 
And  though  all  are  predestinated  to  heaven,  yet  none  will  be  forced 
to  accept  it ;  nor  will  any  be  elected  but  by  that  principle  of  spiritual 
affinity,  which  leads  those,  who  are,  by  reformation  and  regeneration, 
made  like  Him,  to  choose  Him  freely  and  reciprocally.  In  a  reasona- 
ble service,  man  need  not  be  frightened  into  a  slavish  compliance; 
and  cannot  be  passive,  but  must  co-operate  with  his  Maker,  who  con- 
tinually gives  him  the  power  to  obey  his  commands,  and  provides  the 
means  of  salvation  for  all,  nay,  for  the  very  Heathen,  who  are  only 
responsible  for  the  employment  of  such  advantages  as  they  possess. 
(John  ix.  41;  Acts  x.  35;  Rom.  ii.  13-15;  v.  13.)  Infants,  being 
incapable  of  sinning,  are  all  saved.  (James  i.  14,  15;  Deut.  xxiv.  16; 


530  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Matt,  xviii.  10,  14.)  As  the  ability  to  keep  the  commands  is  con- 
stantly afTorded,  voluntary  pei'severance,  and  constant  vigilance,  are 
as  little  as  could  be  expected  in  turn.  Who  then  can  estimate  the 
importance  of  regeneration,  when  we  reflect  that  man  is  by  every 
thought,  word,  and  act  of  his  life  drawing  his  own  portrait  for  eter- 
nity ! 

When  death, — which  is  not  in  itself  a  curse,  but  a  natural  stage  in 
the  progress  of  man,  that  terminates  his  probationary  state, — when 
death  once  separates  the  soul  from  the  material  body,  the  latter  will 
never  be  resumed  ;  (1  Cor.  xv.  50  ;  Matt.  xxii.  31,  32;  Phil.  i.  21,  23; 
Lukexxiii.43;  com.  Rev.  ii.  7;)  and  the  former  rises  up  a  spiritual  body, 
in  a  spiritual  world,  adapted  to  its.  new  and  permanent  condition. 
(Luke  xvi.  22-4  ;  ix.  30 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  44  ;  Rev.  xxii.  8,  9.)  Indeed,  the 
spirit  is  the  man  himself;  and  most  men,  being  of  mixed  character, 
enter,  at  death,  the  intermediate  state,  or  first  receptacle  of  departed 
spirits.  Here  dissimulation  is  not  long  permitted.  The  hypocrite  is 
stripped  of  his  mask — erring  piety  is  instructed  in  the  truth.  After 
abiding  for  a  period  sufficient  todevelope  the  real  state,  the  individual 
is  advanced  to  heaven,  or  descends  to  hell,  and  becomes  an  angel  or 
a  devil,  accordingly.  We  know  of  no  other  classes  entitled  to  those 
names  respectively.  (Judg.  xiii.  6,  10,  11  ;  Dan.  ix.  21  ;  Micah  xvi.  5; 
John  XX.  12  ;  Rev.  xxi.  17  ;  xxii.  8,  9.)  We  recognise  no  other  intel- 
ligent and  rational  beings  in  the  universe,  but  God  and  the  human  race 
in  perpetual  progress  or  descent.  We  cannot  conceive  of  an  hybrid, 
apocryphal,  winged  order  superior  to  men;  least  of  all  would  we 
ascribe,  with  Milton,  some  of  the  highest  attributes  of  divinity  to  the 
devil!  The  two  grand  divisions  of  human  kind  are  those  which  are 
marked  by  a  preponderance  of  the  affections  or  of  the  intellect. 
Within  these  limits  the  modifications  of  character  are  innumerable. 
As  many  classes  are  formed  in  the  other  life,  where  like  consorts 
with  like.  Here,  too,  a  like  distinction  is  drawn  between  the  kingdom 
of  the  good  and  the  kingdom  of  the  wise.  And  we  are  told  there  are 
three  gradations  in  each,  answering  to  the  three  degrees  of  the  mind 
— aflfection,  intellection,  and  actio  •,  or  answering  to  those  angels 
whose  predominating  characteristic  is  respectively  love,  wisdom,  or 
simple  obedience  to  what  is  good  and  true.  And  analogous  difler- 
enccs  and  grades  obtain  among  the  infernals. 

Such  is  a  sketch  of  the  principal  doctrines  which  Swedenborg  has 
drawn  from  the  literal  sense  of  that  book  which  all  Christians  ac- 
knowledge as  the  repository  of  their  faith.  And  we  cannot  but  advert, 
in  this  connexion,  to  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  degraded  even 
by  those  \\ho  claim  to  think  with  reverence  of  it  as  the  charter  of 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  531 

iheii"  freedom.  We  are  pained  to  hear  of  the  poetry  of  the  Hebrews  ; 
of  the  eloquence  of  this  prophet ;  of  the  sinfiple  or  more  philosophical 
narrative  of  that  historian  or  evangelist.  We  are  indignant  at  the 
eflects  of  the  clashing  principles  of  biblical  criticism  and  hermaneu- 
tics  in  the  hands  of  German  theologians.  Do  our  fellow-Christians 
know  what  the  boldest  of  them  have  conceded  to  these  sappers  and 
miners?  have  they  any  definite  idea  of  what  inspiration  is?  of 
what  it  is  to  say  of  any  book  that  it  is  the  Word  of  God?  We  cer- 
tainly do  not  believe  that  all  the  tracts  bound  up  in  our  Bible  can  claim 
that  grand  designation;  but  think  we  have  a  criterion  for  determining 
the  products  of  the  "  divine  afflatus"  from  all  the  works  of  man.* 

The  reader  has  now  a  specimen  of  the  views  of  men  who  are 
reported  to  set  plates  at  their  tables  for  their  dead  friends !  and  to 
converse  familiarly  with  Peter  and  Paul ! ! — by  those  who  perhaps 
find  it  more  convenient  to  divert  public  attention  from  this  faith  than 
to  refute  it.  We  know  not  how  many  can  be  found  to  credit  such 
dull  fictions;  but  if,  among  the  entire  body  of  receivers  of  the  doctrine 
taught  by  Swedenborg,  one  such  voluntary  fool  could  be  discovered, 
it  would  only  prove  that  he  did  not  understand  his  own  doctrine, 
which  teaches  the  impossibility  of  seeing  spiritual  objects  with  the 
natural  eye ;  and  declares  that  the  veil  between  that  world  and  this 
is  never  removed  except  by  Providence,  and  for  sufficient  reasons. 

Would  that  our  space  permitted  us  lo  fill  up  the  above  outline  with 
the  rich  variety  of  subaltern  truths,  at  once  new  and  suggestive,  with 
which  his  works  abound,  and  all  of  which  are  germain  to  the  leading 
doctrines.  We  leave  the  rest  to  the  Rev.  Wm.  Mason,  of  England, 
who  gives  the  estimate  of  this  system  by  a  plain  but  vigorous  and 
undebauched  intellect,  which  had  tried  several  others  and  exa- 
mined all : 

"  Here  was  a  new  system  of  doctrine  presented  to  him,  not  to  be 
blindly  believed,  but  rationally  understood — a  system  which  incul- 
cated the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ  without  a  mystery,  and  which, 
nevertheless,  rejected  the  supposed  vicarious  sacrifice  with  all  its 
horrors  and  injustice,  and  vindicated  the  Scriptures  from  the  charge 

*  The  tiooks  of  the  Word  are  the  Pentateuch,  Joshua,  Judges,  Samuel,  Kings,  the 
Psahns  and  all  the  Prophets  in  the  <  Id  Testament ;  and  the  four  Evangelists  and  Revela- 
tion in  the  New^.  The  other  books  (except  the  Canticles  and  Apocrypha)  contain  the  truth 
— are  useful  to  the  church — are  written  with  as  high  a  degree  of  inspiration  as  writers 
generally  ascribe  to  those  enumerated,  but  do  not  contain  the  internal  sense,  in  a  con- 
nected or  divine  series.  The  book  of  Job  contains  an  internal  sense,  being  written  ac- 
cording to  the  scienceof  correspondences,  which  was  known  to  the  ancient  people  on  this 
earth,  but  does  not  come  within  tliat  connected  and  intimately  related  series  of  divine 
truths  which  makes  the  Word  an  infinitely  complex  and  harmonious  integer. 


532  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  selling  it  forth;  a  system  which  gave  a  new  view  of  the  inspiration 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  which,  if  it  could  be  estabhshcd  by  conclusive 
evidence,  would  prove  them  indeed  tfie  •  Word  of  God,'  by  raising 
them  to  that  true  and  real  dignity  which  that  magnificent  title  implies 
— the  dignity  of  being  in  every  part  of  it,  the  repository  of  infinite 

goodness  and  infinite  wisdom A  new  intellectual  and  moral 

world  opened  upon  his  delighted  view.  He  found  he  was  able  to  see 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  '  God  over  all  blessed  for  erer,'  without  quali- 
fication, or  reservation,  and  in  a  clear  and  glorious  light,  without  a 
single  overshadowing  cloud  of  mystery  or  contradiction.  Without 
going  back  to  tripersonalism,  he  could  now  embrace  a  new^  scriptural 
doctrine  of  the  Divine  Trinity,  and  one  perfectly  free  from  every  ble- 
mish of  contradiction,  and  thus  could  entertain  far  more  exalted  ideas 
of  his  Saviour  than  he  was  ever  able  to  form  while  he  was  a  believer 
in  the  three  persons  in  the  Godhead.  He  could  also  now  see  his  God 
as  ONE,  because  one  Divine  Person,  and  in  the  aspect  of  love  and 
mercy  immensely  exceeding  his  utmost  efforts  so  to  behold  his  Maker, 
while,  as  a  Unitarian,  he  endeavoured  to  think  of  God  as  a  Benevo- 
lent Somewhat,  diffused  like  an  ethereal  essence  through  infinite  space. 
Indeed,  he  was  delighted  to  find  that  whatever  is  good  and  useful, 
whatever  is  lucid  and  consistent,  in  other  systems  of  Christianity,  is 
harmoniously  brought  together  in  its  proper  arrangement  and  con- 
nexion, in  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  so  that  those  doctrines 
may  be  regarded  as  embracincr  all  the  revealed  truths  deduced  from 
the  Holy  Word  by  all  denominations  of  Christians,  purified  from  all 
admixture  of  error  and  human  invention.  He  found  the  divine 
authority  and  sanction,  the  unchangeableness  of  doctrine,  and  the 
infallibility  of  interpretation,  which  is  the  boast  of  the  Roman  Catholic, 
combined  with  the  utmost  freedom  of  investigation ;  so  that  the  general 
doctrines  of  the  New  Church  may  be  regarded  as  invisible  '  bands 
of  love,'  (Hos.  xi.  4,)  by  which  the  Father  of  mercies  holds  and 
guides  his  children,  while  he  tenderly  suffers  them  freely  to  expa- 
tiate hither  and  thither  into  all  the  particulars  involved  in  the  articles 
of  their  faith,  without  wandering  away  from  the  grand  fundamental 
principles  of  all  true  religion,  that  God  is  one,  and  God  is  good.  He 
found  the  great  principle  of  the  Protestant,  that  the  Scriptures  are  the 
only  rule  of  a  Christian's  faith -and  practice,  earnestly  contended  for, 
and  yet  perfectly  harmonized  with  the  Catholic  doctrine  of  authority 
and  uniformity,  abstractedly  considered.  He  found  that  nothing  is 
required  to  be  believed  in  the  New  Church,  but  what  may  be  clearly 
drawn  from,  and  confirmed  by,  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  ;  and 
that  the  important  duty  of  searching  the  Scriptures,  which  is  thus 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  533 

individually  to  be  performed,  in  order  to  the  formation  of  a  real  and 
sincere  faith,  is  blessed  with  a  sure  and  unerring  guidance,  which  has 
all  the  effect  of  a  voice  from  heaven,  while  it  is  congenial  with  the 
freest  exercise  of  the  understanding,  and  clear  of  all  mischiefs  of 
priestly  dictation,  and  the  liability  to  contradictory  decisions  of  erring 
and  changeful  men.  He  saw  that,  while  the  doctrine  of  transubstan- 
liation  is  rejected,  the  member  of  the  New  Church  is  enabled  clearly 
to  djscern  lioio  the  Lord  is  really  present  in  the  holy  supper,  without 
reducing  that  divine  institution  to  the  unspiritual  and  unmeaning 
ceremony  which  it  is  made  to  be  by  some.  He  found  in  the  New 
Church  an  equally  determined  adherence  to  the  belief  of  what  is 
thought  to  be  revealed  with  that  which  is  manifested  by  Trinitarians, 
but  combined  with  a  clear  opening  of  the  mysterious  words  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  which  by  Trinitarians  are  implicitly  believed  without  being 
understood.  He  found  here  ihe  freedom  of  discussion,  the  demand 
for  reasonable  proof,  and  the  determination  to  believe  nothing  but 
what  is  rationally  proved  to  be  true,  as  instanced  in  the  tone  of  the 
Unitarian  and  Sceptic,  but  combined  with  a  full  and  fair  answer  to 
that  demand,  to  the  full  satisfaction  of  sound  reason,  acting  under  the 
influence  of  true  humility,  and  a  supreme  love  of  what  is  good  and 
pure  and  spiritually  useful.  He  found  vital  and  inward  religion,  so 
exclusively  vaunted  by  Evangelicals,  and  the  inward  waiting  on  and 
communion  with  the  Spirit,  so  much  cultivated  by  the  followers  of 
George  Fox,  here  duly  regarded  and  com.bined  with  just  philoso- 
phical views,  practical  principles,  and  moral  habits,  founded  in  the 
deepest  reverence  for  the  Scriptures,  so  that  the  internal  affections  are 
thus  brought  down,  and  firmly  fixed  in  a  corresponding  external.  He 
found  the  supremacy  of  moral  principle  and  practice  over  doctrine, 
as  contended  for  by  the  moral  philosopher  and  Utilitarian,  in  full 
operation  under  the  designation  of  charity,  or  the  love  of  use  for  the 
Lord's  sake ;  so  that  the  external  principle  of  morality  derives  inte- 
riorly from  the  spiritual  mind,  and  thus  from  the  Lord,  an  interior 
principle  of  spiritual  life,  by  which  it  is  made  spiritually  alive,  and 
is  exalted  to  a  conjunction  with  the  source  of  all  good.  He  found  an 
entire  and  universal  reference  of  all  things  to  God,  and  which  is  aimed 
at  by  the  Predestinarian,  accomplished  in  an  enlightened  trust  in  a  par- 
ticular and  overruling  Providence,  resting  on  clear,  rational,  and  scrip- 
tural grounds,  and  yet  perfectly  free  from  all  the  objections  which 
justly  lie  against  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  predestination  and  elec- 
tion, and  perfectly  reconcilable  with  human  liberty  and  rationality. 
He  found  the  doctrine  of  f7ee-will  asserted,  and  clearly  exhibited, 
without  removing  man  in  the  least  degree  from  a  momentary  de- 


534 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


pcndence  on  the  source  of  life  and  power.  He  was  enabled  to  see 
ihe  orit^in  of  moral  and  physical  evil  in  such  a  light  as  to  Justify  the 
divine  goodness,  and  to  make  the  divine  foreknowledge  appear  per- 
fectly compatible  with  human  freedom  and  accountability.  He  per- 
ceived that,  although  man  is  a  fallen  creature,  he  is  continually  kept 
in  the  capability  of  surmounting  his  infirmities,  and  overcoming  his 
evil  propensities ;  and  thus  he  was  enabled  to  obviate  the  objections 
of  disbelievers  in  hereditary  evil,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  advocates 
of  man's  moral  incapacity  on  the  other.  He  saw  the  Wesleyan  doc- 
trine of  assurance  of  salvation  rectified,  and  placed  on  a  rational 
basis;  and  the  religious  feelings,  so  strongly  cultivated  by  Methodists, 
not  extinguished,  but  directed  into  useful  and  sanctifying  channels,  so 
as  to  be  active  without  enthusiasm  on  the  one  hand,  and  without 
being  impeded  on  the  other,  by  cold,  unprofitable,  and  barren  specu- 
lations: thus  maintaining  a  happy  medium  through  the  affections  of 
the  will  and  the  truths  of  the  understanding,  justly  and  mutually  tem- 
pering and  balancing  each  other.  He  saw  the  belief  in  the  agency 
of  good  and  evil  spirits,  called  angels  and  devils,  as  set  forth  in 
the  Scriptures,  placed  on  a  truly  rational  and  edifying  basis,  accom- 
panied with  clear  views  of  the  nature  of  such  agency,  and  of  its  va- 
ried manifestations;  the  whole  being  calculated  to  guard  the  man  of 
the  church  against  running  into  fanaticism  and  superstition  on  the 
one  hand,  and  scepticism  on  the  other.  Besides  all  this,  he  saw  all 
that  is  terrible  in  what  is  commonly  believed  concerning  hell,  rendered 
more  acceptable  to  the  discriminating  mind,  by  a  sound  explanation, 
yet  without  the  belief  in  a  future  state  of  retribution  being  in  the  least 
degree  impaired  in  its  moral  efficacy  : — he  also  saw  all  that  is  attrac- 
tive in  what  is  commonly  believed  concerning  heaven  rendered  inex- 
pressibly more  so,  by  an  explanatory  adaptation  of  heavenly  joys  to 
the  various  affections,  faculties  and  powers  of  the  being  who  is  des- 
tined to  partake  of  them.  In  short  he  found  no  point  of  doctrine 
strained,  or  raised  out  of  its  proper  place,  by  being  cultivated  above, 
or  to  the  neglect  of,  other  points,  nor  any  point  unduly  depressed  or 
neglected,  but  all  duly  and  equally  regarded,  as  forming  one  harmo- 
nious whole;  he  contrasted  this  keeping  of  all  the  points  of  faith  in 
their  proper  connexions  with  each  other,  with  the  contrary  conduct 
of  the  various  Christian  sects,  each  of  which  takes  some  one  point 
out  of  its  place,  and  fondly  prefers  and  cherishes  it  above  others, 
until  the  whole  lose  their  proper  order,  harmony,  mutual  dependence 
and  connexion,  and  thus  become  perverted  and  falsified.  And  farther, 
he  found  he  was  placed  in  the  fullest  liberty  to  discuss  the  contents 
of  the  Scriptures,  without  any  temptation  to  warp  them,  or  take  the 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH. 


535 


slightest  liberty  with  them  ;  because  he  was  blessed  with  such  an  infal- 
lible rule  of  interpretation  as  precluded  almost  the  possibility  of  his 
straying  into  the  wilds  of  error.  He  saw  that,  without  countenanc- 
ing the  infidel  assertion,  facts  have  proved  the  inefficacy  and  there- 
fore unsuitabiliiy  of  the  Bible  to  effect  the  moral  improvement  of  man, 
he  had  not  been  mistaken  in  his  moral  estimate  of  the  Christian  world  ; 
for  according  to  a  testimony  that  is  beyond  dispute,  the  Christian 
Church,  as  predicted  in  the  New  Testament,  has  now  really  come  to 
its  end,  through  evils  of  life  and  errors  of  doctrine ;  so  that  now  there 
is  not  one  stone  of  the  spiritunl  temple  left  standing  upon  another, 
which  has  not  been  thrown  down.  On  every  hand  there  is  nothincr 
but  a  confusion  of  ideas  and  doctrines  amongst  Christian  sects,  which 
may  filly  be  compared  to  the  confusion  of  tongues  at  the  building  of 
Babel.  Doctrines  either  derogatory  to  the  divine  character,  or  irre- 
verent to  the  Holy  Word,  or  subversive  of  morality,  are  put  forth  with 
the  utmost  confidence  of  genuine  Christianity. 

"  But,  above  all,  he  was  delighted  that  he  had  now  obtained  a  so- 
lution of  all  doubts  and  difficulties  attendant  on  the  literal  construc- 
tion of  Scripture.  He  was  now  able  to  account  for  all  that  before  ap- 
peared unaccountable;  he  was  able  to  understand  all  that  previously 
seemed  incomprehensible ;  to  reconcile  what  heretofore  appeared  ut- 
terly contradictory ;  and  by  means  of  the  key  he  had  now  obtained 
to  the  spiritual  sense  whicli  pervaded  the  whole ;  he  was  able  to  see 
and  to  experience,  that  '  All  Scripture  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfected.'  By  means  of 
the  divine  science  of  correspondences  between  things  spiritual  and 
natural,  now  revived  by  Swedenborg,  and  agreeably  to  which,  by 
the  providence  of  their  author,  the  Scriptures  have  been  written,  he 
found  he  could  penetrate  the  clouds  of  the  literal  sense,  and  behold  the 
spiritual  sense  which  lies  concealed  therein,  and  in  which  the  Lord 
is  now  making  his  second  and  spiritual  advent  into  the  souls  of  those 
who  humbly  and  thankfully  receive  Him,  with  power  and  great  glory. 
The  gates  of  all  creation  seemed  thrown  open  to  admit  him  to  view 
the  heavenly  realities  which  all  natural  existences  symbolize.  Thus 
could  he  '  look  through  nature  up  to  nature's  God,'  and  equally  so 
in  the  natural  creation  and  the  literal  or  natural  sense  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. He  now  saw  the  divine  goodness  and  wisdom  fully  justified, 
both  in  the  works  of  God  and  his  Word.  All  His  Providence,  and  all 
His  dispensations  of  grace,  alike  shone  before  his  mental  vision,  in 
the  fulness  of  glory  and  beauty  !"     (Mason's  Job  Abbott.) 

Strong  and  comprehensive  language   this! — perhaps   the   reader 


536 


IIISTOltY  OF  THE 


may  think  ;  and  yet  all  members  of  the  New  Church  whose  opportu- 
nities of  comparing  this  creed  with  others  enable  them  to  speak  un- 
derstandingly,  could  readily  adopt  it  as  their  own. 

The  reader  will  also  have  seen  that,  without  denying  the  possibility 
of  salvation  to  any  class  of  Christians,  or  even  of  Mahometans  or 
Heathens,  this  faith  is  essentially  and  intensely  Protestant.  They, 
who  believe  that  God  himself  will  not  do  violence  to  the  will  or  rea- 
son of  his  creatures,  will  scarce  submit  to  the  dictation  of  man  in  the 
affair  of  religion.  But  the  past  is  not,  therefore,  useless  to  us.  His- 
tory is  not  an  old  almanac ;  and,  in  profiling  of  her  lessons,  we  are 
not  surprised  at  certain  events  she  records, — some  occurring  in  our 
own  day, — which  seem  strange  to  Protestants  generally.  Without 
doubt,  our  thanks  are  due  to  those  who  fought  the  battles  of  religious 
freedom  and  restored  the  Word  of  Life  to  the  world.  But  here  our 
commendation  must  stop;  for  through  their  imprudence  the  tide  of 
victory  was  rolled  back  when  at  its  height,  and  more  than  half  the 
worth  of  the  rescued  treasure  concealed  for  ages.  Our  Huguenot  and 
Pilgrim  sires  resisted  the  tyranny  of  their  day  ;  and  shall  they  exercise 
a  posthumous  dominion  over  us?  We  wonder  not  then  that  Erasmus, 
much  as  he  desired  the  reformation  of  the  church,  should  have  held 
himself  aloof  from  the  intemperate  party  which  undertook  the  task; 
or  that  Grotius,  who  had  felt  their  want  of  moderation,  should  have 
returned  in  spirit  to  Rome.  We  wonder  not  that  Turenne,  and 
Conde,  and  Wallenstein,  should  have  abandoned  their  Protestant  pre- 
dilections, and  thrown  their  sword  into  the  scale  of  civil  law  and 
political  order,  against  the  baneful  doctrine  of  "justification  by  faith 
alone,"  now  the  article  of  a  falling  church.  And  when  even  the 
daughter  of  Gustavus  yielded  her  father's  sceptre  and  her  father's 
religion  to  the  wants  of  the  heart,  or  imagination,  if  you  will :  we 
think  the  leaders  of  the  church  should  have  remembered  that  "  Straws 
may  show  the  direction  of  the  wind,"  and  have  suspected  some  sad 
deficiency  in  what  they  had  offered  as  "  the  whole  gospel."  Oxen- 
stiern,  who  knew  "  With  how  little  wisdom  the  world  was  governed," 
did  not  refer  to  politics  alone.  The  great,  wise,  good  Sully, — who 
advised  his  royal  master,  (where  there  was  so  little  to  choose  between 
them,)  to  conform  to  the  faith  of  his  people,  while  he  tolerated  dis- 
sent,— had  he  served  the  English  James,  would  doubtless  have  dis- 
suaded him  from  giving  "  three  kingdoms  for  a  mass."  Protestantism 
has  too  often  warred  against  the  refinements,  the  charities,  the  inno- 
cent pleasures  of  life.  She  has  been  charged  with  too  great  naked- 
ness, and  systematically  refusing  to  worship  the  Lord  in  "  the  beauty 
of  holiness;"   with  favouring  a  tame  mediocrity  in  all  things;  and 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  537 

where  not  propped  by  tithes,  with  being  sustained  by  factitious  ex- 
citement alone;  and  can  we  say,  "without  ground?"  There  is 
needed  a  comprehensive  faith,  which  shall  meet  the  wants  of  the 
great  and  the  little — the  intellectual  and  the  feeling — the  imaginative 
and  the  practical.  If  invited  to  enlist  under  such  a  banner,  would  so 
many  of  the  great  Teutonic  family  of  nations,  with  all  their  heredi- 
tary hatred  of  the  Roman  name,  have  continued  submissive  to  her 
yoke?  Would  France  have  refused  such  a  reform  and  accepted 
despotism  instead  ?  Would  Popish  Ireland  have  continued  to  this 
day  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  her  conqueror  ?  We  think  not.  And  to  us 
it  seems  natural,  where  both  extremes  erred  so  widely,  and  human  na- 
ture was  so  long  abused,  that  there  should  have  been  such  phenomena 
as  Mysticism,  Quietism,  and  even  Jansenism  on  the  one  hand, — and 
Pietism  and  Methodism  on  the  other.  And  Pusevism  is  but  an  out- 
break of  the  same  feeling  in  a  higher  sphere.  "  All,'^  [the  different 
Christian  churches,]  says  Hartley,  "  have  left  the  true,  pure,  simple 
religion,  and  teach  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.  They 
are  all  merchants  of  the  earth,  and  have  set  up  a  kingdom  of 
this  world.  They  have  all  a  dogmatizing  spirit,  and  persecute  such 
as  do  not  receive  their  mark,  and  worship  the  images  which  they 
have  set  up."  Seeing,  then,  that  their  contemporaries  were  unworthy 
of  true  liberty,  and  knowing  no  middle  ground,  we  wonder  not  that 
the  great  souls  of  Dryden,  Kenelm  Digby,  and  Du  Perron,  and, 
more  recently,  that  Wickleman,  Werner,  and  Genz,  and  Schlegel 
and  Schelling  should  have  renounced  such  masters  and  "  fled,"  as 
they  thought,  "  from  petty  tyrants  to  the  throne." 

We  pity,  rather  than  blame,  many  of  those  that  are  stigmatized  as 
"  infidels,"  because  they  examined  prevailing  dogmas  with  freedom 
and  reason.  And  most  noteworthy  it  is,  that  the  points  to  which 
they  have  generally  excepted,  constitute  no  part  of  genuine  Chris- 
tianity. The  philosophic  Julian,  the  virtuous  Shaftesbury,  never  saw 
her  fair  face  without  a  mask.  Christianity,  in  its  essence,  is  verily 
as  old  as  the  creation  !  The  truth,  against  which  nothing  shall  pre- 
vail, has  been  from  eternity,  and  its  aspect  has  only  varied  to  meet 
the  changing  condition  of  man.  Christianity  "  is  not  mysterious,'^ 
in  the  sense  of  being  unintelligible,  (Matt.  xiii.  11;  Mark  iv.  11;  Luke 
viii.  10 ;  Rom.  xi.  25  ;  xvi.  25  ;  1  Cor.  ii.  7  ;  viii.  10,  xiii.  2  ;  xv.  51 ; 
Eph.  i.  9  ;  iii.  8-10;  Col.  i.  25-8,)  and  we  are  required  to  believe  no 
proposition  which  conveys  no  meaning.  (Isa.  i.  18;  Ez.  xviii.  25.) 
The  bold  manceuvre  of  Hume  could  not  have  occasioned  such  con- 
sternation in  the  Christian  camp,  had  it  not  been  pitched  on  a  false 
position.     Miracles  are  not  violations  of  the  laws  of  nature.     They 

35 


538 


HISTOIiY  OF  THE 


arc  llie  cflcets  of  laws  unknown  to  the  observers.  They  alone  never 
did,*  never  can,  aflbrd  permanent  conviction  of  any  truth.  None 
but  the  carnal  require  to  have  their  attention  thus  drawn  to  what 
should  be  sufficiently  attractive  in  its  own  nature.  (Mark  viii.  12; 
John  iv.  48;  xx.  29;  1  Cor.  i.  22;  John  vii.  17;  Matt.  xxiv.  24;  2 
Thcss.  ii.  9.)  "  What  a  divine  religion  might  be  found  out,  if  charity 
were  really  made  the  principle  of  it,  instead  of  faith,"  said  the  truth- 
loving  Shelley,  all  unknowing  that  what  he  sought  was  extant  and 
near  at  hand.  And  every  one  who  knows  the  w'orld,  is  also  aware 
that  thousands  are  sighing  in  secret  under  the  pressure  of  doubt, 
(which,  however,  does  not  affect  their  morality,)  while  they  conform 
to  the  worship  around  them,  lest  the  example  of  their  defection  from 
received  opinions  should  operate  injuriously  on  those  who  have  less 
self-control.  Had  Europe  early  listened  to  the  warning  voice  of  him 
who  told  her  of  the  volcano  over  which  she  slept,  in  consequence  of 
the  church's  departure  from  truth  and  duty :  she  might  have  been  spared 
the  mountains  of  treasure  and  rivers  of  blood,  the  wreck  of  arts,  the 
desolation  of  her  fields,  and  the  blighted  and  broken  hearts,  which 
have  made  the  past  age  the  wonder  of  history,  and  that  may  have 
been  but  the  opening  scene  of  a  mighty  drama,  which  is  to  have  the 
whole  earth  for  its  stage.  But  alas  !  it  seems  fated  to  be  ever  thus. 
Nothing  less  than  a  series  of  earthquakes  can  break  the  spell  of  cus- 
tom. And,  if  necessary  to  purify  the  atmosphere,  we  may  yet  have 
a  hurricane,  to  which  the  former  was  but  a  breeze. 

It  is  with  peculiar  propriety,  then,  that  Americans  are  invited  to 
weigh  this  system  in  the  balance  of  justice.  What  have  we  to  do 
with  the  political  religions  of  Europe?  Why  should  their  ecclesias- 
tical differences  be  transferred  and  perpetuated  here?  It  has  been 
said  in  derision  that  "  a  religious  controversy  never  dies  ;"  and  some 
have  really  supposed  that  to  battle  with  doubt  and  uncertainty  is  our 
lot  while  here,  or  ordained  for  the  trial  of  our  faith  !  And  is  our  God 
indeed  a  God  afar  off?  and  will  he  continue  to  sleep  in  the  hinder 
part  of  the  ship,  when  it  is  threatened  with  wreck  ?  The  scornful 
question  of  Pilate  cannot  surely  be  for  ever  reiterated  in  vain.  Are 
we  to  take  up  our  rest  with  Ilobbes,  and  suppose  that  truth  is  some- 
thing that  can  be  made  by  a  government?  or  with  the  Romanist, 
that  it  can  be  determined  by  a  'priest  ? 

If,  then,  the  question  is  asked,  who  is  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  that 
we  should  turn  away  from  all  others  and  put  our  trust  in  him  ?  we 
must  own,  that  it  is  natural  and  reasonable;  and  we  only  request  that 

*  See  the  history  of  the  Jews  passim. 


NEW  JERUSALKM  CHURCH.  539 

his  claims  be  not  dismissed  without  examination.  His  pretensions 
are  extraordinary,  and  the  more  important  if  just.  He  presents  him- 
self as  the  herald  of  the  Lord's  second  advent  in  a  new  dispensation 
of  doctrinal  truth,  and  the  proclaimer  of  a  great  consequent  change  in 
the  state  of  the  rrorld.  In  evidence  of  the  first,  he  ofl^ers  (what  no  one 
else  has  ever  given)  a  rational,  complete  and  consistent  interpretation 
of  the  Word  of  God.  Of  the  second,  the  nations  have  already  been 
furnished  with  a  fearful  proof  in  the  revolutionary  flood  which  has 
successively  swept  over  the  whole  of  Christendom.  And  if  the  tide 
has  receded  for  a  time,  from  every  quarter  of  the  horizon  may  be 
seen  the  clouds  which  betoken  a  second  storm,  a  war  of  opinions, 
and  oh  that  subject  which  occupies  the  centre  of  every  man's  mind 
and  modifies  his  views  of  all  others.  Himself  alleges  that,  for  this 
holy  office,  he  was  prepared  from  his  youth ;  and  that,  as  a  neces- 
sary and  crowning  qualification,  like  the  Prophets,  and  Seers,  and 
Apostles  of  old,  his  spiritual  eyes  were  opened,  and  he  was  admitted, 
as  to  his  interior  man,  into  the  spiritual  world,  with  permission  to  re- 
veal a  portion  of  what  he  saw  and  heard.*  (Ex.  xxiv.  9-11 ;  Num. 
xxiv.  3;  1  Sam.  ix.  9  ;  1  Kings  xviii.  12;  2  Kings  vi.  17;  Zech.  i. 
8-18  ;  ii.  1  ;  iv.  23  ;  Ez.  xi.  1,  24  ;  viii.  3  ;  iii.  12,  14 ;  Dan.  viii.  1,2; 
ix.  21  ;  X.  1,  7,  8;  Acts  viii.  39;  x.  11-13;  2  Cor.  xif.  1,  5,  7;  Rev. 
i.  10,  12,  13  and  passim.)  We  say  not  that  he  was  inspired  in  the 
proper  sense  of  that  term,  or  that  his  writings  are  additions  to  Scrip- 
ture, whose  canon  has  long  been  complete  and  '*  settled  in  heaven." 
But  we  do  believe  he  was  illuminated  from  the  fountain  of  all  light — 
with  a  conscious  perception  of  that  source — to  understand  the  true 
meaning  of  what  was  already  written.  Thus  his  was  not  a  new 
revelation  in  the  sense  of  being  different  from  the  old,  but  a  revela- 
tion anew  of  what  was  no  longer  understood,  with  additional  informa- 
tion  for  its  more  perfect  comprehension. 

The  son  of  a  learned  Swedish  bishop,  he  was  early  trained  to 
knowledge  and  virtue.  He  sought  the  former  in  all  its  departments, 
first  in  his  own  country,  and  afterwards  by  extensive  travels  through- 
out Europe.  His  powers  as  a  natural  man  were  thus  enlarged  and 
strengthened  by  discipline  the  most  vigorous  and  varied.  As  a  philo- 
sopher, he  won  the  regard  of  his  most  celebrated  contemporaries.  In 
some  provinces  of  natural  science  he  ventured  beyond  them;  leaving 
his  discoveries  to  be  subsequently  coolly  appropriated  or  rediscovered 
by  others  without  acknowledgment.     He  was  even  ennobled  for  his 

*  To  tlie  objection  that  "  Paul  did  not  reveal  what  he  saw  and  heard  in  tiie  spiritual 
world,"  it  has  been  briefly  but  sufficiently  answered,  that  Ezekiel,  Zecliariab,  Daniel, 
Peter  and  John,  did. 


510 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


virtues  and  distinguished  services  to  the  state.  But  when  called  in 
the  maturity  of  life  to  liigher  duties,  he  left  all  other  pursuits  and  de- 
voted himself  to  his  exalted  function.  He  was  not  a  Mystic.  His 
taste  favouring  neither  extravagant  feelings  nor  indefinite  ideas,  he 
never  read  their  writings ;  and  his  mind  was  alike  a  tabula  rasa  as 
to  all  the  systematic  theology  of  his  time,  throughout  his  early  life. 
His  was  no  revival  of  Sabellianism,  or  any  other  heresy :  he  exposed 
the  weakness  of  them  all.  He  aspired  not  to  be  the  head  of  a  sect. 
He  never  persuaded  anyone  to  embrace  the  doctrines  he  taught;  but, 
having  given  them  to  the  press,  he  left  them  to  the  divine  providence  of 
the  Lord,  from  whom  they  proceeded,  and  who,  he  well  knew,  would 
make  them  "  accomplish  that  which  he  pleased,"  and  cause  them  to 
"  prosper  in  that  whereunto  he  had  sent  them."  Neither  was  literary 
fame  his  object.  It  was  only  at  the  instance  of  a  friend,  that  his  name 
accompanied  his  last  work.  Nor  did  fear  induce  concealment.  He 
boldly  fronted  the  danger,  when  his  person  was  threatened  with  vio- 
lence or  exile,  and  his  writings  with  suppression.  To  crown  the 
whole,  when,  on  his  dying  bed,  and  conjured  by  his  friend  to  speak 
with  candour,  he  avouched,  as  in  the  presence  of  heaven,  the  truth 
of  all  he  had  written. 

To  those  who  profess  to  give  his  doctrines  a  fair  hearing,  yet  feel 
a  repugnance  to  his  supernatural  pretensions,  we  can  say,  that  nearly 
the  whole  of  his  present  disciples  can  sympathize  with  them,  for  it 
was  in  spite  of  the  latter  that  they  yielded  their  faith  to  the  former. 
It  was  not  till  they  had  sought  a  good  reason  why  they  should  not 
receive  them,  that  they  found  none,  but  much  internal  evidence  in- 
stead— both  of  their  truth  and  value.  We  know  too  well  the  spirit 
of  this  Sadduceean  age,  not  to  appreciate  such  an  obstacle.  And  yet 
none  who  receive  the  Scripture  can  deny  the  possibility  of  such  com- 
munications— besides  that,  during  life,  he  gave  proof  of  such  know- 
ledge on  other  subjects,  satisfactory  lo  judicious  persons  previously 
incredulous.  To  such  as  concede  this  possibility,  and  have  not  closed 
their  minds  against  evidence,  we  present  the  argument  in  a  nutshell. 

Our  Lord,  before  his  ascension,  announced  a  judgment  lo  come. 
We  need  not  state  with  what  accompaniments  Christians  have  anti- 
cipated this  scene.  If,  then,  the  material  body  rise  not  again  ;  if  the 
material  earth  be  never  destroyed ;  (and  we  invite  their  attention  to 
the  proof  of  both;)  where  can  this  judgment  take  place  but  in  that 
world  to  which  the  spirits  of  men  are  hastening  ?  If  there,  could  it 
be  visible  to  the  natural  eyes  of  men  ?  If  not,  inay  it  vol  have  been 
already  accomplished?  For  aught  ihey  can  tell,  it  may  be  so.  And 
if  so,  of  course  it  must  be  important  that  men  on  earth  be  apprised  oi 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH. 


541 


it;  or  else  it  would  not  have  been  predicted.  How  could  the  informa- 
tion be  imparted,  except  by  a  voice  from  heaven  ;  or  by  some  credi- 
ble individual,  who  was  permitted  to  witness  it?  If,  then,  from  the 
changed  and  changing  state  of  the  world,  we  believe  this  last  to  have 
been  the  case :  are  not  objectors  bound  to  show  that  his  testimony  on 
this  and  other  allied  topics  has  internal  evidence  of  falsehood,  and  no 
analogy  to  what  we  already  know  to  be  true  ?  Swedenborg  was  a 
philosopher ;  it  is  not  probable  that  he  was  self-deceived.  Sweden- 
borg was  of  independent  fortune;  he  had  no  vulgar  motive  to  deceive. 
He  was,  moreover,  a  gentleman ;  he  would  not,  if  he  could.  He 
was  of  sincere  and  simple  manners;  he  could  not,  if  he  would.  Nay, 
he  well  knew,  that,  for  a  time,  his  name  would  be  cast  out  as  evil ; 
and  yet  he  shrunk  not  from  his  high  mission.  He  did  not,  like  An- 
thony or  Bernard,  macerate  himself  with  penance  until  reason  was 
driven  from  her  throne.  And  if  imagination — that  universal  solvent 
of  such  difficulties — is  to  account  for  all  the  phenomena  in  his  case: 
we  must  still  say  that  she  has  wrought  greater  marvels  in  him,  than 
in  any  other  man  known  to  history.  Every  lawyer  knows  that  it  is 
the  most  difficult  of  feats  to  frame  the  briefest  circumstantial  narra- 
tive, which  shall  be  at  once  fabulous  and  consistent ;  and  shall  he  be 
called  impostor  or  insane  in  whose  thirty  volumes,  published  through 
twenty-seven  years,  no  scrutiny  has  ever  discovered  a  contradiction? 
and  that  too,  when  he  never  speaks  conjecturally,  or  with  doubt,  but 
announces  his  views  with  all  positive  directness?  We  can  conjecture 
the  bearing  of  his  friend  of  forty  years, — the  Swedish  Prime  Minister, 
Count  Hopken, — towards  such  as  would  inquire  of  him  concerning 
"the  amiable  enthusiast !"  as  he  would  ask  in  turn  :  "  What  sort  of 
specimen  of  that  tame  monster  they  expected  to  find  in  this  man  of 
prodigious  learning  and  science, — of  which  he  was  yet  the  master 
and  not  the  slave, — whose  unsullied  honour,  whose  knowledge  of  man- 
kind and  affairs,  and  varied  experience  in  life,  had  made  him  the 
companion  of  sages,  of  princes  and  nobles,  of  statesmen  and  heroes  ; 
and  whose  memory  was  honoured  with  exalted  eulogy,  through  the 
representative  of  the  highest  scientific  body  of  his  country?"  And 
the  reproof  would  probably  fall  powerless  on  such  hearers,  who,  for- 
getting that  a  fair  tablet  is  better  for  inscription  than  a  blotted  sheet, 
would  still  be  incredulous,  that  the  man  who  was  called  to  illuminate 
all  the  dark  places  of  theology,  should  have  been  trained  in  such  a 
school. 

Here,  then,  we  might  rest  our  case ;  but  there  is  another  aspect  in 
which  it  should  be  viewed.     This  faith  has  nothing  to  fear  from  the 


542 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


progress   of  knowledge   in  any  of  its  branches.     The  advance  of 
science  never  can  expel  the  Deity  from  iiis  own  universe,  while  we 
believe  liiat  "  preservation  is  continual  creation."      Discoveries  in 
geology  have  no  terrors  for  us.     We  do  not  believe  that  the  world 
was  made  out  of  nothing,  or  in  six  natural  days  ;  nor  are  we  puzzled 
to  account  for  a  literal  flood  over  the  highest  nnountains;  or  the  im- 
possibilities of  a  literal  ark.    Modern  views  of  astronomy — with  which 
all  the  eloquence  of  Chalmers  cannot  reconcile  modern  views  of  the 
atonement — are  but  part  and  parcel  of  our  faith.     Seeing  no  reason 
why  Jehovah,  if  he  took  flesh  at  all,  should  not  assume  it  here,  we 
offer  them  good  and  abundant  reasons  why  he  should  ;  as  also  why 
the  Word,' which,  in  its  letter,  was  written  on  this  earth,  in  its  spirit 
may  be  useful  to  men  of  all  worlds  of  which  he  is  Lord.     The  nas- 
cent sciences  of  phrenology  and   mesmerism,  should  they  ever  be 
esiablished,  could  find  a  place  in  this  catholic  system.     For  though  it 
is  not  known,  as  has  been  sometimes  said,  that  Svvedenborg  dis- 
covered the  leading  principle  of  the  former,  there  is  nothing  in  it  to 
contradict  his  views ;  and  the  higher  phenomena  of  the  latter,  while 
they  are  readily  explained  by  his  philosophy,  in  turn  throw  a  light  on 
the  supposed  mysteries  of  his  own  case.     In  truth  it  is  here  alone  that 
we  can  find — what  w^e  seek  in  vain  elsewhere — clear  views  of  the 
nature  and  operation  of  mind,  a  perfect  system  of  philosophy  com- 
bined with  a  perfect  system  of  religion — though  the  former  is  yet  to 
be  popularized  and  illustrated  to  the  cominon  apprehension.     Hence 
also  shall  the  laws  of  nature  be  ultimately  traced  to  their  source  in 
the  power  and  providence  of  Deity.     Here,  too,  at  last  may  we  hope 
to  find  a  standard  of  taste ;  just  and  comprehensive  canons  of  criti- 
cism in  the  arts ;  and,  in  coming  ages,  a  new  literature  expository  of 
the  whole;  and  much  of  the  old  defecated,  and  presented  with  a  new 
aspect  and  meaning. 

It  may  serve  to  suspend  the  force  of  prejudice,  so  far  at  least  as  to 
induce  inquiry,  if  the  reader  is  informed  that,  for  many  of  our  views 
deemed  most  singular  or  obnoxious,  we  have  the'sanction  of  prece- 
dent or  authority  in  other  and  respectable  quarters.  We  ^ay  nothing 
of  the  fact  that  many  texts  of  Scripture  heretofore  cited  to  confirm 
favourite  tenets  have  been  separately  surrendered  as  irrelevant  by 
candid  critics.  Some  bolder  spirits,  in  diflerent  communions,  have 
dared  to  wander  from  their  standard  on  one  point  of  doctrine  and 
another,  without  being  hunted  for  heresy,  where  they  were  regarded 
as  substantially  loyal.  Others  again  have  renounced  so  many  ol 
their  public  tenets,  or  adopted  so  many  new  ones,  as  to  leave  the 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  543 

remainder  without  consistency.  It  may  not  be  aside  from  our  pur- 
pose to  glean  up  a  few  of  these  testimonies,  both  from  individuals 
and  classes  of  men. 

The  Unitarian  refuses  to  acknowledge  more  than  one  God,  or  to 
deny  his  goodness;  and  so  far  we  must  own  he  is  right,  while  we 
regret  that  he  persists  in  worshipping  an  abstraction.     The  ancient 
philosophers    universally  taught  that  "  from  nothing  nothing  could 
come,"  and  they  generally,  as  well  as  several  moderns,  believed  in 
the  perpetuity  of  the  earth.     There  is  a  striking  similarity  between 
the  hypothesis  of  Buffbn  and  Laplace,  that  "  the  planets  proceeded 
from  the  sun,"  and  the  previous  statements  of  Swedenborg.     The 
modern  school  of  geology  has  disturbed  the  literal  interpretation  of 
the  first  chapter  of  Genesis.     Sir  William  Jones  has  conceded  that 
the  first  eleven  chapters  may  be  allowed  figurative  without  injury, 
and  perhaps  with  advantage  to  the  literal  truth  of  the  other  narrative 
parts  of  Scripture.    Many  have  said  the  same  of  the  first  three.    An- 
tiquarian researches  in  China  and  India — among  the  ruins  of  Egypt 
and  of  Central  and  Southern  America,  have  led  many  to  doubt  the 
estimate  of  literal  chronologers  as  to  the  age  of  society.     Dr.  Pye 
Smith  has  recently  revolted  against  the  current  notions  of  the  flood. 
Several  oriental  systems;  Platonists  of  all  times,  particularly  of  the 
Alexandrian   School;  Philo;  certain  Mystics,   (so   called,)   Fenelon 
among  them,  recognise  the  doctrine  of  a  spiritual  sun,  within  which 
the  Divinity  dwells,  and  the  emanation  thence  of  all  things.     What 
else  means  that  most  brilliant  thought  of  all  antiquity — "  Truth  is  the 
body  of  God,  and  light  is  his  shadow?"     That  the  Deity  is  in  human 
form,  was  a  part  of  every  ancient  faith,  until  corrupted  by  the  Greek 
philosophy, — of  all  Mythology — of  Tertullian,   and   perhaps   other 
fathers  of  the  church.     That  the  soul  was  in  the  same  form,  was  set 
forth  by  the  same  authorities — by  Macarius  and  other  fathers — more 
recently  by  Shakspeare,  Spenser,  Young,  and  Schlegel.    That  angels 
and  demons  were  once  men,  was  the  belief  of  Pythagoras,  some  of  the 
latter  Platonists,  of  Clement  of  Rome,  and  Origen.     We  know  not 
how  many  have  taught  the  existence  of  guardian  and  tempting  spirits. 
Scaliger  and  Semler  have  both  exposed  the  misinterpretation  of  the  re- 
ference in  Jude  (6)  to  the  Apocryphal  book  of  Enoch.     Grotius  and 
Hebcr  have  recognised  "  the  Devil,"  of  Scripture  as  a  collective  term 
for  the  infernal  powers  in  the  aggregate;  and  Chalmers,  Hurd,  and 
Harris,  (Mammon,)  have  spoken  of  our  Lord's  combat  with  them  while 
in  the  flesh  as  a  principal  means  of  redemption.     That  the  Scriptures 
contained  a  spiritual  sense,  was  the  well-nigh  universal  opinion  before 


514 


HISTORY  OF  THK 


the  Reformation,  and  of  multitudes  since  ;*  though  they  have  not  al- 
ways agreed  as  to  what  it  was.  Not  poets  alone,  but  the  finer  spirits 
in  cverv  age,  have  perceived  a  correspondence  between  natural  and 
spiritual  things.  The  general  repugnance  of  mankind  to  the  Jews  as 
a  people  concurs  with  this  system  in  pronouncing  them  the  vilest  of  na- 
tions. Nor  are  we  careful  to  defend  against  the  infidel  the  atrocious 
acts  public  and  private  of  certain  characters  in  the  Old  Testament, 
which  were  permitted  for  their  representative  import.  The  repeated 
controversies  on  the  trinity  among  the  orthodox  themselves,  leading 
to  various  conclusions,  indicate  a  want  of  clear  conceptions  on  that 
fundamental  point.  Some  who  have  examined  the  collections  of 
Bull,  Whiston,  and  Burton  from  the  Ante-Nicene  Fathers,  know  that 
many  of  their  testimonies  will  bear  an  interpretation  favourable  to 
this  doctrine.  Who  has  not  read  the  heart-rending  prayer  of  Dr. 
Watts,  in  which  he  gave  vent  to  the  agonies  occasioned  by  the  com- 
mon dogmas  on  this  subject ;  and  that  he  ultimately  reached  a  view 
very  similar  to  our  own  1  The  late  Edward  Irving,  in  the  zenith  of 
his  fame  and  before  his  unhappy  fall,  taught  the  true  doctrine  of  our 
Lord's  human  nature.  Schwenkfeld  asserted  the  Omnipresence  of 
his  risen  body.  Adam  Clark  denied  the  eternal  sonship  of  Christ, 
(as  also  does  a  distinguished  theological  professor  of  our  own  country,) 
and  admitted  Granville  Sharp's  rule  of  the  Greek  article,  though  in- 
consistent with  other  portions  of  his  creed.  "  The  Discipline  of  the 
Secret,"  as  vvc  believe,  was  neither  the  acknowledgment  of  the  tran- 
substantiation,  nor  the  oflTering  the  Apostles'  Creed  as  a  password 
among  Christians,  but  rather  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Lord,  held  by 
the  Gnostic  or  perfect  Christian,  and  which  the  catechumens  and 
others  less  advanced,  were  not  prepared  to  receive.  Sir  Thomas 
Browne,  Jeremy  Taylor,  Locke,  Conyers  Middleton,  Coleridge, 
Brougham — all  deny  that  miracles  are  the  best  proofs  of  a  divine 
mission. 

There  are  those  who  will  boldly  pronounce  that  no  one  can  be  a 
Christian  who  denies  a  vicarious  atonement.  When  such  shall  have 
digested  Isa.  Ixiii.  16,  and  Rom.  xiv.  4,  and  have  reflected  whether 
the  parable  of  the  prodigal  proves  their  Maker  to  be  altogether  such 
an  one  as  themselves :  they  may  be  prepared  to  hear,  that  Mr.  Isaac 
Taylor  has  recently  told  us  that  the  works  of  the  Fathers  before  Augus- 
tin  exhibit  few  traces  of  the  doctrine;  that  William  Law,  Coleridge, 
Hartley,  Irving  and  many  others  in  England — innumerable  ones  in 

•  See  Noble's  Plenary  Inspiration  of  Scripture. 


NEW  JERUSALEM  GHURCH.  545 

Germany-^Drs.  Bellamy  and  Murdock,  Bishop  Onderdonk,  and  several 
orthodox  periodicals  in  this  country — all  reject  the  ordinary  scholastic 
statement.  "  Justification  by  faith  alone,"  is  discarded  by  the  new 
Oxford  School;  as  is  also  "imputed  righteousness,"  &c.  by  many 
New  Ent^land  divines,  who  still  adhere  to  its  kindred  fallacies.  The 
more  sober  and  rational  theologians  are  every  where  beginning  to 
teach,  though  in  other  terms,  that  regeneration  is  gradual,  during 
man's  co-operation.  Sir  J.  Mackintosh  declares  conscience  itself  to 
be  of  gradual  formation.  Jeremy  Taylor,  the  invalidity  of  a  death-bed 
repentance.  Locke,  Dr.  Thomas  Burnet  and  Sir  H.  Davy  denied 
the  resurrection  of  the  material  body,  and  Taylor,  in  his  "  Physical 
Theory,"  has  virtually  done  the  same,  by  stripping  the  risen  body  of 
all  the  properties  of  matter.  Nearly  all  the  Fathers  believed  in  a  sepa- 
rate place  for  departed  souls  before  the  last  judgment;  and  many 
writers  have  since  seen  the  necessity  of  such  an  intermediate  state, 
other  than  purgatory.  A  sensible  change  has  been  wrought  in  the 
opinions  of  the  more  intelligent  as  to  the  nature  and  causes  of  the  joys 
of  heaven  and  the  pains  of  hell.  It  is  not  mere  rhodomontade  to  say 
that  "  Vice  is  its  own  punishment,  while  virtue  is  its  own  exceeding 
great  reward  ;"  and  that  neither  retribution  is  arbitrary.  Such  was 
the  doctrine  of  the  Stoics  and  Platonists,  and  of  many  subsequent 
moralists,  as  Shaftesbury  and  Cumberland.  It  is  the  basis  of  the 
phrenological  philosophy  and  of  the  Universalist's  religion,  though,  in 
this  last,  carried  to  a  suicidal  extent.  Isaac  Taylor  has  recently — 
as  had  several  less  popular  authors  before  him — exposed  the  vulgar 
error,  that  priinitivc.  Christianity  offered  the  highest  attainable  model 
of  purity  or  intelligence.  Bishops  Taylor  and  Watson  agree  that  the 
apostles  themselves  were  mistaken  as  to  our  Lord's  second  coming ; 
and  they  and  others  dismiss  with  little  ceremony  the  current  notions 
of  a  Millennium  and  his  personal  reign.  Hammond  and  Stanley 
Faber  tell  us  that  the  "New  Jerusalem"  denotes  an  improved  state 
of.  the  church  on  earth.  John  Robinson,  the  founder  of  the  New 
England  churches,  believed  that  "  more  light  was  yet  to  break  out  of 
God's  Word,"  as  also  did  Dr.  Watts.  And,  to  say  nothing  of  several 
popular  French  writers,  Thomas  Carlyle  has  written  on  this  point, 
as  though  he  barely  re-echoed  the  sentiment  of  the  New  Church.* 
Analogous  to  the  important  doctrine  of  "degrees,"  is  the  common, 
though  mutilated  idea  of  a  "scale  of  beings."  The  same  is  dimly 
shadowed  forth  in  the  philosophy  of  Plato — as  also  of  the  Rosicru- 
cians;  and  the  recent  favourable  reception  of  such  a  work  as  "  Za- 

*  See  Sartor  Resartus. 


546 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


noni,"  would  seem  to  indicate,  in  the  public  mind,  a  preparation  for 
better  things.   Des  Carles'  Occasional  Causes,  Malebranche's  "  Seeing 
all  thinf^s  in  God,"  Hume's  denial  of  material  causation,  are  all  ap- 
proximations to  the  truth  ;  as  are  many  things  in  the  philosophical 
collections  of  Cud  worth  and  Stanley.     There  is  much  also  in  tran- 
scendentalism— as  exhibited  in  the  writings  of  Kant  and  Schelling,  of 
Cousin,  of  Coleridge  and  Carlyle — which  we  can  readily  approve  as 
we  understand  them.     We  instance  their  ideas  of  time  and  space, 
of  freedom,  of  reason,  or  the  spiritual,  as  a  higher  power  than  the 
sensual  understanding,  or  natural  mind.     The  last  writer  disclaims 
all  knowledge  of  the  works  of  Swedcnborg ;  but  his  masters,  we 
know,  had  read  them  to  some  extent.     Coleridge,  knew  something  of 
them  directly,  and   much    at  second  hand.     The  apologies  of  the 
church  offer  many  more  such   coincidences — though    Swedenborg 
himself  rarely  or   never  quotes  from  others,   except  statements  of 
the  doctrine  he  designs  to  refute.     But  enough.     Fragments  of  truth 
have  been  dispersed  with  every  wind,  and  drifted  to  every  shore ; 
here  only  do  we  see  them  embodied  in  their  original  and  beautiful 
symmetry.     Particles  of  the  precious  ore  are  widely  diffused  ;  but 
where  else  is  that  spiritual  mercury  which  shall  purge  and  collect  it 
from  the  heaps  of  dross  in  which  it  is  buried.     Since  the  outburst  of 
infidelity,  in  the  last  age,  there  has  been  more  than  a  partial  return  to 
a  sense  of  religion.     Though  much  indifference  still  prevails,  it  is 
chiefly  among  those  to  whom,  in  any  form,  it  would  prove  an  irksome 
restraint ;  or  with  another  class  who  will  not  be  trammelled  with 
the  peculiarities  of  the   authorized  creeds.      For  those,   the  clergy 
do  battle  manfully,  even  while  the  walls  are  crumbling  around,  but 
do  not  find  the  laity,  in  all  cases,  coming  so  promptly  to  their  aid  as 
in  time  past.     There  is,  in  truth,  a  very  general  disposition  to  waive 
them,  and  seek  others,  in  which  they  may  agree.     And  the  wise  ob- 
server of  the  signs  of  the  times,  who  is  at  the  same  time  acquainted 
with  this  faith,  may  perceive  much  in  the  tone  of  ordinary  conversa- 
tion that  partakes  of  it;  and,  that  our  whole  current  literature  forms 
one  grand  revolt  against  those  offensive  peculiarities,  and  exhibits 
much  that  is  germain  to  the  teachings  of  this  rational  and  catholic 
system. 

And  why  is  this  not  more  generally  seen?  It  is  because  there  is 
not  in  all  literature  a  question  on  which,  with  a  few  honourable  excep- 
tions, unlawful  arts  of  controversy  have  been  so  uniformly  employed. 
The  policy  of  silence  has  been  sometimes  observed  by  those  who 
affected  a  contempt  they  did  not  feel.  Where  this  was  broken,  men 
who  would  fain  be  thought  just,  not  content  with  the  whole  quiver 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  547 

of  sophistry,  have  resorted  to  poisoned  weapons.  In  proof  of  this  \^e 
might  refer  the  reader  to  ahnost  any  one  of  the  assauhs,  or  to  such 
passages  as  are  met  with  in  the  apologies  of  the  church.*  It  becomes 
not  any  class  of  Christians,  to  speak  of  themselves.  But  they  may 
ofTer  the  testimony  of  a  decided  though  liberal  opponent  as  to  the 
effect  of  their  doctrine  on  the  holders. 

"  Whether  it  be  owing  to  the  direct  influences  of  their  faith,  or  to 
the  operation  of  prudential  motives,  or  to  the  fact  that  this  religion  is 
not  adapted  to  attract  any  but  spiritually  minded  men,  certain  it  is, 
that  the  disciples  of  the  New  Church,  as  a  body,  have  generally  ex- 
hibited a  more  consistent  holiness  in  their  lives  and  conversation  than 
any  other  sect  with  which  we  are  acquainted,  and  this  notwithstand- 
ing a  laxity  on  one  pointf  of  their  moral  code,  which  might  seem  to 
authorize  an  occasional  deviation  from  the  strict  line  of  rectitude. 
And  not  only  so,  but  this  church  is  also  marked  by  an  onward  ten- 
dency, a  progressive  spirit,  too  often  wanting  in  sects  of  higher  pre- 
tensions. The  propulsive  elements  of  Christianity — liberty,  charity, 
and  truth  are  largely  mixed  up  with  their  system.  They  are  not  a 
sect  who  suppose  that  religion  is  got  by  spasms,  or  that  Christ  is 


*  It  would  really  seem  to  have  been  a  part  of  a  regular  system  of  tactics,  to  credit 
every  idle  tale  brouglit  against  Newcliurchmen,  and  to  repeat  without  shame  misstate- 
ments often  refuted.  We  instance  tlic  fact  that  to  this  day  the  followers  of  John  Wesley 
continue  to  reprint  his  libel  on  the  character  and  works  of  Swedenborg,  though  the  per- 
sonal charges  were  disproved  at  the  time,  in  part  by  his  own  witnesses  ;  and  the  semblance 
of  argument  arising  from  mutilated  quotations,  promptly  refuted.  We  pretend  not  to 
say  whether  he  was  wholly  imp6sed  on  by  others,  or  in  part  by  his  own  credulity  and 
prejudice. 

+  From  this  it  would  appear  that  a  writer,  otherwise  commendable  for  his  spirit,  has 
permitted  himself  to  be  affected  by  a  calumny  as  contemptible  as  it  has  been  indus- 
triously spread.  We  will  not  stain  the  pages  of  this  work  with  the  details.  The  primi- 
tive Christians  had  to  endure  worse.  We  will  barely  say  that  Swedenborg  has  asserted 
gradations  in  the  vice  of  impurity,  from  the  casual  commerce  necessarily  tolerated  by 
law  to  the  damnable  sin  of  adultery ;  and  has,  therefore,  been  charged  with  a  relaxation  of 
morals  I  We  have  a  short  answer  :  It  is  not  trve.  No  comprehensive  moralist,  any 
more  than  the  physician,  can  altogether  omit  such  topics.  The  Bible  itself  has  not.  All 
are  not  required  to  know  them,  though  every  father  of  a  family  should.  Our  author  has 
neither  made  distinctions  without  a  difference,  nor  confounded  things  essentially  diverse. 
There  is  a  sin  not  unto  death ;  and  while  the  least  will  injure,  some  will  wound  past 
recovery.  He  has  but  recognised  the  justice  of  distinctions  long  known  to  the  civil  law 
and  public  conscience  of  Christendom.  Had  the  charge  been  true,  the  effects  of  such 
principles  could  not  have  been  concealed,  but  would  have  been  manifested  in  a  body  of 
Christians  known  to  the  world  for  more  than  half  a  century.  Many  have  asserted,  none 
have  done  half  so  much  as  he,  to  explain  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage  tie  ;  none  have  so 
clearly  shown  the  hideous  effects  of  the  opposite  vices.  No  Christian  can  tolerate  such 
things  in  himself  The  differences  were  stated  for  the  benefit  of  merely  natural  men,  in 
their  efforts  to  reform.     But  enough,  and  more  than  we  intended. 


548  HISTORY  OF  the 

formed  within  by  one  convulsive  eflTort  of  the  soul.  Their  religion  is 
not  one  which  stops  short  of  any  given  standard ;  it  is  of  that  kind 
■which  maketh  wiser  and  better  every  day.  They  are  pre-eminently 
an  improving  race."     (Christian  Examiner,  Nov.  1833.) 

This  is  doubtless  more  than  justice,  if  predicated  of  all  their  pro- 
fessors ;  but  that  such  is  their  tendency,  if  permitted  to  have  their 
legitimate  influence,  we  cannot  doubt.  Are  we  not  then  justified  in 
hoping  that  the  ideal  of  a  true,  well-balanced  Christian  may  be  again 
restored  and  carried  to  even  higher  perfection  than  has  yet  been 
realized?  And  yet  this  is  a  liberal  doctrine.  It  does  not  damn  for 
mere  error  of  the  head.  It  arms  against  a  thousand  panic  fears; 
promotes  a  spirit  of  cheerful  piety;  fixes  and  simplifies  the  objects  of 
the  affections;  while  it  encourages  an  intelligent  activity  in  all  useful 
channels.  In  this  it  accords  with  the  spirit  of  the  age,  which  protests 
against  gloomy  dogmas  and  demands  a  show  of  reason  for  its  faith. 
Under  this  system,  priestly  domination  never  can  attain  a  dangerous 
ascendancy.  And  though  that  function  will  ever  be  required  in  the 
church,  its  holders  can  aspire  to  nothing  more  than  to  become  helpers 
of  our  faith  and  examples  to  the  flock.  And  chiefly  because  such 
knowledge  is  no  longer  too  high  for  laymen,  who  may  seek  and 
find  it  without  stint,  and  readily  attain  enough  to  check  any  such 
spirit  in  its  birth. 

He  then  who  proves  his  to  be  the  "  religion  of  good  sense,"  should 
not  be  met  as  an  Ishmaelite,  whose  hand  is  against  every  man  ;  but 
rather  as  a  guide  through  a  tangled  forest,  or  the  peace-maker,  who 
shows  a  common  ground,  on  which  friends  long  at  variance  can 
meet.  Is  the  Bible  so  very  plain  without  a  doctrine  to  direct  the 
reader?  Why  then  do  not  all  earnest  seekers  find  the  same  way? 
To  us  there  seems  a  peculiar  propriety  in  one  man's  being  empow- 
ered to  expound  v^'hat  many  wrote.  Prophets,  evangelists,  and  apos- 
tles, appeared  at  intervals.  Their  several  messages,  all  unknown  to 
themselves,  constitute  one  Word  of  God.  For  ages  it  stood  an  enigma, 
which  resisted  every  efl^ort  of  self-derived  intelligence  to  elicit  its 
meaning.  Were  it  not  better,  then,  that  one  heaven-taught  scribe 
should  show  the  harmony  of  the  several  parts  and  their  concurrence 
to  one  great  end  ?  And  those,  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  his  creden- 
tials as  an  authorized  ambassador,  have  to  account  for  the  phenomena 
of  an  impregnable  system  of  theology,  rising  up  tolus  teres  atque 
rotundas  under  the  hands  of  a  man  until  then  devoted  to  other  pur- 
suits. 

But  why,  we  farther  ask,  should  any  object  to  our  worshipping  ihe 
Lord?     Though  we  have  a  surer  method  of  proving  the  Scriptures 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  549 

to  be  his  word,  we  reject  not  the  grammarian's  or  critic's  art.  And 
we  see  nothing  on  the  face  of  the  New  Testament  record  of  the  say- 
ings and  acts  of  Jesus,  unworthy  of  Divinity  itself.  We  think  it  no 
degradation  to  The  Supreme  to  assume  a  temporary  disguise,  if  by  so 
doing  he  could  save  a  world  which  was  fast  sinking  into  night,  as  a 
perpetual  seminary  of  heaven ;  and  by  the  same  means  render  the 
loss  of  any  other  forever  impossible.  Here,  then,  is  the  true  "  end  of 
controversy  ;"  for  here  every  legitimate  question  is  fully  and  fairly 
answered.  How  much  logic  does  it  require  to  lead  the  orthodox, 
who  protest  that  they  believe  in  but  one  God,  yet  assert  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  to  the  conclusion  that  he  must  be  that  God  ?  And  will 
not  the  Unitarian  in  time  review  his  opinions,  and  consider  of  a 
doctrine  which,  while  it  avoids  the  errors  which  he  has  rejected, 
leaves  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour  consistent  with  the  unity  of  the 
Deity?  Thus  it  may  be  seen  that  the  fundamental  principles  of  our 
system  are  very  plain,  and  yet  meet  the  wants  of  the  heart.  And 
though  its  higher  truths  will  task  the  strongest  intellect :  we  assure 
such  a  one  that  in  his  long  progress  he  need  have  nothing  to  un- 
learn ;  but,  in  added  knowledge  or  diversified  application,  will  find 
ever  new  delight. 

For  the  literary,  scientific,  and  official  career  of  Swedenborg,  and 
for  the  titles  of  his  earlier  publications,  we  would  refer  the  reader  to 
any  accessible  biography.  It  is  sufficient  to  observe  here,  that,  with 
the  exception  of  a  small  volume  of  poems  and  a  classical  dissertation, 
they  relate  chiefly  to  subjects  of  pure  or  mixed  mathematics,  or  cer- 
tain branches  of  physics.  For  twenty  years  before  his  attention  was 
exclusively  given  to  sacred  studies,  his  speculations  dwelt  chiefly  on 
the  higher  philosophy  of  nature  and  of  man.  The  works,  which, 
during  this  interval,  he  gave  to  the  world — save  two  extensive  trea- 
tises on  subjects  connected  with  his  department  of  Assessor  of  the 
Royal  Board  of  Mines — all  partook  of  that  character,  and  won  for 
him  a  European  reputation  among  the  scientific  of  his  day.  They 
are  severally  entitled,  "  Philosophy  reasoning  concerning  the  Infinite," 
"  The  Principles  of  Natural  Things,"  "  The  Animal  Kingdom,"  and 
"  Economy  of  the  Animal  Kingdom  ;"  the  last  including  a  disserta- 
tion on  Psychology.  Being  written  in  Latin,  they  have  ever  since  been 
favourably  known  to  a  learned  few  ;  but  having  been  translated,  are 
about  to  be  presented  in  an  English  dress  to  the  public,  who  will 
thus  be  enabled  to  judge  whether  those  judicious  or  partial  friends 
are  to  be  credited,  who  say  they  neither  are,  nor  are  likely  to  be  su- 
perseded by  any  thing  since  written  on  the  same  subject. 

His  very  remarkable  book,  "  The  Worship  and  Love  of  God,"  may 


55Q  HISTORY  OF  THE 

be  regarded  as  ilic  transition  stage  between  his  philosophical  and 
theological  writings, — as  partaking  of  the  nature  of  both, — though  it 
is  not  very  clearly  characterized  by  its  title.  Not  an  especial  exhor- 
tation to  a  life  of  piety  and  prayer,  it  is  rather  an  eloquent  descant 
on  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  the  original  state  of  nnan ;  and 
wants  nothing  but  measure  to  constitute  it  a  poem  of  the  highest 
order  of  excellence — its  charms  being  the  more  abiding,  in  that  its 
substance  is  truth. 

Himself  always  regarded  his  whole  previous  course  and  mental 
discipline  as  an  unconscious  preparation  for  the  important  spiritual 
function  which  occupied  the  last  twenty-nine  years  of  his  life — from 
1743  to  1772.  We  mean  the  writing  and  publishing  the  series  of 
works  which  unfold  the  truths  of  the  new  dispensation.  These 
may  be  conveniently  thrown  into  four  classes — Doctrinal,  Sacred 
Metaphysics  or  Divine  Philosophy,  Expository,  and  lastly,  treating  of 
the  nature  and  laws  of  the  spiritual  world  and  the  state  of  man  after 
death.  Besides  these  there  are  also  certain  posthumous  publications 
of  each  kind.  Of  the  first  class,  the  small  tract,  entitled  "  The  New- 
Jerusalem  and  its  Heavenly  Doctrine,"  gives  a  view  in  miniature  of 
the  entire  system.  Certain  leading  heads  of  doctrine  were  afterwards 
expanded  into  separate  treatises,  as  "  Concerning  the  Lord,"  "  The 
Sacred  Scriptures,"  "  Faith,"  "  Life,"  "  Charity,"  &c.  "  The  True 
Christian  Religion,"  containing  a  complete  body  of  theology,  as  con- 
trasted with  those  of  both  Catholics  and  Protestants,  was  the  last  he 
published,  it  having  been  preceded  by  a  "  Brief  Exposition"  of  the 
doctrine,  and  followed  by  a  "  Coronis,  or  Appendix."  To  the  second 
class  may  be  referred  "  The  Divine  liOve  and  Wisdom,"  "  Divine  Pro- 
vidence," "  Influx,  or  the  Nature  of  the  Intercourse  between  Soul  and 
Body,"  and  the  treatise  on  "Conjugial  Love."  The  third  and  far  the 
largest  portion  of  his  works,  embracing  about  two  thirds  of  the  whole,  ' 
comprise  "  Arcana  Ccelestia,"  (an  exposition  of  the  internal  sense  of 
Genesis  and  Exodus,)  "  Apocalypse  Revealed,"  and  "  Apocalypse 
Explained" — the  last  a  posthumous  publication,  though  prepared  by 
himself  for  the  press.  Another  tract  gives  briefly  "  The  Internal 
Sense  of  the  Prophets  and  Psalms :"  and  there  has  been  recently  pub- 
lished from  his  MSS.  an  exposition  of  the  remaining  historical  books 
of  the  Word  according  to  the  same  principles.  Besides  these  there  is 
a  small  tract  entitled,  "  The  White  Horse."  The  first  and  third  of 
those  named  above,  incidentally  explain  a  large  portion  of  Scripture 
besides  that  of  which  they  expressly  treat.  And  the  writings  entire 
contain  the  meaning  of  the  whole.  It  is  very  commonly  supposed 
that  most  of  his  books  are  such  as  would  properly  come  under  the 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  55I 

fourth  class;  though,  in  truth,  they  make  scarce  a  tenth  of  the  series. 
The  distinct  treatises  are  on  "  Heaven  and  Hell,"  "  The  Last  Judcr- 
ment,"  which,  he  says,  took  place  in  1757,  and  "The  Earths  in  the 
Universe."  Many  things  of  the  same  kind  are  interspersed  through 
his  other  works,  as  also  through  his  Spiritual  Diary,  now  in  the  course 
of  publication  for  the  first  time. 

All  the  theological  works  put  forth  by  Swedenborg  himself  (two 
or  three  excepted)  were  first  translated  into  English  by  the  Rev. 
John  Clowes,  of  the  Church  of  England,  and,  for  sixty-two  years, 
rector  of  St.  John's,  Manchester;  a  man,  who,  with  distinguished 
talents  and  learning,  is  believed,  from  the  concurring  testimony 
of  all  who  knew  him,  to  have  made  as  great  progress  in  the 
divine  life  as  any  of  his  age.  He  embraced  these  principles  after  his 
ordination  ;  and  was  of  that  class  of  Newchurchmen  who,  without 
suppressing  his  sentiments,  or  preaching  or  praying  in  violation  of 
ihem,  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  abandon  his  former  connexions, 
unless  required  to  do  so  by  his  ecclesiastical  superiors.  And  the  sub- 
ject was  brought  to  the  notice  of  his  Bishop,  (the  late  Dr.  Porteus,) 
who,  in  full  conference  with  him,  declined  either  to  remove  or  cen- 
sure him.  Rare  and  most  honourable  example  of  spiritual  integrity 
on  the  one  side,  and  liberality  on  the  other!  The  Apocalypse  Ex- 
plained was  translated  by  the  Rev.  William  Hill,  hereinafter  men- 
tioned. The  complete  series  have  received  a  French  version,  a 
German  in  part,  though  all  are  not  published  in  either  language.  We 
learn  that  they  are  in  course  of  being  rendered  in  Spanish.  The 
Latin  style  of  Swedenborg,  which,  in  his  other  works,  is  always  clas- 
sical, sometimes  ambitious,  is  here  only  remarkable  for  its  didactic 
simplicity,  clearness,  and  precision,  except  in  portions,  where  the 
nature  of  the  subject  compels  him  to  adopt  a  higher  strain. 

It  is  known  that  there  are  disciples  of  Swedenborg  in  Russia,  Swe- 
den, several  of  the  German  States;  in  France,  Great  Britain,  and 
some  of  her  colonies;  in  the  United  States;  in  several  of  the  West 
India  Isles;  and  at  one  or  two  points  in  South  America.  In  the  first 
three  countries,  they  continue,  in  the  absence  of  religious  toleration, 
attached  to  their  national  churches.  In  France  and  England,  there 
are  two  classes  :  those  who  remain  thus  undistinguished,  and  those 
who  have  separated.  Their  numbers,  except  in  the  last  case,  are 
difficult  to  be  ascertained,  though  thought  to  be  greater  than  the 
public  generally  are  aware  of.  From  hence  it  Vt'ould  appear  that 
this  doctrine  has  not  made  very  rapid  progress  in  the  world.  While 
its  adherents  admit  the  fact,  it  does  not  shake  their  faith  in  the  truth 
of  the   system.     As   much    might  have  been  anticipated  from  the 


552 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


tardy  reception  which  awaited  innovations  in  other  branches  of  know- 
led 'i^e,  though  both  true  and  important.  We  were  also  taught  by 
our  autiior  that,  for  a  time,  but  few  would  believe  his  report;  that  the 
church  in  its  infant  state,  would  remain,  as  it  were,  in  the  wilderness: 
and  encounter  peculiar  oppositions  from  the  Protestantism  which 
prevails.  Other  churches,  we  know,  were  for  a  long  season  maturing, 
before  ihey  took  the  place  of  their  predecessors,  which  did  not  recede 
until  they  had  ceased  to  answer  the  purposes  of  such  an  institution. 
And  in  an  enlarged  view  of  the  history  of  one  which  is  to  endure 
for  ever,  a  few  centuries  even  of  infancy  dwindle  to  a  point.  The 
wonder  rather  .is,  that  it  has  not  been  whelmed  beneath  the  tide  of 
obloquy,  and  every  species  of  persecution  short  of  actual  violence, 
which  it  has  met  from  surrounding  communions;  or  that  it  should 
have  grown  to  its  present  size  under  such  disadvantages.  This 
church  has  had  neither  wealth,  nor  rank,  nor  power,  nor  patronage, 
nor  the  pj-estige  of  popularity  on  its  side.  And  against  all  these  it 
has  declined  to  use  some  of  the  ordinary  means  of  propagation — it 
being  a  cardinal  maxim  with  its  teachers  "  always  to  respect  the 
freedom  of  others,"  and  not  to  press  on  them  truths  which  they  were 
not  prepared  to  receive,  and  of  which  such  had  better  remain  in 
ignorance,  lest  they  should  profane  them.  In  the  state  of  the  world 
since  this  doctrine  was  first  given  to  it,  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that 
principles  so  new  and  so  repugnant  to  its  most  cherished  opinions 
would  readily  receive  its  serious  attention.  It  is  not  probable  that  those 
who  are  benetted  round  with  the  accumulated  sophistries  of  fifteen 
centuries,  will  as  yet  break  their  bands — or  until  further  collision 
amoncc  the  fraarmcnts  of  the  old  Christian  church  shall  have  still  more 
proved  to  their  members  the  weakness  and  uncertainty  of  their  re- 
spective tenets,  and  force  them  to  seek  a  safe  refuge.  Had  Svveden- 
borg  claimed  his  doctrine  as  his  own,  or  had  its  moral  requirements 
been  more  compromising,  the  case  might  have  been  difiercnt.  As  it 
is,  nothing  but  its  intrinsic  excellence,  sustained,  as  we  believe,  by  the 
especial  care  of  Divine  Providence,  and,  as  a  secondary  cause,  the 
countenance  of  honourable  and  virtuous  men  of  the  world,  could  have 
enabled  it  to  survive  such  repeated  and  combined  assaults.  It  may 
be  sufficient,  if  the  truth  can  be  simply  preserved,  to  be  called  into 
requisition  at  a  more  favourable  juncture. 

The  New  (Miurch  first  received  a  separate  form  in  17S3,  from  a 
few  men  of  ability  and  strong  purpose  in  England,  who,  weary  of  all 
other  teaching,  and  having  seen  its  truths  in  their  own  light,  and  re- 
garding them  as  the  last  hope  of  the  xcorhl,  desired  to  impart  to  others 
what  had  afforded  such  perfect  satisfaction  to  themselves.     And  thus 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  553 

far  their  labour  has  not  been  altogether  in  vain.  It  has  been  propa- 
gated by  individual  effort  in  conversation  and  correspondence ;  by- 
preaching,  both  regular  and  missionary ;  by  courses  of  lectures  ;  by 
circulating  the  works  of  Svvedenborg,  periodicals,  tracts  and  larger 
books  in  their  illustration.  It  is  not  deemed  lawful  to  resort  to  de- 
clamation or  persuasion.  But  the  truth  is  stated  plainly — sometimes 
in  contrast  with  common  errors — and  left  to  produce  its  own  effect 
on  the  mind  of  the  hearer.  As  a  general  rule,  controversy  is  shunned ; 
discussion  never;  and  when,  as  has.  often  happened,  she  has  been 
compelled  to  put  on  her  armour,  it  has  been  most  frequently  in  de- 
fence. And  those  who  wish  to  know  whether  she  has  been  able  to 
repel  the  attacks  of  Romanists,  Unitarians,  Calvinists,  and  Church- 
men ;  and  give  a  reason  for  her  faith ;  are  confidently  referred  to 
"  Clowes's  Letters  to  a  Member  of  Parliament,"  to  "  Hindmarsh's 
Letters  to  Priestley,"  to  "Noble's  Appeal,"  or  "  Plenary  Inspiration," 
and  to  "  Clissold's  Letter  to  Archbishop  Whateley."  Whatever  else 
the  reader  might  find  in  these  works,  in  none  of  them  would  he  be 
offended  with  the  grossness  or  asperity  which  too  frequently  charac- 
terize such  productions.  We  doubt  not,  instead,  that  he  would  be 
struck  with  the  spirit  of  Christian  gentleness  and  candour,  which 
animates  strength  of  argument,  adorned  with  the  graces  of  eloquence 
or  of  a  vigorous  and  classical  style.  Besides  the  above,  there  has 
all  along  been  waged  a  straggling  war  of  pamphlets,  in  which 
charges  have  been  regularly  met,  whenever  a  respectable  name 
stood  sponsor  to  their  truth.  And  we  are  perfectly  willing,  that  the 
success  of  our  cause  should  be  perilled  on  the  extant  labours  of  her 
champions.  In  two  instances,  she  has  departed  from  her  usual  line 
of  policy,  and  carried  the  war  into  hostile  territory,  without  how- 
ever losing  sight  of  justice  or  good  temper.  And  we  cannot  think 
that  any  intelligent  reader  could  arise  from  a  fair  perusal  of  Mason's 
"Job  Abbott,"  or  Clissold's  "End  of  the  Church,"  and  say  that  the 
existing  Christian  parties  have  nothing  more  to  do  in  defence  of  their 
several  systems. 

The  first  person  who  introduced  ihe  doctrines  of  the  New  Church 
into  the  United  States,  was  a  Mr.  Glen — not  perhaps  the  most  suit- 
able individual  for  such  a  mission — who  delivered  lectures  on  the 
subject  in  Philadelphia,  and  a  few  other  places,  in  the  year  1784. 
His  efforts  seem  to  have  met  with  but  partial  success;  though  some, 
who  first  received  them  from  him,  subsequently  imparted  them  to 
others.  A  more  prudent,  and  in  all  respects  better  qualified  advo- 
cate v/as  the  Rev.  William  Hill,  an  English  clergyman,  who  visited 
this   country    at    two    different   periods    froiii    1704    to    1804.      He 

00 


554 


HISTORY  OF  THK 


preached  with  acceptance  in  many  towns  of  Massachusetts,  and  in 
some  of  the  Atlantic  cities;  and,  both  by  his  character  and  address, 
aided  in  drawing  the  attention  of  others  to  the  subject  which  lay 
nearest  his  own  heart.  The  first  American  minister  was  ordained  in 
1798,  since  when,  the  number  of  those  who  favour  these  views, 
chiefly  gathered  out  of  other  denominations,  has  gradually  increased 
to  something  more  than  5000 :  not  a  very  strong  proof  that  they  are 
suited  to  the  taste  of  the  credulous  or  enthusiastic.  In  nearly  every 
instance  their  reception  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  result  of  com- 
parative examination  and  against  predilection.  There  are  now 
societies  in  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Cincinnati, 
and  some  minor  towns  in  the  eastern,  western,  and  southern  por- 
tions of  the  Union,  to  the  number  of  forty-two,  besides  isolated  indi- 
viduals, or  small  numbers,  in  more  than  two  hundred  different  places. 
When  Washington,  on  his  retirement  from  office,  returned  a  civil 
answer  to  a  congratulatory  address  of  his  fellow-citizens  of  the  New 
Jerusalem,  it  was  probably  thought  a  great  stretch  of  condescension  ; 
and  perhaps  an  equal  exertion  of  good  nature,  when,  at  the  instance 
of  a  legal  friend,  Robert  Morris  and  Benjamin  Franklin  subscribed 
for  the  chief  doctrinal  work  of  Swedenborg.  When,  however,  in 
process  of  time,  it  was  whispered  that  more  than  one  member  of 
royal  and  noble  houses  of  Europe,  and  several  individuals  high  in 
civil  and  military  employment,  were  supposed  to  have  secretly  ad- 
mired these  views;  when  it  was  farther  told,  that,  at  one  period,  fifty 
ministers  of  the  established  Church  of  England,  and  many  in  different 
parts  of  the  continent,  were  inoculated  with  the  same;  as  also  that 
certain  philosophers  and  literati,  who  had  heard  of  the  "  cor  inscruta- 
hile  in  a  politic  head,"  knew  more  of  them  than  they  were  willing  to 
avow :  it  was  kindly  supposed  to  be  "  not  quite  so  clear  a  case  that 
there  was  nothing  in  it." 

Its  ecclesiastical  polity,  at  first  very  general  and  simple,  has  been 
successively  enlarged  and  improved  with  the  growth  of  the  church, 
until  the  body  is  now  perhaps  as  well  organized  as  could  be  ex- 
pected, while  its  members  are  so  few  and  dispersed.  The  clergy — 
at  present  about  thirty  in  number — are  divided  into  the  three  orders  of 
ministers,  pastors,  and  ordaining  ministers.  The  second,  in  addition 
to  the  duties  of  the  first,  performs  others  usually  indicated  by  his  title, 
agd  also  administers  the  holy  supper.  The  peculiar  duly  of  the 
third  is  to  institute  sotieties,  ordain  other  ministers,  and  preside  at 
the  meetings  of  the  representative  bodies  of  the  church.  Within  a 
small  district  this  is  called  an  association.  Within  a  larger — a  con- 
vention.   The  corresponding   body  in   England   is   termed  a  con- 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  t^rr 

ference.  The  clergy  sit  in  the  same  body  with  lay-delegates  from 
societies,  or  individuals,  but  matters  purely  ecclesiastical  are  referred 
to  them  alone.  The  ordaining  ministers  are  not  confined  to  a  par- 
ticular district  in  the  exercise  of  their  functions,  nor  is  the  priesthood 
regarded  as  indelible;  as  some  who  once  officiated  have  resigned 
without  other  disqualification.  A  numerous  clergy,  though  desirable, 
where  they  can  be  sustained  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty,  is  not  so 
indispensable  to  the  spread  or  confirmation  of  a  doctrine  so  intelli- 
gible, and  which,  we  think,  commends  itself  to  the  sincere  and  dili- 
gent seeker  of  truth.  And  now  that  the  press  is  more  efficient  and 
more  used,  it  may  be  made  to  perform,  and  perhaps  better,  much  of 
their  otherwise  appropriate  duty.  For  twenty  years  or  more,  the 
church  was  annually  represented  in  one  convention.  In  a  territory 
so  extended,  this  was  found  inconvenient  to  those  at  a  distance,  and 
there  are  now  three  such  bodies,  the  Eastern,  (which  was  the  Gene- 
ral,) the  Middle,  and  Western,  based  on  principles  somewhat  modi- 
fied by  the  state  of  the  church.  The  first  is  a  representation  of 
societies.  The  other  two  are  associations  both  of  societies  and  indi- 
viduals for  the  promotion  of  general  objects,  without  however  dis- 
turbing the  gradation  of  the  ministry. 

It  ought,  however,  to  be  stated,  that  the  ecclesiastical  order  above 
mentioned,  is  especially  that  of  the  Eastern  or  General  Convention — 
the  other  two  conventions,  which  are  in  fact  general  also,  without 
the  name,  not  having  as  yet  definitely  settled  the  whole  of  their  ec- 
clesiastical order.  It  is  hoped  that  in  time  there  will  be  a  body, 
meeting  less  frequently,  delegated  from  the  different  territorial  divi- 
sions of  the  Union. 

Most  of  the  societies,  both  in  Europe  and  this  country,  use  a  form 
of  worship,  public  and  private.  That  first  used  in  England,  was  a 
modification  of  the  National  Church  service.  They  have  now,  after 
several  changes,  one  that  better  expresses  their  doctrinal  views.  The 
present  American  service  is  simple,  and  consists  entirely  of  selections 
from  Scripture,  with  chants  and  glorifications ;  but  the  New  Church 
is  not  confined  to  any  external  form  or  ritual  whatever.  Its  doctrines 
admit  of  every  variety  in  this  respect,  and  inculcate  only  that  unity 
which  is  produced  by  charity.  Hence,  almost  every  form  has  pre- 
vailed in  this  country,  and  even  now,  some  societies  use  hymns  and 
parts  of  the  English  Liturgy  in  their  worship.  The  New  Jeruslaem 
"  Te  Deum,"  as  contained  in  a  former  American  Liturgy,  though  not 
appearing  in  the  later  liturgies,  is  perhaps  the  sublimest  of  invoca- 
tions. 


556 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Communication  wiih  the  church  in  England  has  been  regularly- 
kept  up,  and  through  this,  with  the  Continent — of  late  more  directly. 
The  books  heretofore  used  by  us  have  been  chiefly  of  British  pro- 
duct, and  many  of  these  are  still  used  by  those  who  prefer  the  Eng- 
lish to  the  American  translations.  Next  to  those  already  mentioned, 
the  best  known  arc  those  of  Mr.  Clowes,  who,  besides  his  transla- 
tions during  his  long  life,  published  many  volumes  of  sermons,  and 
other  works,  chiefly  expository,  all  characterized  by  the  unction  and 
other  spiritual  graces  of  the  man.  Though  much  literary  labour,  in 
proportion  to  the  means,  has  already  been  performed,  incalculably 
more  remains  to  be  done. 

The  American  contributions  to  our  literature,  have  been  chiefly 
volumes  of  sermons — as  those  of  Roche,  Brown,  the  Worcesiers, 
De  Charms,  Barrett's  Lectures  and  Life  of  Swedenborg,  Sampson 
Reed's  •'  Growth  of  the  Mind,"  "  Kinmonl's  Lectures  on  the  Natural 
History  of  Man." 

The  London  Intellectual  Repository,  is  now  in  its  thirty-first  year. 
The  New  Church  Advocate,  is  another  English  periodical  of  more  re^ 
cent  date,  which  is  now  vigorously  conducted.  "  La  Nouvelle  Jerusa- 
lem," a  very  able  periodical,  now  in  its  sixth  year,  is  published  in  French, 
at  St.  Amand,  Cher,  France.  There  is  also  a  German  periodical  for 
the  New  Church,  published  at  Tiibingen,  Wurtemburg,  under  the 
editorship  of  the  highly  talented  and  indefatigable  Dr.  Tafel,  Librarian 
of  the  Royal  University  in  that  place. 

In  this  country,  there  is  the  Boston  N.  J.  Magazine,  now  in  its 
seventeenth  year.  In  this  have  appeared  many  articles  and  sermons 
worthy  of  being  embodied  in  a  separate  form.  Also,  the  New- 
churchman,  now  in  its  fourth  year,  besides  several  others,  which  ap- 
peared for  a  short  time  at  New  York  and  Cincinnati. 

The  apologies  of  Dr.  Tafel,  of  Tiibingen,  Germany,  (who  is  now 
engaged  in  editing  the  posthumous  works  of  Swedenborg,)  as  also 
those  of  the  late  M.  Edouard  Richer,  of  Nantes,  France,  exhibit 
great  learning  and  ability.  There  arc,  both  here  and  in  England, 
societies  for  the  circulation  of  tracts,  chiefly  doctrinal,  in  which  the 
object  has  been  to  set  forth  our  principles  clearly,  calmly  and  strongly 
in  brief  space.  And  perhaps  a  selection  from  these  would  give  a 
stranger  a  more  correct  idea  of  the  system  than  some  of  the  larger 
works;  as  all  the  chief  doctrines  have  thus  been  explained  to  popular 
apprehension.  But  the  most  important  institution  of  the  church,  is 
the  Society  for  Printing  and  Publishing  the  Works  of  Swedenborg, 
instituted  in  Manciiestcr,  England,  in  1782 — and  afterwards  merged 


J 


jNEVV  JERUSALEM  CHURCH. 


557 


into  a  similar  one  commenced  in  London  in  1810.  This  was  the 
only  source  from  which  the  Enghsh  translations  could  be  procured 
for  a  time — though  American  editions  of  most  of  the  works  may 
now  be  had  by  means  of  a  similar  society  here.  The  two  together 
have  caused  the  circulation  of  very  many  thousand  volumes;  and 
their  labours  can  never  be  dispensed  with. 

A  word  or  two,  before  we  conclude,  on  certain  points  of  casuistry,  as 
to  which  (strangely  enough  !)  we  have  been  misunderstood.  Religious 
freedom  is  the  inalienable  right  of  every  man,  and  for  its  use  he  is  re- 
sponsible to  God  alone.  Civil  liberty,  though  the  means  of  the  greatest 
blessings  to  those  who  are  worthy  of  it,  can  only  prove  a  curse  to  such 
as  are  not;  and  it  is  not  desirable  that  it  should  be  enlarged  hastily  or 
farther  than  the  nations  are  qualified  for  its  use:  though  we  rejoice  that 
the  means  of  such  preparation  are  increased  in  number  and  efficiency, 
and  that  the  spirit  of  the  age  is,  to  avail  itself  of  them  more  than  in 
time  past.  Strictly  as  the  Christian  should  refrain  from  avenging  his 
private  wrongs,  and  much  as  he  should  desire  public  peace;  till  the 
world  is  regenerated,  the  injustice  of  governments  and  nations,  will 
give  frequent  occasions  of  war.  In  such  cases,  it  is  legitimate  to  em- 
ploy means  of  defence;  and  we  accept  the  general  sentiment  "  that  the 
only  way  to  avoid  it  is  to  be  ever  prepared  for  it."  The  Newchurch- 
man  is  taught  to  shun  party  spirit,  where  great  principles  are  not  really 
at  stake;  to  yield  obedience  to  a  protecting  government,  wherever  con- 
science will  permit ;  not  hastily  to  urge  changes  in  organic  law  ;  and 
faithfully  to  discharge  any  public  duties  to  which  he  may  be  called. 
In  private  life  we  avoid  singularity  in  matters  indifferent.  We  affect 
none  in  language,  dress,  or  manners.  We  have  no  sumptuary  laws: 
but  leave  each  one  to  graduate  his  expenses  to  the  scale  of  his  ability 
and  station  in  society,  and  to  select  his  friends  and  associates  among 
the  virtuous  and  intelligent  of  every  name.  We  have  no  respect  for 
affected  solemnity,  needless  austerity,  or  will-worship  of  any  kind. 
We  do  not  deem  it  necessary  for  Christians  of  every  age  to  refrain 
from  public  amusements  and  social  recreations.  The  love  of  self 
and  the  world,  against  which  Divine  Wisdom  has  warned  us,  we  take 
to  be  something  more  and  other  than  any  of  these  things.  He  who 
will  shun  the  evils  forbidden  in  the  decalogue,  as  sins  against  God, 
and  cultivate  the  opposite  virtues,  will  find  enough  to  occupy  him 
without  distracting  his  attention  with  uncommanded  observances. 
Though,  with  our  views,  we  cannot  but  have  an  abiding  sense  of  the 
Divine  Presence,  and  of  the  necessity  of  regeneration  to  future  hap- 
piness: yet  the  calm  and  rational  delight  we  take  in  contemplating 
religious  truths,  does  not  inflame  us  to  enthusiasm  in  public  worship. 


558 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


We  must  own,  too,  that  we  take  little  pleasure  in  frequenting  the 
temples  of  other  Christians,  where  we  are  not  certain  that  our  prayers 
are  directed  to  the  same  object ;  where  we  hear  so  much  that  grates 
on  onr  sense  of  truth,  and  so  little  that  accords  with  the  supremacy 
of  Him  we  worship — though  we  willingly  co-operate  with  them  in 
the  spread  of  the  Bible,  the  promotion  of  any  point  of  public  morals, 
or  measures  of  general  utility.  For  a  like  reason  we  read  but  little  of 
the  current  theology  of  the  day,  except  as  an  index  of  the  state  of 
religious  opinion.  In  our  conferences  with  others  on  religious  topics, 
we  prefer  to  use  other  language  than  that  of  Scripture,  (except  the 
plainest,)  seeing  our  apprehensions  of  its  meaning  are  generally  so 
different.  And  while  we  seek  the  mollia  tempora  fundi,  we  do  not 
indiscriminately  press  the  matter  of  religion  on  the  attention  of  all 
unbelievers,  or  at  all  times.  Such  of  us  as  have  leisure  to  devote  to 
literary  pursuits,  or  inquiry  into  truth,  always  seek  to  unite  therewith 
some  useful  occupation.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  technical  phrase- 
ology in  the  works  of  our  author,  which  sounds  strange  to  a  novice  ; 
but  its  meaning  is  easily  learnt,  and  it  is  used  in  a  steadfast  sense. 
Lastly,  we  do  not  look  upon  death  as  in  itself  so  terrible  an  event, 
and  think  that  no  Christian  should.  Neither  do  we  indulge  in  pas- 
sionate grief  for  our  departed  friends, — our  natural  feeling  for  their 
loss  being  generally  mitigated  by  our  conceptions  of  divine  truth  and 
mercy,  and  of  the  nature  of  the  other  life.  If  any  of  these  "  peculiari- 
ties" are  thought  so  offensive  as  to  be  without  precedent  or  pretence 
of  reason,  we  must  bear  the  imputation  with  what  grace  we  may. 

In  reviewing  what  we  have  written,  we  find  we  have  treated  with 
freedom,  but  we  hope  with  fairness,  the  principles  of  other  professed 
followers  of  our  Lord;  and  we  are  sure  without  any  feelings  of  hos- 
tility to  individuals  who  have  held  and  still  hold  them — for  many  of 
whom  we  entertain  high  respect.  It  is  with  us  a  principle  to  recog- 
nise and  honour  goodness  wherever  we  meet  with  it;  though  we 
cannot  but  regret  that,  in  this  our  age,  it  is  allied  so  often  to  and  with 
so  much  error.  And  this  feeling  we  are  bound  to  cherish  even  though 
it  he  not  reciprocated.  From  our  own  position  we  survey  the  state 
of  the  world,  intellectual,  political,  and  religious,  and  think  we  see  in 
all  those  departments  marked  and  strong  tendencies  towards  a  better 
order  of  things.  Magnus  ah  intcgro  secuhrum  nasciiur  ordo.  And 
though  we  live  in  a  period  of  transition:  the  anxiety,  of  which  all 
must  partake  at  such  a  season,  is  alleviated  in  our  case  by  the  assu- 
rance that  lie  who  is  at  the  helm,  having  eternal  and  glorious  ends  in 
view,  orders  or  permits  only  such  events  as  can  be  converted  to  their 
promotion.     Now  that  other  systems  are  breaking  up  around  us,  we 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  559' 

would  most  respectfully  invite  our  countrymen  to  give  this  a  fair 
consideration,  and  not  to  condemn  it  unheard  or  from  the  representa- 
tions of  its  enemies  alone.  Fraud,  violence,  menace,  fashion,  the  fa- 
vour of  princes,  diplomacy,  have  all  tried  in  vain  to  reunite  Protes- 
tants on  some  one  basis ;  wrangling  polemics  and  verbal  critics  have 
succeeded  as  little.  In  our  conscience  we  believe  that  in  this  confu- 
sion worse  confounded,  none  but  the  Author  of  our  faith  could  tell  us 
what  it  is ;  and  this  we  doubt  not  he  has  done  through  a  qualified 
agent.  He  who  receives  "  The  True  Christian  Religion,"  as  here 
delineated,  cannot  but  smile  at  the  pretensions  of  Rome.  For  her 
expositions  or  superintendence  he  can  have  no  JDossible  use;  and  the 
"  brutum  fulmen"  of  her  anathema  will  fall  harmless  at  his  feet. 

Such  is  the  bread  which  we  have  been  invited  to  cast  upon  the 
waters.  We  dismiss  it  to  the  care  of  Providence,  and  the  justice  of 
our  readers. 


OMISH   OE    AMISH    CHUECH. 


BY  SHEM  ZOOK, 

MIFFLIN  COUNTY, PENNSyLVANIA. 

Omish  or  Amish,  is  a  name  which  was,  in  the  United  States,  given 
to  a  society  of  Mennonites,  but  who  are  not  known  by  that  name  in 
Europe,  the  place  from  which  they  originally  came.  In  many  parts 
of  Germany  and  Switzerland,  where  they  are  still  considerably 
numerous,  they  are  there  sometimes,  for  the  purpose  of  distinction, 
called  Hooker  Mennonites,  on  account  of  their  wearing  hooks  on 
their  clothes;  another  party  of  Mennonites  being,  for  similar  rea- 
sons, termed  Button  Mennonites.  The  principal  difference  between 
these  societies  consists  in  the  former  being  more  simple  in  their 
dress,  and  more  strict  in  their  discipline.  In  their  religious  forms  of 
worship,  the  different  denominations  of  Mennonites  vary  but  little 
from  other  Protestants.  They  consider  the  scriptures  as  the  only 
rule  of  faith,  and  maintain  that  the  surest  mark  of  the  true  church  is 
the  sanctity  of  its  members.  They  have  regular  ministers  and  dea- 
cons, who  are  not  allowed  to  receive  fixed  salaries ;  in  their  religious 
assemblies,  however,  every  one  has  the  privilege  to  exhort  and  to 
expound  the  scriptures.  Baptism  is  administered  to  adults  only, 
infants  not  being  considered  proper  subjects,  and  is  administered  by 
pouring  water  upon  the  head  of  the  subject.  The  Lord's  Supper  is 
administered  in  commemoration  of  the  death  of  our  Saviour.  It  is 
considered  unlawful  to  take  an  oath  on  any  occasion,  as  well  as  to 
repel  force  by  force ;  and  they  consider  war,  in  all  its  shapes,  as 
unchristian  and  unjust.  Charity  is  with  them  a  religious  duty,  and 
none  of  their  members  are  permitted  to  become  a  public  charge. 

Great  injustice  has  been  done  the  Mennonites  by  Protestant  as 
well  as  by  Catholic  writers,  by  imputing  to  them  doctrines  which 
they  never  held  with  regard  to  the  incarnation  of  Christ  and  the 
Millennium,  or  personal  reign  of  Christ  upon  earth.  That  Menno 
Simon  was   charged   with   entertaining   peculiar  and   unwarranted 


OMISH  OR  AMISH  CHURCH. 


561 


opinions  respecting  these  matters  is  true,  (doctrines  which  we  deem 
improper  to  mention,  but  an  account  of  which  may  be  found  by- 
referring  to  article  Anabaptists,  in  the  Encyclopaedia  Americana;) 
but  it  is  well  known  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with  the  writings  or 
works  of  Menno  Simon,  that  if  his  written  declarations  are  to  be 
received  as  an  evidence  of  his  opinions,  then  the  said  charges  are 
entirely  gratuitous  and  without  foundation  in  fact.  The  Mennonites 
have  also  been  charged  with  having  originated  with  the  Anabaptists 
of  Munster  ;  and  have  frequently  been  confounded  with  the  fol- 
lowers of  Bockhold,  John  of  Leyden,  and  David  Joris.  This  charge 
is  equally  and  totally  incorrect.  It  is  not  denied  that  many  of  those 
who  had  been  misled  by  these  fanatics,  ultimately  joined  the  Men- 
nonites ;  but  they  were  not  admitted  into  their  society  until  they  had 
wholly  repudiated  the  wild  and  fanatical  notions  of  the  Munsterites. 
The  many,  and  often  bitter,  controversies  which  took  place  during 
the  time  of  the  Reformation,  not  only  between  Catholic  and  Pro- 
testant writers,  but  often  between  the  Protestants  themselves,  added 
to  the  fact  that  the  history  of  the  Mennonites  has  hitherto  been  writ- 
ten by  writers  of  other  sects,  readily  account  for  the  misstatements 
and  incorrect  accounts  respecting  the  origin,  history,  and  religious 
opinions  of  the  Mennonites. 

The  name  Amish  or  Omish  was  derived  from  Jacob  Amen,  a 
native  of  Amenthal,  in  Switzerland,  and  a  rigid  Mennonite  preacher 
of  the  seventeenth  century ;  but  that  he  was  not  the  founder  of  a 
sect  will  be  evident  from  the  fact,  that  the  society  who  are  in  the 
United  States  wrongfully  called  Amish  or  Omish,  still  rigidly  adhere 
to  the  Confession  of  Faith  which  was  adopted  at  Dortrecht,  in  Hol- 
land, A.  D.  1632,  (before  the  time  of  Jacob  Amen,)  by  a  General 
Assembly  of  ministers  of  the  religious  denomination  who  were  at 
that  time  and  in  that  place  called  Mennonites,  (after  Menno  Simon, 
an  eminent  preacher  and  native  of  Friesland,  in  Holland,)  but  who 
were  (as  has  been  well  established  by  writers  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury), prior  to  that  time,  at  different  periods,  known  by  the  names  of 
Henricians,  Petrobrusians,  and  Waldenses.  The  number  of  the 
milder  Mennonites  in  the  United  States  is  computed  at  120,000, 
while  that  of  the  rigid  Mennonites  is  not  supposed  to  exceed  5000. 


PRESBYTEUIAN  CHURCH. 


BY  JOlIiN  M.  KREBS,  D.D  , 

PASTOR  OF  THE  RUTGERS  STREET  CHURCH,  NEW  YORK,    AND  PERMANENT  CLERK  OF  THE 
GENERAL  ASSEMBLY. 


I.  DOCTRINE,  WORSHIP,  AND  GOVERNMENT. 

The  published  "  Constiiution  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  of  America,"  sets  forth  at  large  the  system  of  doctrine, 
mode  of  worship,  and  form  of  government,  adopted  by  this  church. 

The  Doctrines  are  contained  in  the  "  Confession  of  Faith,"  and  in 
the  "  Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms,"  and  are  those  which  are  popu- 
larly denominated  "  Calvinistic."  This  distinctive  title  is  appropriated 
to  this  system,  not  because  Calvin  invented  it,  but  because,  among  all 
the  modern  advocates  of  it,  he  was  undoubtedly  the  most  profound 
and  able,  and  because  it  has  suited  the  policy  of  some  to  endeavour 
to  convey  the  idea  that  this  system  was  unknown  until  Calvin  began 
to  propagate  and  defend  it. 

In  the  Confession  of  Faith  there  are  many  doctrines  in  which  the 
Presbyterians  agree  with  their  brethren  of  other  denominations.  In 
regard  to  all  that  is  embraced  in  that  formula  concerning  the  being 
and  perfections  of  God,  the  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  the 
divinity,  incarnation  and  atoning  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God,  &c., 
they  may  be  said  to  hold  substantially  in  common  with  all  sects  who 
deserve  the  Christian  name.  But  with  respect  to  the  true  state  of 
human  nature  before  God,  the  doctrine  of  sovereign,  unconditional 
election  to  eternal  life,  the  doctrine  that  Christ  died  in  a  special  sense 
for  his  elect  people,  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  the  imputed  right- 
eousness of  Christ  alone,  of  sanctification  by  the  special  and  invincible 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  in 
holiness,  ihey  differ  very  materially  from  many  who  bear  the  Chris- 
tian name.  In  short,  with  regard  to  what  are  commonly  called  the 
"  five  points"  discussed  and  decided  in  the  Synod  of  Dort,  the  Confes- 
sion is  opposed  to  Arminianism,  and  coincides  with  the  Calvinislic 
system  maintained  by  that  body. 

These   evangelical  doctrines,  as  they  are  taught  in  the   Word  of 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  5G3 

God,  were  revived  and  held  with  singular  unanimity  by  all  the 
churches  which  arose  out  of  the  Refornnation,  as  appears  very  evi- 
dently from  a  comparison  of  the  various  creeds  and  confessions  which 
were  framed  and  published  by  them.  Those  who  on  the  Continent 
adhered  to  Martin  Luther  in  his  ritual  views  and  observances,  and  the 
Anglican  prelatists  as  well  as  the  Reformed  Churches  of  France,  Ger- 
many, Switzerland,  Holland  and  Scotland,  equally  adopted  the  tenets 
since  denominated  Calvinistic,  their  differences  having  relation  mainly 
to  the  administration  of  ecclesiastical  affairs,  the  parity  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry,  and  their  subordinate  topics.  And  the  history  of  the 
church  and  of  the  world,  (as  a  constant  developement  of  this  great 
principle,  that  truth  is  in  order  to  goodness,  its  great  touchstone,  in  its 
tendency  to  produce  holiness,  and  that  there  is  an  inseparable  connexion 
between  faith  and  practice,  truth  and  duty,)  together  with  the  admis- 
sions of  some  of  the  most  eminent  scholars  and  divines,  and  eloquent 
writers  of  later  days,  even  of  those  who  by  no  means  favoured  Cal- 
vinism, are  an  irrefragable  testimony  to  the  benign  influence  exerted 
by  this  much-abused  system,  on  the  illumination  and  salvation  of 
those  who  cordially  embrace  it,  and  on  the  moral  character  and 
deportment,  the  knowledge  and  freedom,  and  the  general  prosperity 
and  happiness  of  every  community  where  it  has  prevailed.* 

*  "By  many  ignorant  and  prejudiced  persons  a  very  foul,  but  a  very  false,  allegation, 
both  before  the  time  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  also  down  to  the  present  day,  has  occa- 
eionally  been  advanced  against  the  Calvinistic  system.  That  system  has  been  set  forth  as 
offering  a  premium  for  gross  immorality,  as  inculcating  in  the  case  of  the  vainly  pre- 
sumptuous,  an  unhallowed  security,  and  as  advocating,  to  the  certain  ruin  of  tlie  consti- 
tutionally despondent,  all  the  wild  recklessness  of  utter  and  uncontrolled  desperation. 
Hence,  in  the  way  of  summary,  we  have  been  gravely  assured  that,  according  to  the 
Calvinistic  scheme  of  interpretation,  the  elect,  no  matter  what  may  be  the  obstinate 
ungodliness  of  their  lives,  must  be  finally  saved  even  in  their  impenitence,  while  the  repro- 
bate,  no  matter  what  may  be  the  devoted  holiness  of  their  conversation,  even  in  their 
godly  penitence  must  be  finally  damned.  Nothing  can  be  more  unfounded  than  this 
vulgar  allegation. 

"Calvinism  really  teaches,  that  the  elect, even  though  they  may  be  humbly  doubtful 
of  their  own  individual  election,  after  their  effectual  calling,  however  speckled  with  the 
remains  of  human  corruption,  will  always  lead  holy  and  devoted  and  godly  lives  ;  while 
the  reprobate,  even  though  they  may  madly  and  contemptuously  presume  upon  their  own 
imagined  securily,  will  always  show  their  true  character,  either  by  an  indulgence  in 
habitually  unhallowed  practice,  or  by  an  utter  deadness  to  every  sentiment  of  vitally 
influential  religion." — Judic.  Synod.  Dordrech.  Conclus.  Cap.  V. 

"  This  invariable  association  of  holiness  with  election,  and  of  unholiness  with  reproba- 
tion, is  assuredly  the  special  badge  of  Calvinism  ;  and  for  the  abuse  of  the  system  by  the 
profanely  licentious,  that  scheme  is  no  more  responsible,  than  any  other  scheme  can  justly 
be  made  responsible  for  its  own  particular  and  disallowed  perversion. 

"  The  dogma,  if  such  a  dogma  be  held  even  by  the  wildest  Antinomian,  that  an  indi- 
vidual fearlessly  and  securely  may  sin,  because  without  evidence,  or  rather  against  evi- 


504 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


The  forms  of  worship  are  simple  and  scriptural,  consisling  in 
praise,  prayer,  and  the  reading  and  preaching  of  the  word  of  God, 
They  are  regulated  according  to  a  prescribed  "  Directory,"  but  are 

dcncc  he  has  fondly  persuaded  himself  that  he  is  one  of  the  elect — that  dogma  is  a  mere 
perversion  of  the  Genevan  system.  A  pious  Calvinist — and  among  doctrinal  Calvinists 
have  been  numbered  some  of  the  best  and  the  wisest  and  the  most  holy  men  who  have 
over  adorned  the  Catholic  Church — a  pious  Calvinist  would  shrink  from  it  with  horror 
and  disgust.  So  far  from  sanctioning  the  blasphemous  absurdity,  on  the  real  principles  of 
his  own  scheme,  he  would  be  the  first  and  the  foremost  to  consider  its  maintainance,  by 
any  pretended  Calvinist,  as  a  black  mark  indicative  of  the  wretched  perverter's  own  repro- 
bation. He  would  say — Whatever  may  be  the  secret  purpose  of  God  in  regard  to  effectual 
calling,  no  man  can  claim  to  be  of  the  number  of  the  elect  to  glor)'^,  unless  as  a  clear 
evidence  of  his  election,  he  can  show  a  life  devoted  to  his  Saviour  and  instinct  with  fruit- 
producing  holiness.  As  honest  men,  we  are  bound,  in  the  measure  of  our  opportunity, 
faithfully  to  investigate  doctrinal  truth ;  but  then,  we  are  equally  bound  to  abstain  from 
the  offensive  shamelessness  of  unmerited  calumny." — Faber^s  Primitive  Doctrine  of  Elec- 
tion, B.  I.,  chap.  vi.  see.  2. 

As  the  most  powerful  body  of  European  refugees  from  prelatical  cruelty,  who  originally 
settled  in  the  United  States,  were  inflexible  Calvinists;  and  as  they  have  impressed  their 
character  upon  all  the  national  attributes  of  our  republic  :  it  is  indispensable  accurately  to 
comprehend  the  cardinal  principles  of  Calvinism  in  its  operation  and  results,  among  the 
entire  body  of  its  genuine  disciples  in  this  country — the  original  Anglican  Puritans,  the 
Scottish  and  Irish  Presbyterians,  the  Baptists,  and  the  Reformed  Dutch  and  Germans. 
In  addition,  tlierefore,  to  the  previous  testimony  of  Mr.  Faber,  three  separate  witnesses 
are  adduced  ;  and  as  neitlicr  of  thein  are  Calvinists,  the  four  combined  historiographers 
must  be  admitted  as  proof  equivalent  to  moral  demonstration. 

Calvin. — The  author  of  the  biographical  notice  of  "Calvin,"  in  the  Encyclopedia  Bri- 
tannica,  among  other  expressions  laudatory  of  the  exalted  virtues,  noble  talents,  and  trans. 
Cendant  erudition  of  the  French  Reformer,  thus  characterizes  him  and  his  most  illustrious 
compeer.  Luther  and  Calvin  are  "twin  stars,  the  brightest  of  that  constellation  of  lights 
by  whose  effulgence  were  dispelled  the  long  night  of  darkness,  under  the  cloud  of  which 
tlie  energies  of  mankind  suffered  eclipse ;  and  having  emerged,  they  shone  forth  with  a 
brilliance  and  glory  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  world." 

Tiie  same  writer  also  mentions,  among  the  chief  points  which  distinguish  the  system 
of  Calvin  from  that  of  the  other  Reformed  Churches, — the  independence  of  the  church 
of  the  civil  power,  and  the  spiritual  presence  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament  "  of  the  Lord's 
Supper." — Encyclopedia  Brilannica,  article  Calvin. 

Tlie  Puritans. — Mr.  Bancroft,  in  iiis  History  of  the  United  States,  exactly  coincides 
with  Mr.  Macaulay  and  other  critics,  who  have  illumined  the  world  by  their  splendid 
lucubrations  in  the  Edinburgh  Review,  The  American  narrator's  evidence  being  so  un- 
exceptionable, a  few  sentences  are  extracted.  It  must  be  premised,  however,  that  he  uses 
the  terms  Calvinism  and  Puritanism,  in  the  doctrinal  view,  as  identical. 

"Puritanism  was  religion  struggling  for  the  people;  the  shelter,  said  its  enemy, for  the 
noble  principle  of  liberty.  It  was  its  office  to  engraft  tlie  new  institutions  of  popular 
energy  upon  the  old  European  system  of  a  feudal  aristocracy  and  popular  servitude.  The 
good  was  permanent.  The  outward  emblems  were  of  transient  duration.  The  effects  of 
Puritanism  display  its  true  character.  Ecclesiastical  tyranny  is  of  all  kinds  the- worst. 
Its  fruits  are  cowardice,  idleness,  and  poverty.  Puritanism  was  a  life-giving  spirit. 
Activity,  thrift,  and  intelligence  followed  in  its  train." 

"Tile  political  character  of  Calvinism,  which  with  one  consent,  and  with  instinctive 
judgment,  the  monarchs  of  that  day  feared  as  republicanism,  and  which  Charles  II. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


565 


not  minutely  controlled  by  the  stereotyped  forms  of  any  authorized 
or  commanded  liturgy.  Not  condemning  either  the  principle  or  the 
use  of  a  liturgy,  the  Presbyterian  Church,  nevertheless,  from  a  con- 
viction that  the  practice  of  confining  ministers  to  set  or  fixed  forms 
of  prayer  for  public  worship,  derives  no  warrant  from  the  spirit  and 
examples  of  the  word  of  God,  nor  from  the  practice  of  the  primitive 
church,  and  that  it  is,  moreover,  unprofitable,  burdensome  to  Chris- 
tian liberty,  and  otherwise  inexpedient,  disapproves  of  such  restric- 
tion ;  but  she  has,  at  the  same  time,  made  such  provision  in  her 
"  Directory"  for  the  service,  that  it  may  be  performed  with  dignity 

declared  a  '  religion  unfit  for  a  gentleman,'  is  expressed  in  a  single  word — Predestination. 
Did  a  proud  aristocracy  trace  its  lineage  through  generations  of  a  high-born  ancestry,  the 
republican  Reformer  brought  down  the  record  of  the  noblest  enfranchisement  from  '  the 
book  of  life.'  His  converts  defied  the  opposing  world ;  and  standing  serenely  amid  the 
crumbling  fabrics  of  centuries  of  superstition,  they  had  faith  in  one  another ;  and  the 
martyrdoms  of  Cambray,  the  fires  of  Smithfield,  and  the  surrender  of  benefices  by  two 
thousand  nonconformist  Presbyterians,  attest  their  perseverance.  Such  was  the  system 
which  for  a  century  and  a  half  assumed  the  guardianship  and  liberty  for  the  English 
world. 

"To  advance  intellectual  freedom,  Calvinism  absolutely  denied  the  'sacrament' of  ordi- 
nation :  thus  breaking  up  the  great  monopoly  of  priestcraft,  and  scattering  the  ranks  of 
superstition.  To  restrain  absolute  monarchy  in  France,  in  Scotland,  and  in  England,  it 
allied  itself  with  the  decaying  feudal  aristocracy  wiiich  it  was  sure  to  outlive  ;  to  protect 
itself  against  the  feudal  aristocracy  it  infused  itself  into  the  mercantile  class  and  the  inferior 
gentry ;  and  to  secure  a  life  in  the  public  mind,  in  Geneva,  and  in  Scotland,  wherever  it 
gained  dominion,  it  invoked  intelligence  for  the  people,  and  in  every  parish  planted  the 
common  school. 

"  Calvinism  overthrew  priestcraft ;  Calvinism  saw  in  goodness  infinite  joy,  in  evil  infi- 
nite wo;  and  recognising  no  other  abiding  distinctions,  opposed  secretly,  but  surely,  here- 
ditary monarchy,  aristocracy,  and  bondage.  Massachusetts  owned  no  king  but  the  King 
of  heaven;  no  aristocracy  but  of  the  redeemed;  and  no  bondage  but  the  hopeless,  infinite, 
and  eternal  bondage  of  sin.  Calvinism  invoked  intelligence  against  Satan,  the  great 
enemy  of  the  human  race ;  and  the  farmers  and  seamen  of  Massachusetts  nourished  its 
college  with  corn  and  strings  of  wampum,  and  in  every  village  built  the  free  school.  Thus 
had  the  principle  of  freedom  of  mind  first  asserted  for  the  common  people,  under  a  religious 
form,  by  Wiclif,  been  pursued ;  until  at  last  it  reached  a  perfect  developement,  coinciding 
with  the  highest  attainment  of  European  philosophy." — BancrofCs  History  of  the  United 
States,  vol.  i.  pp.  279,  289,  290,  460, 469  ;  vol.  ii.  pp.  459-463. 

One  more  testimony  is  appended.  It  is  of  the  highest  value  ;  because  it  is  the  conclu- 
sion of  an  essay,  the  design  of  which  is  this  :  expressly  to  invalidate  and  disprove  the 
Calvinistic  theory  of  the  divine  government  both  in  providence  and  grace. 

Practical  Tendency  of  Calvinism. — "  From  the  earliest  ages  down  to  our  own  days,  if 
we  consider  the  ciiaracter  of  the  ancient  Stoics,  the  Jewish  Essenes,  the  modern  Calvinists, 
and  Jansenists;  when  compared  with  that  of  the  Epicureans,  the  Sadducees,  Arminians, 
and  the  Jesuits  ;  we  shall  find  that  they  have  ever  excelled  in  no  small  degree  in  the 
practice  of  the  most  rigid  and  respectable  virtues ;  and  have  been  the  higliest  honour  of 
their  own  ages,  and  the  best  models  for  imitation  to  every  age  succeeding." — Encyclo- 
pedia Brilannica,  article  Pkedestination. 


5GG 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  propriety,  as  well  as  profit,  to  those  who  join  in  it,  and  that  it 
may  not  be  disgraced  by  mean,  irregular,  or  extravagant  effusions. 

The  Presbyterian  Church,  moreover,  prescribes  no  canonical  vest- 
ments for  her  ministers;  possesses  no  altar,  but  only  a  communion 
tabic;  and  instead  of  kneeling  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  communi- 
cants sit;  she  rejects  lay-baptism,  and  godfathers  and  godmothers, 
and  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  baptism  ;  and  she  repudiates  all  saints' 
days,  and  observes  the  Lord's  day  as  the  sabbath  and  as  the  only 
season  of  holy  time  commanded  to  Christians. 

In  all  these  matters,  it  is  believed  that  she  is  sanctioned  by  the 
scriptures,  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church,  and  the  principles  of 
the  purest  churches  of  the  Reformation  ;  while  her  own  history  and 
experience  furnish  a  confirmation  of  the  value  of  her  practice,  which 
she  fears  not  to  compare  with  that  of  any  other  religious  community, 
in  its  influence,  (as  well  as  the  influence  of  her  doctrines  and  disci- 
pline,) on  the  order  and  decorum  of  public  worship,  on  the  purity  in 
the  faith  of  her  ministers,  on  the  edification  of  the  worshippers,  and 
on  the  sanctification  of  their  hearts  and  lives. 

The  plan  of  government  rests  on  these  avowed  and  cardinal  prin- 
ciples : — That  God  alone  is  Lord  of  the  conscience,  and  hath  left  it 
free  from  the  doctrine  and  commandments  of  men,  which  are  in  any 
thing  contrary  to  his  word,  or  beside  it  in  matters  of  faith  or  wor- 
ship. That  the  rights  of  private  judgment,  in  all  matters  that  respect 
religion,  are  universal  and  unalienable.  That  it  is  not  even  desirable 
to  see  any  religious  constitution  aided  by  the  civil  pow-er,  farther 
than  may  be  necessary  for  protection  and  security,  and  at  the  same 
time  be  equal  and  common  to  all  others.  That,  in  perfect  consistency 
with  the  above  principle  of  common  right,  every  Christian  church  or 
union  or  association  of  particular  churches,  is  entitled  to  declare  the 
terms  of  admission  into  its  communion,  and  the  qualifications  of  its 
ministers  and  members,  as  well  as  the  whole  system  of  its  internal 
government  which  Christ  hath  appointed.  That  our  blessed  Saviour, 
for  the  edification  of  the  visible  church,  hath  Sppointed  officers,  not 
only  to  preach  the  gospel  and  administer  the  sacraments,  but  also  to 
exercise  discipline,  for  the  preservation  both  of  truth  and  duty,  by 
censuring  or  casting  out  the  erroneous  or  scandalous,  according  to 
the  rules  contained  in  the  word  of  God ;  that,  nevertheless,  there  are 
truths  and  forms  with  respect  to  which  men  of  good  characters  may 
differ,  and  in  all  these  it  is  the  duly  both  of  private  Christians  and 
societies,  to  exercise  mutual  forbearance  towards  each  other.  That 
the  character,  qualifications,  and  authority  of  church  officers  are  laid 
down  in  the  holy  scriptures,  as  well  as  the  proper  method  of  their 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  557 

investiture  and  institution ;  yet  the  election  of  tFie  persons  to  tiie 
exercise  of  this  authority  in  any  particular  society  is  in  that  society. 
That  all  church  power,  whether  exercised  by  the  body  in  general,  or 
in  the  way  of  representation  by  delegated  authority,  is  only  ministe- 
rial and  declarative ;  that  is,  the  holy  scriptures  are  the  only  rule  of 
faith  and  manners, — no  church  judicatory  having  the  right  to  make 
laws  to  bind  the  conscience,  by  virtue  of  their  own  authority,  but 
only  to  judge  upon  laws  already  made,  and  common  to  all  who  pro- 
fess the  gospel ;  and  all  their  decisions  should  be  founded  on  the 
revealed  will  of  God  ;  and  that  ecclesiastical  discipline  must  be  purely 
moral,  or  spiritual  in  its  object,  and  not  attended  with  any  civil 
effects;  and  it  can  derive  no  force  whatever,  but  from  its  own  jus- 
tice, the  approbation  of  an  impartial  public,  and  the  countenance  and 
blessing  of  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  universal. 

It  is  farther  held  by  Presbyterians,  that  Christ  has  appointed  and 
established  in  the  holy  scriptures  a  certain  definite  form  of  govern- 
ment for  his  Church ;  that,  however  many  particular  churches  may 
be  constituted,  they  are  not  independent  societies,  but  are  connected 
parts  of  one  body ;  that  the  actions  and  operations  of  the  several 
parts  should  be  in  subordination  to  the  whole ;  that  this  being  an 
organized  body,  it  is  furnished  with  officers  for  the  purpose  of 
communicating  instruction,  and  for  the  orderly  government  of  the 
society ;  that  these  offices  were  expressly  instituted  by  Christ,  the 
only  Head  of  the  Church,  before  he  left  the  world ;  that  some  of 
them  were,  at  first,  endowed  with  extraordinary  powers ;  but  the 
ordinary  and  permanent  officers  of  the  Church — as  organized  by  the 
apostles,  after  the  model  of  the  Jewish  Synagogue,  which  was  un- 
doubtedly Presbyterian, — are  pastors  or  teachers,  elders  who  rule, 
and  deacons  who  have  charge  of  the  alms  for  the  poor ;  that  as  to 
bishops  and  presbyters,  the  holy  scriptures  make  no  difference  be- 
tween them ;  these,  like  other  names  therein  applied  to  the  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  being  applied  promiscuously  and  indifferently  to  the 
same  officers ;  that  the  same  character  and  -powers  being  also,  in  the 
scriptures,  ascribed  interchangeably  to  bishops  and  presbyters,  it  is 
plain  that  they  are  identical  both  as  to  their  order  and  their  name; 
and  therefore  all  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  although  described  by 
different  names  and  titles  which  designate  their  various  functions, 
are  of  equal  official  rank.  That  the  apostles  indeed  were  invested 
with  authority  over  all  the  churches  and  all  the  other  ministers ;  but 
as  they  have  no  successors  in  their  inspiration  and  miraculous  gifts, 
by  which  they  were  qualified  to  exercise  such  a  power  over  their 
brethren,  so  they  have  no  successors  in  that  plenary  authority,  which 


568  HISTORY  OF   THE 

Christ  committed  to  them ;  but,  since  their  departure  out  of  the 
world,  all  regular  pastors  and  teachers  in  the  Church  of  Christ  are 
equal  in  authority,  no  one  being  invested  with  power  to  rule  over 
his  brelhrcn  in  the  ministry,  although  each  is  appointed  a  ruler  as 
well  as  an  instructer  over  the  flock  of  which  he  has  been  regularly 
constituted  a  bishop  ;  and  the  presbyterate  being  the  highest  perma- 
nent ofHce  in  the  Church,  every  faithful  pastor  of  a  flock  is  successor 
to  the  apostles  in  every  thing  in  which  they  were  to  have  any  suc- 
cessors, and  is  scripturally  ordained  with  the  "laying  on  of  the  hands 
of  the  presbytery;"  that  the  diflerence  which,  in  after  ages,  sprung 
up,  has  no  foundation  or  vestige  in  the  sacred  record  ;  that  the 
gradual  introduction  of  prelacy  within  the  first  four  centuries,  was 
not  only  practicable,  but  one  of  the  most  natural  and  probable  of  all 
events;  how  it  came  to  pass,  it  is  not  difficult  to  explain ;  and  the 
most  competent  judges  and  profound  inquirers  into  early  history, 
have  pronounced  that  it  actually  took  place;  that  all  arguments 
which  our  Episcopal  brethren  profess  to  derive  from  scripture  in 
favour  of  their  system,  are  perfectly  nugatory,  and  do  not  yield  it  the 
least  solid  support;  that  while  the  advocates  for  prelacy,  or  diocesan 
episcopacy,  have  mainly  relied  on  the  fathers,  the  fathers  of  the  first 
two  centuries  are  so  far  from  furnishing  a  single  passage  which  gives 
even  a  semblance  of  aid  to  the  episcopal  cause,  that,  like  the  scriptures, 
they  every  where  speak  a  language  wholly  inconsistent  with  it,  and  fa- 
vourable only  to  the  doctrine  of  ministerial  parity ;  that  the  great  body 
of  the  reformers  and  other  witnesses  for  the  truth,  of  different  ages 
and  nations,  with  one  voice,  maintained  the  same  doctrine,  as  taught 
in  scripture,  and  in  the  primitive  church ;  and  that  even  the  most  con- 
spicuous English  Reformers,  while  they  assisted  in  organizing  an  epis- 
copal establishment  in  their  own  country,  defended  it  on  the  ground  of 
human  expediency  and  the  will  of  the  magistrate,  rather  than  that  of 
divine  right ;  and  they  acknowledged  the  foreign  churches,  which 
were  organized  presbyterially,  to  be  true  churches  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
that  the  Church  of  England,  and  those  churches  which  have  imme- 
diately descended  from  her,  stand  absolutely  alone  in  the  whole 
Protestant  world,  in  representing  bishops  as  an  order  of  clergy  su- 
perior to  presbyters ;  all  other  Protestants,  even  those  who  adopt  a 
sort  of  prelacy,  having  pronounced  it  be  a  mere  human  invention ; 
that  some  of  the  most  learned  and  pious  bishops  and  other  divines  of 
the  Church  of  England,  have  utterly  disclaimed  the  divine  right  of 
diocescan  episcopacy;  and  have  declared  that  they  considered  a 
great  majority  of  the  clergy  of  that  church,  in  later  as  well  as  earlier 
times,  as  of  the  same  opinion  with  themselves;  and,  that  such  like 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  rpg 

various,  abundant,  and  explicit  testimony,  not  only  establishes  in  the 
most  perfect  manner  the  validity  of  the  Presbyterian  ordinations  and 
ministry,  but  it  goes  farther,  and  prove#  that  they  are  superior  to  the 
Episcopal,  as  being  more  scriptural,  more  conformable  to  primitive 
usage,  and  possessing  more  of  that  whole  character  which  is  fitted  to 
satisfy  an  humble,  simple-hearted,  Bible  Christian.  Therefore,  al- 
though some  zealous  advocates  for  the  divine  right  of  diocesan  episco- 
pacy charge  them  with  schism,  for  being  out  of  the  communion  of 
their  church,  and  denounce  our  ministry  and  ordinances  as  invalid : 
Presbyterians  may  well  receive  such  charges  and  denunciations  with 
the  same  calm,  unmoved,  dispassionate,  and  conscious  superiority, 
that  they  feel  when  a  partisan  of  the  Papacy  denounces  them  for  re- 
jecting the  supremax^y  of  the  Pope,  and  questions  the  possibility  of 
their  salvation  out  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 

And  as  the  church  is  one  body :  so,  for  the  wise  and  orderly  govern- 
ment of  the  whole,  it  is  expedient  to  have  a  gradation  of  courts  or 
judicatories,  from  the  authorities  which  pertain  to  a  particular  church, 
through  as  many  gradations  as  may  have  been  established,  up  to  the 
highest  judicatory  which  can  be  assembled,  with  convenience,  for  the 
decision  of  all  matters,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  which  may 
relate  to  the  welfare  and  increase  of  the  church.  And  it  is  accord- 
ingly held  to  be  agreeable  to  the  scriptures  that  the  church  be  go- 
verned by  congregational,  presbyterial,  and  synodical  assemblies. 

These  are  severally  composed,  both  of  ministers,  or  those  elders 
whose  office  it  is  to  preach  the  gospel  and  administer  the  sacraments, 
as  well  as  to  bear  rule ;  and  ruling  elders,  whose  office  has  been  un- 
derstood by  a  great  part  of  the  Protestant  Reformed  Churches,  to  be 
designated  in  the  holy  scriptures  by  the  title  of  "  gov^ernments,"  and 
of  those  "elders  who  rule  well,"  but  do  not  labour  in  the  word  and 
doctrine.  Hence  is  derived  the  name  "  Presbyterian,"  from  the  Greek 
words  ■TrgsCpuTEgo?  and  tf^stf/SuTs^iov,  which,  as  they  occur  in  the  New 
Testament,  respectively  signify  an  elder,  and  a  body  of  elders,  or  a 
"preslnjtery. 

The  officers  of  a  particular  church,  when  it  is  fully  organized,  are 
a  bishop,  or  pastor, — or  more  as  the  case  may  be — a  bench  of  ruling 
elders,  and  a  bench  of  deacons.  The  pastor,  or  pastors,  and  the 
ruling  elders,  compose  the  church  session.  To  this  body  is  confided 
the  spiritual  government  of  the  congregation;  for  which  purpose, 
they  have  power  to  inquire  into  the  knowledge  and  Christian  conduct 
of  the  members  of  the  church;  to  call  before  them  offenders  and  wit- 
nesses ;  to  receive  members  into  the  church ;  to  admonish,  to  rebuke, 
to  suspend,  or  exclude  from  the  sacraments  those  who  are  found  to 

37 


570  HISTORY  OF  THE 

deserve  censure ;  to  concert  the  best  measures  for  promoting  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  congregation ;  and  to  appoint  delegates  to  the 
presbytery  and  the  synod,  "ppeals  may  be  made  from  their  deci- 
sions, to  the  presbytery,  and  carried  up  to  the  higher  judicatories. 
The  business  of  the  deacons  is  to  take  care  of  the  poor ;  and  to  them 
may  be  properly  committed  the  management  of  the  temporal  affairs 
of  the  church.  The  ruling  elders  and  the  deacons  are  ordained,  or 
solemnly  set  apart,  to  their  respective  offices,  by  a  bishop. 

All  the  ministers,  (being  not  less  than  three  in  number,)  and  one 
ruling  elder  from  each  congregation,  within  a  certain  district,  are 
formed  into  a  presbytery.  This  body  has  pt)vver  to  receive  and  issue 
appeals  from  church  sessions,  and  references  brought  before  them  in 
an  orderly  manner ;  to  examine  and  license  candidates  for  the  holy 
mmistry  ;  to  ordain,  instal,  remove  and  judge  ministers ;  to  examine 
and  approve  or  censure  the  records  of  church  sessions ;  to  resolve 
questions  of  doctrine  or  discipline  seriously  and  reasonably  proposed  ; 
to  condemn  erroneous  opinions  which  injure  the  purity  or  peace  of 
the  church ;  to  visit  particular  churches,  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring 
into  their  state,  and  redressing  the  evils  that  may  have  arisen  in  them; 
to  unite  or  divide  congregations  at  the  request  of  the  people,  or  to 
form  or  receive  new  congregations ;  in  general  to  order  whatever 
pertains  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  churches  under  their  care ;  and 
to  appoiiit  delegates  to  the  General  Assembly. 

A  synod  is  a  convention  of  all  the  bishops,  and  one  ruling  elder 
from  each  congregation  within  a  larger  district  than  a  presbytery ; 
and  must  include  at  least  three  presbyteries.  The  sj^nod  has  power 
to  receive  and  issue  all  appeals  regularly  brought  up  from  the  pres- 
byteries ;  to  decide  on  all  references  made  to  them ;  to  review  the 
records  of  presbyteries,  and  approve  or  censure  them ;  to  redress 
whatever  has  been  done  by  presbyteries  contrary  to  order ;  to  take 
effectual  care  that  presbyteries  observe  the  constitution  of  the  church; 
to  erect  new  presbyteries,  and  unite  or  divide  those  which  were  before 
erected  ;  and  generally  to  lake  such  order  with  respect  to  the  presby- 
teries, sessions,  and  people  urvder  their  care,  as  may  be  in  conformity 
with  the  word  of  God,  and  the  established  rules,  and  which  tend  to 
promote  the  edification  of  the  ct-.urch. 

The  General  Assembly  is  the  highest  judicatory  of  the  Presbyterian 
(Church.  It  represents  in  one  body  all  the  particular  churches  of  this 
denomination,  and  constitutes  the  bovid  of  union,  peace,  correspond- 
ence, and  mutual  confidence,  among  all  our  churches.  It  consists  of 
an  equal  delegation  of  bishops  and  elders  from  eadi  presbytery  in  the 
following  proportion,  viz.:  each  presbytery  consisting  of 'not  moro 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  57  j 

than  twenty-four  ministers,  is  entitled  to  be  represented  by  one  mi- 
nister and  one  ruling  elder ;  and  each  presbytery  consisting  of  more 
than  twenty-four  ministers,  is  entitled  to  be  represented  by  two  minis- 
ters and  two  elders ;  and  in  the  like  proportion  for  every  twenty-four 
ministers  in  any  presbytery.  These  delegates  are  styled  commissionei's 
to  the  General  Assembly. 

This  body  is  empowered  to  receive  and  issue  all  appeals  and  re- 
ferences which  may  be  regularly  brought  before  it  from  the  infe- 
rior judicatories  ;  to  review  the  records  of  every  synod,  and  approve 
or  censure  them  ;  and  to  give  their  advice  and  instruction  in  all  cases 
submitted  to  them  in  conformity  with  the  constitution  of  the  church. 
To  it  also  belongs  the  power  of  deciding  in  all  controversies  respect- 
ing doctrine  and  discipline ;  of  reproving,  warning,  or  bearing  testi- 
mony against  error  in  doctrine,  or.  immorality  in  practice,  in  any 
church,  presbytery  or  synod;  of  erecting  new  synods  when  it  may 
be  judged  necessary ;  of  superintending  the  concerns  of  the  whole 
church;  of  corresponding  with  foreign  churches,  on  such  terms  as 
may  be  agreed  upon  by  the  assembly  and  the  corresponding  body ; 
of  suppressing  schismatical  contentions  and  disputations ;  and,  in 
general,  of  recommending  and  attempting  reformation  of  manners, 
and  the  promotion  of  charity,  truth,  and  holiness,  through  all  the 
churches  under  its  care. 

The  General  Assembly  is  required  to  meet  at  least  once  in  every 
year.  And  when  the  whole  business  that  may  have  come  before  it, 
has  been  finished,  and  the  time  and  place  for  the  next  meeting  ap- 
pointed, it  is  dissolved  ;  and  another  General  Assembly,  chosen  in  like 
manner,  is  required  to  meet  as  its  successor. 

For  carrying  out  the  objects  of  organizing  these  various  judicatories, 
the  constitution  has  prescribed  a  body  of  rules,  adjusted  with  great 
care  to  the  various  emergencies  to  which  they  are  to  be  specifically 
applied,  and  constituting  a  very  admirable  code,  under  which  the 
rights  and  freedom  of  every  minister  and  member  are  intended  to  be 
guarded  against  injustice  and  oppression,  while  it  has  an  efficient 
tendency  to  require  obedience  to  the  laws  of  Christ,  on  the  part  of  all 
persons  in  our  communion,  and  of  restraining  the  disorderly,  and  ex- 
cluding the  contumacious  and  the  impenitent. 

Before  any  overtures  or  regulations,  proposed  by  the  General 
Assembly,  to  be  established  as  constitutional  rules,  can  be  obligatory 
on  the  churches,  the  assembly  must  transmit  them  to  all  the  presby- 
teries, and  receive  the  returns  of  at  least  a  majority  of  them,  in  writ- 
ing, approving  thereof. 


572  HISTORY  OF  THE 

II.   HISTORY. 

For  centuries  before  the  Reformation,  the  whole  territory  of  nomi- 
nal Christendom,  with  the  solitary  exception  of  the  Alpine  wilderness 
between  Gaul  and  Germany  and  Italy,  was  covered  with  gross  dark- 
ness and  superstition,  and  oppressed  by  spiritual,  and  civil  and  eccle- 
siastical despotism.  The  occurrence  of  that  splendid  and  benign 
event,  was  the  occasion  of  reviving  the  truths  and  institutions  of 
primitive  Christianity,  and  thus,  of  restoring  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

It  is  remarkable  that  wherever  the  Reformation  pervaded,  and  in 
whatever  degree  it  made  progress,  both  on  the  continent  of  Europe 
and  in  the  British  Isles,  there  was  an  entire  agreement  among  the  Refor- 
mers, with  respect  to  the  truths  of  the  evangelical  system.  The  great 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  together  with  all  those  correlate  truths 
which  make  up  the  harmonious  system,  subsequently  known  by  the 
name  of  Calvinism,  every  where  prevailed  ;  and  however  diflerent 
from  each  other  the  forms  under  which  the  Reformed  Churches  were 
organized,  they  acknowledged  each  other  as  true  churches  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  mutually  cherished  a  beautiful  sympathy  and  fraternal 
intercourse. 

But  as  the  Reformation  was  commenced  and  carried  on  under 
different  auspices  and  circumstances,  this  fact  gave  birth,  especially 
in  Great  Britain,  to  a  series  of  events,  which  had  the  most  important 
influence  on  the  organization  and  character  of  the  churches,  both  of 
England  and  of  Scotland ;  on  the  condition  of  the  people  of  both 
kingdoms;  and,  ultimately,  on  the  settlement  of  this  country,  and  the 
planting  of  the  Church  of  God  on  these  shores. 

On  the  Continent,  the  Reformed  Churches  of  Germany,  Switzerland, 
France,  and  Holland,  were  organized  on  the  platform  of  Presbyteri- 
anism  ;  that  is,  on  the  essential  principles  of  the  parity  of  the  ministry, 
the  association  with  them  of  ruling  elders  for  the  government  of  the 
church,  and  the  gradation  of  consistorial,  classical  and  synodical 
assemblies. 

In  England,  the  Reformation  begun  in  royal  caprice  or  passion. 
The  sovereign  seized  upon  the  power  formerly  possessed  by  the  Pope, 
and  became  head  of  the  church  as  well  as  of  the  state.  The  conse- 
quences were  soon  apparent.  The  Reformation  was  made  subservient 
to  the  arbitrary  will  of  a  despotic  monarch,  through  the  pernicious 
element  of  his  ecclesiastical  supremacy.  Not  only  was  episcopacy 
thus  imposed  upon  the  church,  but  the  progress  of  reformation  was 
rendered  unsteady  and  fluctuating  in  the  struggle  which  soon  arose, 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  573 

between  the  courtly  and  prelatic  rulers  of  the  Church  and  the  Puri- 
tans, as  they  were  afterwards  called,  who  wished  to  effect  a  farther 
advancement  in  purity  and  in  truth,  and  bring  about  a  complete 
reform,  in  doctrine,  worship  and  order.  The  disputes  commenced 
ostensibly  in  respect  to  ecclesiastical  vestments,  but  included,  as 
various  emergencies  produced  them,  controversies  between  all  the 
points  of  a  simple,  scriptural  worship,  and  the  gorgeous  rituals  and 
superstitious  observances  which  had  descended  from  Popery.  Oppres- 
sion was  on  the  side  of  power.  Persecution  arose ;  and  the  progress 
of  civil  and  religious  despotism  became  rapid.  These  consequences 
advanced  steadily  through  the  reigns  of  Elizabeth,  James  I.  and 
Charles  I.,  and  becoming  unendurable,  at  length  involved  the  nation 
in  civil  war ;  and  an  outraged  people,  rising  in  their  might  against 
tyranny,  overturned  the  government  both  in  church  and  state.  During 
the  progress  of  these  events,  the  principles  of  the  Puritans  were  widely 
diffused,  and  finally  prevailed  in  the  Parliament  and  in  the  nation ; 
they  were  embodied  in  the  ecclesiastical  formularies  composed  by  the 
Westminster  Assembly,  which  met  in  A.  D.  1643;  and  being  adopted 
by  the  Parliament,  A.  D.  1649,  Presbyterianism  became  the  established 
religion.  Dissensions,  however,  arose  between  the  assembly  and  the 
Parliament,  which  ended  in  the  overthrow  of  the  new  establishment, 
in  the  restoration  both  of  monarchy  and  episcopacy,  under  Charles 
II.,  and  in  a  bitter  renewal  of  the  persecutions  against  the  Puritans. 
In  the  mean  lime  a  portion  of  the  Puritans,  (who  were  of  that  party 
which  preferred  Congregationalism,)  sought  a  refuge  in  the  wilds  of 
America ;  and  the  Pilgrims  of  the  Mayflower  laid  on  Plymouth  Rock 
the  foundations  of  their  institutions  in  the  New  World.* 

In  England  alone,  of  all  countries  where  the  Reformation  gained 


*  At  this  period  it  would  seem  that  Presbyterianism,  both  as  to  government  and  doctrine, 
included  the  far  greater  number  of  the  Puritans  of  England  ;  and  the  form  of  government 
which  was  adopted  by  the  early  churches  of  New  England,  had  at  the  least  a  much 
stronger  resemblance  to  the  Presbyterian  polity  than  that  which  now  exists  in  that  part 
of  our  country.  And  these  two  facts  may  account  for  the  ease  with  which  the  greater 
part  of  the  Puritans  who  emigrated  to  America  south  of  New  England,  and  of  those  who 
emigrated  from  New  England,  to  the  same  territory,  coalesced  with  the  Presbyterians  in 
the  earlier  times  of  our  church,  and  became  thoroughly  identified  with  it. 

The  infusion  of  Congregationalists  emigrating  from  New  England  was  comparatively 
small  as  to  numbers,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  ;  and  not  only  did  those 
elements  readily  coalesce  with  Presbyterianism,  so  as  to  lose  their  formal  distinctive  cha- 
racter altogether,  but  they  were  prepared  beforehand  to  do  so,  from  the  fact  that,  at  that 
early  period  the  old  leaven  of  Presbyterianism,  which  the  Puritans  of  England  so  generally 
adopted,  had  not  lost  its  vitality  under  those  influences  and  circumstances  which  had  given 
such  a  preponderance  to  Congregationalism  in  New  England,  as  Presbyterianism  had  had 
over  it  in  Old  England,  about  the  times  of  the  Westminster  Assembly. 


574 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


any  fooling,  was  the  Episcopal  form  of  government  found  in  the  Re- 
formed church. 

In  Scotland  the  Reformation  was,  from  the  beginning,  a  purely  ec- 
clesiastical and  popular  movement.  "  Patrick  Hamilton,  the  noble 
and  youthful  friend  of  Luther  and  Mclancthon,  learned  the  doctrines 
of  the  Reformed  faith,  and  taught  t+iem  to  his  countrymen,  till  his 
testimony  was  sealed  with  the  blood  of  martyrdom,  A.  D.,  1528. 
Wishart  gave  an  additional  impulse  to  the  sacred  cause,  equally  by 
his  teaching  and  his  death.  Several  of  the  Popish  priesthood  w'ere 
converted,  and  aided  in  converting  others.  John  Knox  caught  up  the 
same  testimony  ;  and  though,  by  the  commanding  power  of  his  genius, 
and  the  unconquerable  energy  of  his  character,  he  caused  the  voice 
of  religious  reformation  to  be  heard  throughout  the  kingdom,  equally 
by  prince  and  peasant,  in  the  palace  and  the  cottage:  still  it  was 
simply  and  essentially  a  religious  reformation,  taking  its  form  and 
impress  directly  from  the  word  of  God  alone,  encountering  at  every 
step  the  formidable  opposition  of  civil  powers  and  political  intrigues, 
instead  of  receiving  from  them  its  bias  and  its  external  aspect.  Be- 
lieving that  God's  word  contained  the  only  authoritative  direction  for 
doing  God's  work,  the  Scottish  reformers  made  their  sole  appeal 
•  to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony ;'  and  though  they  respected  the 
great  continental  Reformers,  they  sought  the  principles  of  doctrine, 
discipline,  and  government,  from  no  foreign  model,  but  from  the  holy 
scriptures  alone.  Thus  it  was  that  the  Church  of  Scotland  framed 
its  Confession  of  Faith,  and  its  First  Book  of  Discipline,  and  met,  in 
its  first  General  Assembly,  for  its  own  government,  in  1560,  seven 
years  before  it  had  even  received  the  sanction  of  the  legislature. 
From  its  origin  it  had  to  encounter  the  world's  opposition ;  in  its 
growth  it  received  little  or  nothing  of  a  worldly  admixture ;  and 
when  it  reached  somewhat  of  a  matured  form,  it  still  stood  opposed 
to  the  world's  corrupting  influence." — Heilierington. 

■James  VI.,  in  order  to  secure  uniformity  in  religion  throughout  his 
dominions,  and  to  obtain  for  himself  that  supremacy  in  ecclesiastical 
affairs  v\'hich  he  foresaw  he  could  never  obtain  over  a  free  General 
Assembly,  bent  all  his  resources  of  craft,  treachery,  and  force,  to  sub- 
vert Presbyterianism  and  substitute  Episcopacy.  After  his  accession 
to  the  throne  of  England,  (as  James  I.,)  he  partially  succeeded,  in 
utter  disregard  of  the  sentiments  of  the  great  majority  of  the  Scotch, 
in  procuring  the  appointment  of  bishops,  the  introduction  of  certain 
rites  and  ceremonies,  and  the  partial  suppression  of  General  Assem- 
blies. His  unhappy  son,  Charles  I.,  under  the  counsels  of  Laud,  at- 
tempted to  complete  the  work  which  his  predecessor  had  begun. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


575 


The  Scots  were  thoroughly  roused  to  resistance.  The  Assembly  of 
1638  threw  off  the  modified  Episcopacy  which  had  been  foisted  on 
the  church ;  and  its  act  was  confirmed  by  the  Scotch  Parliament  in 
the  following  year.  A  successful  stand  was  made  by  the  nation 
against  the  arnfy  raised  by  Charles  to  coerce  them.  The  Westmin- 
ster formularies  were  adopted  by  the  General  Assembly,  and  ratified 
by  Parliament.  And  Presbyterianism,  which  was  indeed  the  religion 
of  the  whole  nation,  maintained  its  ground  until  1660.  Then,  upon 
the  accession  of  Charles  II.,  renewed  attempts  were  made  by  that 
profligate  monarch  and  by  the  minions  of  Prelacy,  to  subvert  Pres- 
bytery. These  attempts  brought  on  a  violent  struggle,  which  lasted 
for  twenty-eight  years, — the  blackest  period  of  Scottish  historv, — 
when  the  malicious  bigotry  that  sought  to  dragoon  the  church  into 
Episcopacy  was  checked.  The  principles  which,  half  a  century  be- 
fore, had  contributed  to  bring  on  that  "Great  Rebellion,"  as  courtly 
and  prelatical  writers  have  called  it,  and  which  was  crushed  for  a 
season,  by  the  accession  of  Charles  II.,  still  lived;  and  being  farther 
stimulated  by  the  t'ery  persecutions  of  that  insolent  tyranny  which  in 
the  flush  of  success  became  more  resolute  to  quell  them,  they  spread 
abroad  more  extensively  and  powerfully  than  ever,  both  in  England 
and  Scotland.  The  Revolution  of  1688  was  effected  ;  James  II.  was 
expelled  from  the  throne,  and  William  and  Mary  established  thereon, 
by  the  almost  unanimous  suffrages  of  the  British  people :  and  thus 
was  a  more  secure  basis  laid  for  the  enjoyment  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty.     Then,  the  Presbyterians  of  Scotland  had  peace. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland  was  mainly  the  offspring  of 
Presbyterian  emigration  from  Scotland,  and,  as  in  the  sister  kingdom, 
it  grew  up  under  severe  persecutions  and  sufferings. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  derives  its  lineage 
from  the  Presbyterians  both  of  Ireland  and  Scotland.  It  is  true,  as 
has  been  before  stated,  that  Presbyterianism  was  the  form,  not  only 
of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  but  also  of  the  Reformed  Churches  on  the 
continent  of  Europe,  and  indeed  of  the  Puritans  of  England  about  the 
time  of  the  Westminster  Assembly ;  and  contributions  from  all  these 
sources  have  been  made  at  various  times  to  the  elements  of  the  Ame- 
rican Presbyterian  Churches.  But  still,  it  is  unquestionable,  that  the 
early  founders  of  this  church  were  principally  Scotch  and  Irish  Pres- 
byterians. In  like  manner,  the  Church  of  Scotland  was  more  than 
any  other  their  model,  in  the  whole  arrangement  of  their  judicatories, 
and  in  their  whole  ecclesiastical  nomenclature,  with  few  exceptions. 
And  on  this  account,  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  this  country  has  al- 


576  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ways  been  popularly  and  appropriately  regarded  as  the  daughter 
more  especially  of  the  Church  of  Scotland. 

The  persecutions  which  drove  so  many  of  the  early  settlers  to  this 
country  fell,  in  the  first  instance,  heaviest  on  the  Independents  and 
Quakers ;  and  when  it  came  upon  the  Presbyterians,  (at  least  those 
of  Scotland,)  it  did  not  drive  them  so  generally  from  their  own  coun- 
try ;  but  led  to  a  protracted  struggle  for  liberty  at  home — a  struggle 
which,  as  wc  have  seen,  was  eventually  crowned  with  success.  The 
opportunities  at  that  time  to  emigrate  were  also  few  and  far  between, 
and  a  very  small  number  only  could  take  their  flight ;  and  hence, 
until  the  revolution  in  1(588,  but  few  Presbyterians  had  become  resi- 
dents of  the  then  British  provinces  in  America.  And  as  they  did  not 
at  first  emigrate  in  large  bodies,  but  came,  as  a  general  rule,  as  indi- 
viduals, or  in  small  companies,  they  did  not  occupy  by  themselves 
extensive  districts  of  country,  but  settled  in  the  midst  of  other  denomi- 
nations. Thus,  scattered  as  they  were,  it  was  only  gradually  that 
they  became  sufficiently  numerous  in  any  one  place  to  form  congre- 
gations, or  to  associate  in  a  presbyterial  capacity. ' 

From  the  period  of  the  accession  of  William  and  Mary  to  the 
British  throne,  the  Presbyterians  began  to  remove  from  Scotland  and 
northern  Ireland,  to  America.  The  first  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
colonies  which  now  can  be  distinctly  traced,  was  organized  at  Phila- 
delphia, a  short  period  before  the  commencement  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  almost  coeval  with  it  was  the  formation  of  four  or  five 
churches  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay. 

The  primary  ecclesiastical  union  of  the  American  Presbyterians 
occurred  in  1706,  when  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  was  formed. 
It  consisted  of  seuen  ministers — Samuel  Davis,  John  Hampton,  Francis 
McKemie,*  and  George  McNish,  all  from  Ireland,  and  residing 
in  Maryland — Nathaniel  Taylor,  settled  at  Upper  Marlborough,  and 
John  Wilson,  ofBciating  at  Newcastle,  both  from  Scotland— and 
Jedediah  Andrews,  of  Philadelphia,  from  New  England.     To  whom 

*  Francis  McKcmie  was  the  first  Presbyterian  minister  on  the  western  continent. 
He  seems  to  have  been  one  of  tiie  Christians  who  had  experienced  much  opposition  and 
persecution  for  tlie  truth's  sake,  during  the  reigns  of  Charles  II.  and  James  II.,  in  Ire- 
land. His  characteristics  eminently  qualified  him  for  a  pioneer  in  those  colonies  where 
the  bigoted  Prelatists  had  the  sway.  He  possessed  handsome  intellectual  endowments, 
with  dauntless  fortitude,  a  commanding  extemporaneous  eloquence,  and  a  burning  zeal 
for  the  gospel.  In  New  York,  in  January,  1707,  he  was  illegally  arrested  and  impri- 
soned by  the  colonial  governor,  for  the  heinous  crime  of  j)reaehing  the  gospel.  The 
admirable  defence  which  he  made  upon  tiiat  occasion,  resulted  in  his  acquittal  and  deli- 
verance. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  577 

was  added  John  Boyd,  stationed  at  Freehold,  the  first  candidate  who 
was  ordained  by  that  presbytery,  on  October  29,  1706. 

According  to  the  official  statement  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadel- 
phia in  their  letter  to  the  Presbytery  of  Dublin,  dated  September, 
1710,  the  whole  number  of  the  ascertained  Presbyterians  at  that 
time  is  thus  given  :  "  In  Virginia,  one  small  congregation  at  Elizabeth 
river,  with  some  few  famiHes  in  Rappahannoc  and  York.  In  Mary- 
land, four;  in  Pennsylvania,  five;  and  in  the  Jerseys,  two;  with 
some  places  in  New  York."  This  enumeration  may  profitably  be 
contrasted  with  the  statistical  view  of  our  Presbyterian  Church,  ac- 
cording to  the  returns  of  1843;  which  are  exclusive  of  all  the  other 
correlative  Presbyterian  communities. 

After  the  presbyterial  organization  of  those  ministers  and  churches, 
their  numbers  and  stability  rapidly  were  augmented.  They  mani- 
fested much  solicitude  to  collect  the  scattered  people  "  favouring  our 
way,"  who  were  opposed  to  the  "  Episcopacy  established  by  law." 
To  secure  an  efficient  ministry,  they  wrote  to  Sir  Edmund  Harrison, 
an  influential  nonconformist  of  London  ;  to  the  Synod  of  Glasgow ; 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Dublin ;  to  Cotton  Mather ;  and  to  Mr.  Rey- 
nolds, a  prominent  Independent  minister  of  London,  desiring  their 
co-operation  and  aid.  That  correspondence  is  an  interesting  relic  of 
the  early  times  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  in  the  United  States, 
and  is  also  an  honourable  memorial  of  all  the  parties. 

The  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  having  become  much  enlarged; 
and  in  consequence  of  the  increasing  migration  of  persons  from  Scot- 
land and  Ireland  having  also  become  widely  scattered :  it  was  de- 
cided, at  their  meeting  in  September,  1716,  to  subdivide  their  body 
into  "  four  subordinate  meetings  or  presbyteries ;"  all  of  which  were 
constituent  members  of  the  general  body  thenceforward  denominated 
the  "  Synod  of  Philadelphia."  By  that  division,  the  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia  comprised  5/x  ministers  with  their  churches;  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Newcastle,  six  ministers  and  their  churches  ;  the  Presbytery 
of  Snowhill,  t/u^ee  ministers  and  their  churches ;  and  the  Presbytery 
of  Long  Island,  tivo  ministers  and  their  churches,  with  the  anticipated 
immediate  addition  of  other  conffre^ations. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  was  held  in  that 
city,  September  17,  1717,  and  embodied  thirteen  ministers,  with  s/j: 
elders. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia,  in  1718,  a  striking 
memorial  of  William  Tennent  is  recorded.  It  contains  the  reasons 
which  he  offered  concerning  his  withdrawment  from  the  established 


578  HISTORY  OF  THE 

church  in  Ireland.     The  synod  ordered  "  that  his  reasons  be  inserted 
in  the  synod  book,  ad  futuram  ret  memoriam."* 

In  the  year  1718  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  renewed  their  solicita- 
tions to  the  Presbytery  of  Dublin  and  the  Independent  ministry  of 
London  for  additional  preachers  and  other  missionary  assistance ;  at 
which  period  they  state  their  number  to  be  twenty-three  ministers  and 
three  probationers. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  synod  in  1721,  there  was  made  a  declaration 
that  the  Presbyterians  in  America  had  exercised  the  Presbyterian 
government  and  discipline,  according  to  the  practice  of  "  the  best 
Reformed  Churches,  as  far  as  the  nature  and  constitution  of  this 
country  will  allow."  The  circumstances  which  caused  that  resolu- 
tion do  not  appear.  Six  ministers  protested  against  it ;  but  at  the 
meeting  of  the  synod  in  1722,  the  disputants  agreed  upon  four  arti- 
cles— "  Presbyteries,  synods,  and  church-ofRcers  have  executive 
power  of  church-government:  they  may  decide  upon  the  circum- 
stantials of  church-discipline.  Synods  may  compose  directories. 
Appeals  may  be  made  to  the  superior  judicatories,  who  should 
determine  them."  There  is,  however,  an  equivocal  clause,  which 
says,  "  Provided,  that  those  '  Acts'  of  the  ecclesiastical  judicatories 
shall  not  be  imposed  upon  such  as  conscientiously  dissent  from 
them." 

In  the  year  1728  an  overture  was  presented  to  the  Synod  of 
Philadelphia,  respecting  subscription  to  the  "  Confession  of  Faith, 
Catechisms,  &c.,"  which  was  referred  to  the  next  synod.  Although 
the  Westminster  Assembly's  Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms 
always  had  been  the  only  standard  of  faith,  rites,  government,  and 
discipline:  yet  the  book  itself  had  never  been  formally  announced  as 

*  "  The  reasons  of  William  Tennent  for  his  dissenting  from  the  established  church  in 
Ireland,  delivered  by  him  to  the  synod,  held  at  Philadelphia,  September  17,  1718:  1. 
Their  government,  by  bishops,  archbishops,  deans,  archdeacons,  canons,  chapters, 
chancellors,  and  vicars,  is  wholly  unscriptural.  2.  Their  discipline  by  surrogates  and 
chancellors  in  their  courts  ecclesiastic,  is  without  a  foundation  in  the  word  of  God.  3. 
Their  abuse  of  that  supposed  discipline  by  commutation,  4.  A  diocesan  bishop  cannot 
be  founded,  jure  divino,  upon  PauVs  epistles  to  Timothy  or  Titus,  nor  any  where  else  in 
the  word  of  God,  and  so  is  a  mere  human  invention.  5.  The  usurped  power  of  the 
bishops  at  their  yearly  visitations,  acting  all  of  themselves,  without  consent  of  the  bre- 
thren. 6.  Pluralities  of  benefices.  7.  The  churches  conniving  at  the  practice  of  Armi- 
nian  doctrines  inconsistent  with  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  and  an  encouragement  to 
vice.  Besides,  I  could  not  be  satisfied  with  their  ceremonial  way  of  worsliip.  Those, 
&.C.,  have  so  affected  my  conscience,  that  I  could  no  longer  abide  in  a  churcli  where 
the  same  are  practised. 

"  *  "  William  Tennent." 


•  PRESBYTERIAN!  CHURCH.  579 

the  creed  and  the  directory  of  the  American  Presbyterians.  The 
overture  of  1728  was  designed  to  supply  that  alleged  deficiency, 
which  produced,  in  the  following  year,  "  The  Adopting  Act,"  which 
was  a  very  important  measure  in  its  subsequent  application  to  the 
authorized  theological  and  practical  system  of  the  American  Presby- 
terian Churches.  The  entire  documents  are  found  in  the  volume  of 
Records  containing  the  proceedings  of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  synod  in  1735  it  was  directed,  "That  each 
presbytery  have  the  whole  Adopting  Act  inserted  in  their  presbytery 
book,"  Notwithstanding  those  apparently  uniform  avowals  on  the 
part  of  the  synod  of  their  undivided  opinion,  and  of  their  obvious 
intention :  yet  there  seems  to  have  been  a  dissatisfaction  among  a 
portion  of  the  churches  respecting  the  true  meaning  of  the  synodical 
declaration.  Therefore,  to  silence  all  cavils,  the  Synod  of  Philadel- 
phia, in  1736,  reiterated  their  testimony  in  an  emphatic  announce- 
ment, which  was  "  approved,  nemine  contradiceJite." 

That  avowal  was  perfectly  explicit,  and  was  the  cardinal  rule  and 
test  of  a  Presbyterian's  creed. 

Although  the  Presbyterians  were  divided  into  two  bodies  from  the 
year  1745  to  1758,  yet  upon  the  final  agreement  of  the  two  synods 
at  the  latter  period,  in  the  terms  of  their  union  they  adopted  this 
clause,  as  the  first  article  of  their  compact : 

"  Both  synods  having  always  approved  and  received  the  West- 
minster Confession  of  Faith  and  Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms,  as 
an  orthodox  and  excellent  system  of  Christian  doctrine,  founded  on 
the  word  of  God :  we  do  still  receive  the  same  as  the  confession  of 
our  faith ;  and  also  adhere  to  the  plan  of  worship,  government  and 
discipline,  contained  in  the  Westminster  Directory ;  strictly  enjoining 
it  on  all  our  ministers  and  probationers  for  the  ministry,  that  they 
preach  and  teach  according  to  the  form  of  sound  words  in  the  said 
confession  and  catechisms,  and  avoid  and  oppose  all  errors  contrary 
thereto." 

In  1737  the  synod  prohibited  the  members  of  one  presbytery  from 
preaching  to  the  congregations  within  another  presbytery,  "  without 
a  regular  invitation."  The  object  of  this  rule  was  to  restrain  minis- 
ters, who  travelled  about  preaching  during  the  "great  revival,"  from 
holding  meetings  in  those  places  where,  as  the  itinerants  declared, 
there  was  a  "graceless  minister  and  a  lukewarm  presbytery." 
Moreover,  in  1738,  the  synod  resolved,  that  every  candidate  for  the 
ministry  should  have  a  diploma  from  a  college  in  Europe  or  New 
England,  or  a  certificate  of  competent  scholarship  from  a  committee 
of  the  synod. 


580      -  HISTORY  OF  THE  t 

Protest. — In  the  following  year,  the  opponents  of  those  measures 
presented  an  "  Apology  for  dissenting  from  those  two  new  religious 
laws."  In  that  paper  they  assert,  that  there  is  a  parity  or  equality 
of  power  among  ministers ;  that  a  presbytery,  or  the  smallest  asso- 
ciation of  ministers,  has  power  to  ordain  ;  and  that  they  have  autho- 
rity to  judge  of  the  qualifications  of  candidates. 

The  synod's  claim  to  jurisdiction  in  the  examination  of  candidates 
for  the  ministry  was  contested  with  great  earnestness  and  some  per- 
sonal acrimony;  and  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick  formally 
protested  against  the  power  which  the  synod  asserted.  In  1741  a 
counter  protestation  was  presented  to  the  synod,  which  includes 
many  historical  illustrations  of  that  period.  It  contains  a  denuncia- 
tion of  the  "  unwearied,  unscriptural,  anti-presbyterial,  uncharitable, 
and  divisive  practices  of  the  protesting  brethren  and  their  adherents." 
The  document  is  inserted  entire  in  the  Records  of  the  Synod  of  Phi- 
ladelphia. 

The  strife  increased,  until,  in  1745,  it  was  terminated  by  the 
organization  of  the  Synod  of  New  York. 

Dr.  Hodge  thus  accurately  decides  on  this  topic :  *•■  The  majority 
were  influenced  by  a  sincere  desire  to  secure  an  adequately  educated 
ministry ;  and  the  minority,  by  the  belief  that  the  operation  of  the 
rule  would  be  inimical  to  the  progress  of  religion.  The  conduct  of 
the  New  Brunswick  Presbytery  was  precisely  analogous  to  that  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  who  refused  to  comply  with  the  consti- 
tutional provisions  as  to  the  qualifications  of  candidates.  It  was  not 
diversity  of  opinion  as  to  doctrine  or  discipline,  but  loss  of  confi- 
dence, and  alienation  of  feeling  respecting  the  revival  of  religion." 

During  the  separation  of  the  two  synods,  nothing  of  peculiar 
interest  occurred,  except  the  gradual  enlargement  of  the  number  of 
ministers  and  churches,  and  the  constant  ineflbctual  attempts  to  pro- 
mote an  agreement  between  the  dissidents.  The  difierences  of 
opinion  upon  the  non-essential  topics  which  had  separated  them,  at 
length  having  wisely  been  obliterated,  both  synods  dissolved,  and  the 
members  of  each  assembled  and  constituted  but  one  body,  under  the 
title  of  the  "Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia;"  which  appella- 
tion they  retained  until  the  year  1788,  when  they  divided  themselves 
into  four  synods,  preparatory  to  the  first  nieeting  of  the  General 
Assembly  in  1789. 

For  the  quarter  of  a  century  preceding  the  formation  of  the  Synod 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  the  Presbyterians  gradually  increased 
in  that  part  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley  of  Virginia,  around  and  above 
the   southern   termination   of  the  Peaked  Mountain.     During  that 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  581 

period  they  were  much  harassed  by  the  adherents  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  the  province.  In  1738  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  applied 
to  Mr.  Gooch,  then  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Virginia,  on  behalf  of 
their  brethren,  who  returned  a  favourable  answer,  particularly  re- 
specting the  scattered  people  who  resided  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
The  settlement  of  that  district  and  the  organization  of  those  churches 
form  an  impressive  and  memorable  portion  of  the  early  history  of 
American  Presbyterianism.  Every  obstacle  was  adopted  to  thwart 
the  ministerial  labours  and  success  of  the  Presbyterian  preachers,  and 
to  embarrass  and  distress  them  and  their  isolated  disciples.*  These 
facts  are  virtually  implied  in  the  formal  application  of  the  Synod  of 
Philadelphia  to  the  colonial  authorities  on  behalf  of  their  suffering 
brethren.  They  also  are  matters  of  family  record  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  those  States ;  as,  since  the 
commencement  of  the  present  century,  some  of  the  primitive  settlers 
then  survived.  Their  immediate  descendants  now  constitute  the 
main  body  of  the  elder  Presbyterian  congregations  in  Western  Vir- 
ginia. 

The  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  at  their  primary  meeting 
in  1758,  comprised  ninety-two  ministers;  who  agreed  that  all  their 
"differences  and  disputes  should  be  laid  aside  and  buried  without  future 
inquiry."  The  "  Plan  of  Union"  was  unanimously  approved ;  and 
the  principles  included  in  that  compact  have  constituted,  from  that 

*  Stith,  in  his  History  of  Virginia,  p.  148,  records  that,  in  1618,  it  was  enacted  by  law, 
that  "Every  person  should  go  to  church  on  Sundays  and  holy  days,  or  lie  neck  and  heels 
that  night,  and  be  a  slave  to  the  colony  the  following  week."  For  the  second  offence  he 
was  to  be  a  "  slave  for  a  month ;"  and  for  the  third  offence,  he  was  to  be  in  bondage 
"for  a  year  and  a  day."  By  a  law  of  the  year  1642,  the  very  time  when  the  prelatical 
hierarchy  was  subverted  in  Britain,  it  was  enacted,  that  "  No  minister  shall  be  permitted 
to  officiate  in  this  country,  but  such  as  shall  produce  to  the  governor  a  testimonial  that 
he  hath  received  his  ordination  from  some  bishop  in  England ;  and  shall  then  subscribe 
to  be  conformable  to  the  orders  and  constitutions  of  the  Church  of  England ;  and  if  any 
other  person,  pretending  himself  to  be  a  minister,  contrary  to  this  act,  shall  presume  to 
teach  or  preach,  publicly  or  privately  :  the  governor  and  council  are  hereby  desired  and 
empowered  to  suspend  and  silence  the  person  so  offending ;  and  upon  his  obstinate  per- 
sistance,  to  compel  him  to  depart  the  country  with  the  first  convenience." 

Dr.  Miller,  in  his  Life  of  Rodgers,  having  recited  the  preceding  anti-christian  enact- 
ments, adds,  "We  are  accustomed  to  smile  at  what  are  called  the  Blue  Laws  of  Con- 
necticut; but  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  any  thing  in  them  equal  to  the  first  act 
above-mentioned."  To  which  may  be  subjoined,  that  the  source  of  the  Virginia  laws 
was  bigoted  intolerance,  and  the  result  of  them,  infidelity  and  irreligion,  which  still 
exist  after  the  lapse  of  a  century ;  while  the  laws  of  Connecticut  originated  in  a  devout 
solicitude  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  spiritual  welfare  of  men ;  and  that  the  general 
effects  of  them  appeared  in  the  benign  "  fruits  of  righteousness." 


582  HISTORY  OF  THE 

time,  the  foundation  upon  which  all  the  Presbyterian  churches  have 
been  erected. 

At  that  period  there  must  have  been  great  additions,  by  migration, 
to  the  Tresbyterian  denomination;  as  eigiit  ministers  more  are  reported 
in  1759,  than  in  the  preceding  year,  and  the  progressive  enlarge- 
ment of  the  churches  continued  until  the  commencement  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  Indeed,  of  the  religious  population  south  of  New 
England,  during  the  existence  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia, the  Presbyterians  must  have  increased  more  than  any  other 
denomination.  The  Episcopalians,  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  Carolina,  almost  disappeared. 
The  Methodists,  also,  in  consequence  of  John  Wesley's  opposition  to 
the  American  Revolution,  and  the  flight  of  the  preachers  to  England, 
scarcely  retained  their  numbers  throughout  the  national  contest.  The 
Baptists  did  not  develope  their  enterprise  as  they  subsequently  have 
done.  The  Presbyterians,  however,  maintained  the  meetings  of  their 
ecclesiastical  bodies  regularly,  although  with  fewer  numbers,  and 
amid  the  interruptions  which  unavoidably  accompanied  the  public 
agitation ;  but,  during  the  thirty  years  prior  to  the  formation  of  the 
General  Assembly,  by  the  number  of  emigrants  from  Scotland  and 
the  north  of  Ireland,  the  churches  were  both  enlarged  and  multiplied. 
In  1789,  there  were  one  hundred  and  eiglily-eight  Presbyterian 
preachers,  and /owr  hundred  and  nineteen  churches;  of  which  two 
hundred  and  four  were  destitute  of  the  stated  ministry  and  ordinances. 

The  historical  circumstances  worthy  of  distinct  remembrance,  in 
connexion  with  the  Presbyterian  churches,  previous  to  the  formation 
of  the  General  Assembly,  may  thus  be  specified  in  alphabetical  order. 
Almost  all  of  them  were  of  a  permanent  character,  in  connexion  with 
the  ecclesiastical  polity  of  the  denomination. 

Bibles  and  Religious  Boohs. — As  many  of  the  Presbyterians  were 
widely  scattered,  and  it  was  impossible  to  answer  the  call  for  minis- 
terial help :  the  synod,  at  several  periods,  distributed  large  quantities 
of  the  holy  scriptures,  and  the  works  of  Baxter,  Doddridge,  and 
others,  among  the  hungry  people  famishing  for  "  the  bread  of  life." 

Domestic  Missions. — In  the  year  I7G7  that  interesting  topic  was 
discussed,  and  a  plan  was  adopted  to  provide  the  instruments  and 
means  to  execute  the  benevolent  design ;  but  the  noble  project  was 
impeded  by  the  subsequent  political  convulsions,  and  continued  par- 
tially in  abeyance  until  the  formation  of  the  "  Standing  Committee  of 
Missions"  in  1805. 

Fasts  and  Pastoral  Letters,  ivith  reference  to  the  Revolutionary  War. 
— The  members  of  the  synod  during  the  period  that  "  tried  men's 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  5g3 

souls,"  from  the  commencement  of  the  colHsion  with  Britain  respecting 
the  Stamp  Act,  until  the  treaty  of  peace,  in  1782,  were  decided  adhe- 
rents of  rehgious  and  civil  Uberty.  Indeed  this  was  the  case  with 
all  Presbyterians  of  all  denominations  in  the  country.  They  were 
the  sons  of  sires  who  had  suffered  for  freedom  in  the  Old  World ; 
and  upon  the  renewal  of  attempts  to  bring  the  colonies  under  that 
despotism  in  Church  and  State,  from  which  they  had  fled,  one  heart 
seemed  to  animate  all  classes  and  bodies  of  these  sturdy  opponents  of 
tyrannical  bigotry.  From  the  journal  of  a  convention  held  by  dele- 
gates from  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Churches,  for  some 
years  before  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities,  it  appears  that  great  ap- 
prehensions were  entertained  of  an  attempt  to  establish  the  Church  of 
England  in  this  country,  with  all  the  odious  and  oppressive  powers 
exercised  by  the  bishops  in  that  country.  No  more  devoted  Whigs 
were  found  in  America  than  the  people  and  ministers  of  every  name 
in  this  land,  who  eminently  unite  the  principles  of  that  magnificent 
motto,  "  A  Church  without  a  bishop,  and  a  State  without  a  king." 
They  went  heartily  into  the  cause  of  liberty.  The  pulpit  and  the 
press,  the  senate  chamber  and  the  battle-field,  their  murdered  bodies, 
desecrated  churches,  and  ravaged  dwellings,  bore  witness  to  their  own 
zeal,  and  the  special  hate  of  the  ruthless  invaders. 

As  a  farther  illustration  of  this  part  of  the  subject,  the  writer  hopes 
to  be  pardoned,  for  quoting  from  himself:  "  In  framing  the  constitu- 
tions of  some  of  the  old  thirteen  states,  or  in  settling  their  polity  as 
independent  states,  the  separation  of  religious  establishments  from  the 
state  was,  in  some  measure,  the  result  of  formal  petitions  to  that  effect, 
from  large  bodies  of  the  clergy.  Such  was  the  fact,  with  respect  to 
the  Presbyterian  ministers  of  Virginia.  It  was  so  in  New  York. 
Those  men  who  have  been  stigmatized  as  the  crafty  intriguers  for  a 
union  of  Church  and  State,  were  men, — now  speaking  of  nearly  all 
the  great  evangelical  denominations  of  the  time,  and  especially  of  the 
Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians, — were  men  foremost  in  the 
works  and  conflicts  of  patriotism,  in  '  those  days  that  tried  men's 
souls.'  It  was  Presbyierianism  as  to  doctrine,  and  even  a  modifica- 
tion of  it  as  to  government,  which  settled  New  England,  and  made  it 
the  garden  it  is.  And,  without  disparaging  others,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  may  claim  a  large  share  of  that  influence  which  has  produced 
the  order,  happiness,  and  prosperity  of  the  middle  and  western  por- 
tions of  this  country.  Presbyierianism  is  eminently  a  system  of 
public  and  private  virtue.  Patriotism  owns  it  as  her  own  ally  and 
friend.  To  her,  civil  and  religious  liberty,  under  God,  owe  much  of 
their  present  large  extent.     She  sent  these  fountains  of  blessedness 


58  I  HISTORY  OF  THE 

througli  England  in  despite  of  the  Tudors  and  the  Stuarts ;  her  own 
Scotland  cherishes  her  as  the  guardian  of  the  freedonn  which  she  pur- 
chased for  that  land  with  her  blood,  and  for  the  Lordship  of  Christ  in 
his  own  heritage  in  that  land,  she  has  perilled  every  temporal  immu- 
nity; her  principles  and  valour  are  indelibly  interwoven  with  the  self- 
denying  and  successful  struggles  with  which  Holland  vindicated  her 
liberties  from  the  oppressions  of  'kingly  and  of  priestly  tyranny;' — 
and  in  the  war  of  the  American  Revolution,  the  daring  and  generous 
heroism  of  her  sons,  her  members  and  her  ministers,  in  this  land, 
stands  nobly  emblazoned  among  the  soldiers,  the  statesmen  and  the 
patriots  of  those  times.  When  others  proved  traitors  and  fled,  or 
fought  the  battles  of  tyranny,-  they  stood  faithful.  "  When  the  Decla- 
ration of  Independence  was  under  debate  in  the  Continental  Congress, 
doubts  and  forebodings  were  whispered  through  that  hall.  The  House 
hesitated,  wavered,  and  for  a  while,  the  liberty  and  slavery  of  the 
nation  appeared  to  hang  in  even  scale.  It  was  then  an  aged  patriarch 
arose ;  a  venerable  and  stately  form  ;  his  head  white  with  the  frost  of 
years.  Every  eye  went  to  him  with  the  quickness  of  thought,  and 
remained  with  the  fixedness  of  a  polar  star.  He  cast  on  the  assembly 
a  look  of  inexpressible  interest  and  unconquerable  determination ; 
while  on  his  visage,  the  hue  of  age  was  lost  in  the  flush  of  burning 
patriotism  that  fired  his  cheek.  *  There  is,'  said  he,  when  he  saw  the 
House  wavering,  '  there  is  a  tide  in  the  afiairs  of  men, — a  nick  of 
time.  We  perceive  it  now  before  us.  To  hesitate,  is  to  consent  to 
our  own  slavery.  That  noble  instrument  upon  your  table,  which  in- 
sures immortality  to  its  author,  should  be  subscribed  this  very  morning 
by  every  pen  in  the  House.  He  that  will  not  respond  to  its  accents 
and  strain  every  nerve  to  carry  into  effect  its  provisions,  is  unworthy 
the  name  of  a  freeman.  For  my  own  part,  of  property  I  have  som  e 
— of  reputation  more.  That  reputation  is  staked,  that  property  is 
pledged  on  the  issue  of  this  contest.  And  although  these  gray  hairs 
must  soon  descend  into  the  sepulchre,  I  would  infinitely  rather  they 
should  descend  thither  by  the  hands  of  the  public  executioner,  than 
desert,  at  this  crisis,  the  sacred  cause  of  my  country.'  Who  was  it 
that  uttered  this  memorable  speech,  potent  in  turning  the  scales  of  a 
nation's  destiny,  and  worthy  to  be  preserved  in  the  same  imperishable 
record  in  which  is  registered  the  not  more  eloquent  speech  ascribed 
to  John  Adams  on  the  same  sublime  occasion  ?  It  was  John  With- 
erspoon,  at  that  day  the  most  distinguished  Presbyterian  minister  west 
of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  the  father  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States. 

"  Those  men  had  suffered  too  much  from  the  abuses  of  this  adul- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  595 

terous  union,  and  especially  from  the  arrogance  and  bigotry  of  the 
prelatical  establishments,  even  in  the  colonial  state,  to  wish  for  the 
continuance  of  the  union  of  Church  and  State.  They  had  faith  in 
their  holy  religion,  and  in  the  God  who  revealed  it,  to  believe  that  he 
would  prosper  it  without  state  patronage ;  and  all  they  claimed  was 
protection." 

The  pastoral  letters  of  the  synod  at  this  time  inculcate  much  well- 
timed  admonition,  and  urgently  advise  all  the  churches  to  betake 
themselves  to  the  throne  of  grace,  there  to  seek  their  God,  who  was 
their  only  refuge  and  strength,  and  their  very  present  help  in  time  of 
trouble. 

Literary  Institutions. — Emulating  the  example  of  their  Calvinistic 
brethren,  the  Puritans,  the  Presbyterians  ever  have  manifested  a 
quenchless  solicitude  for  the  advancement  of  literature,  and  espe- 
cially for  the  dissemination  of  the  "  light  and  the  truth."  The  "  Log 
College"  at  Neshaminy,  although  Mr.  Tennent's  private  institution, 
was  the  incentive  to  more  combined  effort,  and  was  the  pioneer  for 
the  Newark  Academy,  and  the  Philadelphia  and  Nassau  Hall  Col- 
leges. 

Union  with  other  Denominations. — In  the  year  1766,  a  proposition 
was  made  in  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  for  a  corre- 
spondence with  "  the  Consociated  Churches  of  Connecticut" — and  the 
matter  was  continually  under  discussion  until  the  Revolution  com- 
menced,— after  which  the  subject  was  disregarded  until  the  General 
Assembly  resumed  the  consideration  of  it  in  1790. 

In  the  year  1784,  the  Reformed  Dutch  Classis  of  Nevir  Brunswick, 
having  complained  of  the  conduct  of  some  of  the  Presbyterian  minis- 
ters, the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  determined  "  to  enter 
into  an  amicable  correspondence  upon  subjects  of  general  utility  and 
friendship  between  the  churches." 

A  joint  conference  of  delegates  of  the  Presbyterian,  Reformed 
Dutch,  and  Associate  Reformed  Synods,  was  held  in  October,  1785; 
which  resulted  in  the  promotion  of  more  confraternity  between  those 
three  denominations. 

Universalism. — One  of  the  latest  measures  of  the  Synod  of  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  was,  to  bear  their  testimony  against  the  heresy  pro- 
pagated by  them  who  deny  the  doctrine  of  future  punishment.  As 
the  assertion  of  the  boundless  malignity  of  sin,  and  the  never-dying- 
anguish  of  the  impenitent,  is  a  solemn  part  of  the  Presbyterian  faith, 
and  the  knowledge  of  that  fact  should  be  reiterated :  the  important 
declaration  of  the  synod  is  here  inserted. — "  Whereas  the  doctrine  of 
imiversal  salvation,  and  of  the  finite  duration  of  hell  torments,  has 

38 


580 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


been  propagated  by  sundry  persons  who  live  in  the  United  States  of 
America;  and  the  people  under  our  care  may  possibly,  from  their 
occasional  conversation  with  the  propagators  of  such  a  dangerous 
opinion,  be  infected  by  the  doctrine :  the  synod  take  this  opportunity 
to  declare  their  utter  abhorrence  of  such  doctrines  as  they  apprehend 
to  be  subversive  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  religion  and  morality ; 
and  therefore  earnestly  recommend  it  to  all  their  presbyteries  and 
members  to  be  watchful  upon  this  subject,  and  to  guard  against  the 
introduction  of  such  tenets  among  our  people." 

The  above  particulars  refer  more  directly  to  the  external  relations  of 
the  Presbyterian  churches;  the  others  of  a  permanent  character 
belong  to  their  interior  discipline. 

Candidates  for  the  Ministry. — The  controversy  among  the  members 
of  the  synod  was  prolonged  during  two  meetings  in  17GI  and  17G2. 
It  was  founded  upon  the  "  propriety,"  and  the  ^^ right,"  and  the  "  equity" 
of  demanding  of  the  candidate  an  account  of  his  personal  religious 
exercises,  and  then  making  his  statement  the  criterion  of  admitting  or 
rejecting  him.  The  whole  subject  was  finally  transferred  to  each 
presbytery,  to  act  upon  and  decide  as  they  considered  most  proper 
and  evangelical. 

This  question  was  also  propounded  for  the  decision  of  the  synod  in 
1783:  "Whether  a  person  without  a  liberal  education  may  be  taken 
on  trials,  or  be  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel?  The  question  being 
put,  it  was  carried  in  the  negative."'  A  similar  inquiry  was  made  of 
the  synod  in  1785,  in  these  words:  "  Whether  in  the  present  state  of 
the  church  in  America,  and  the  scarcity  of  ministers  to  fill  our 
numerous  congregations,  the  synods  or  presbyteries  ought  therefore 
to  relax,  in  any  degree,  in  the  literary  qualifications  required  of 
intrants  into  the  ministry  1  And  it  was  carried  in  the  negative  by  a 
great  majority." 

Education. — In  1771,  a  plan  for  the  education  of  poor  and  pious 
youth  for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  was  submitted  to  the  synod,  and 
unanimously  approved.  The  object,  however,  seems  to  have  been 
forgotten  during  the  turbulent  times  which  followed  ;  but  subsequently 
it  was  revived,  and  by  its  benign  operation  it  has  been  the  chief 
means,  through  which  the  increasing  demands  of  the  churches  and  the 
people  in  the  western  settlements  have  been  supplied  with  the  ministry 
of  the  word  and  evangelical  ordinances. 

Foreign  Ministers. — The  admission  of  ministers  from  Britain  and 
Ireland  was  a  matter  of  peculiar  difficulty,  on  account  of  the  known 
and  avowed  Anti-Calvinistic  principles  of  many  of  them.  Great  dis- 
crepance of  opinion  existed,  concerning  the  application  of  any  precise 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  5<;57 

regulation  to  the  applicants.  In  1773,  the  topic  was  formally  intro- 
duced in  a  rule  precluding  the  reception  of  any  foreign  ministers  by 
the  presbyteries,  without  the  previous  approbation  of  the  synod.  Many 
were  dissatisfied  with  this  restriction  ;  and  the  following  year,  the 
rule  was  mitigated.  In  1782,  on  the  restoration  of  peace,  the  subject 
was  resumed  ;  and  in  1784,  a  general  monition  was  addressed  to  the 
presbyteries  and  churches,  warning  them  of  their  duty.  Finally,  the 
General  Assembly  adopted  a  plan  which  united  caution  with  confra- 
ternity, and  in  accordance  with  it  the  presbyteries  now  decide. 

Marriage. — The  matrimonial  relation  has  been  one  of  the  most 
prolific  subjects  of  polemical  discussion  and  appellate  scrutiny  in  the 
ecclesiastical  bodies  of  the  Presbyterian  churches.  At  the  very  first 
meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia,  the  marriage  of  a  man  with 
his  brother's  widow  was  the  subject  of  a  reference.  From  that  day 
to  this  time,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years,  the  precise  meaning 
of  the  fourth  section  of  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  has  been  disputed  by  the  ecclesiastical  bodies ;  for  they  have 
adjudicated  one  year;  rescinded  on  another  occasion;  re-enacted  on 
a  third;  nullified  on  a  fourth;  referred  back  on  the  fifth;  adopted  an 
equivocal  decision  on  a  sixth;  and  virtually  expunged,  after  a  seventh 
protracted  discussion. 

From  the  proceedings  of  the  elder  synods  and  the  General  As- 
sembly it  appears  that  their  decision  has  been  required  on  the  follow- 
ing examples :  marriage,  after  the  proof  of  adultery ;  the  marriage  of 
a  brother's  widow  ;  the  marriage  of  a  half  brother's  widow  ;  the  mar- 
riage of  a  brother's  and  sister's  relicts ;  the  marriage  of  two  sisters  in 
succession,  or  of  a  deceased  wife's  sister;  the  marriage  of  a  wife's 
brother's  daughter;  the  marriage  of  a  wife's  half  brother's  daughter; 
the  marriage  of  a  wife's  sister's  daughter ;  and  the  marriage  of  a  man 
who  had  not  been  legally  divorced  from  his  wife,  in  a  case  of  long 
protracted  obstinate  desertion. 

In  the  year  1761,  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  de- 
cided that  the  marriage  of  a  brother's  or  sister's  relict,  and  of  a 
deceased  "  wife's  sister"  were  unlawful,  and  debarred  all  such  delin- 
quents from  the  communion  of  the  church.  But  in  1772,  concerning 
the  marriage  of  a  wife's  brother's  daughter,  the  syndd  apparently 
relaxed  from  their  prior  judgment.  At  the  meeting  of  the  synod  in 
1779,  the  marriage  of  a  deceased  wife's  sister  was  introduced,  and 
in  1782,  the  applicants  were  formally  pronounced  "  capable  of  Chris- 
tian privileges."  The  sentence  of  the  synod  produced  so  much  dis- 
satisfaction, that,  in  1783,  they  adopted  a  long  explanatory  statement, 


588 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


which  certainly  exhibits  contradictions,  against  wiiich  a  strong  pro- 
test was  entered  on  the  synodical  record. 

The  marriage  of  a  deceased  wife's  sister  has  also  been  an  invete- 
rate theme  of  polemical  strife  during  the  whole  half  century,  since 
the  organization  of  the  General  Assembly ;  and  is  still  the  subject  of 
"  doubtful  disputation."  It  has  recently  been  revived,  through  the 
case  of  one  of  their  ministers,  who,  having  married  the  sister  of  his 
former  wife,  was  condemned  by  the  presbytery  to  which  he  belonged; 
and  the  General  Assembly,  after  a  protracted  debate,  affirmed  the 
decision.  But  the  party  who  are  in  favour  of  such  marriages  resus- 
citated the  subject  in  the  year  1843  ;  and  the  question  is  now  litiga- 
ting: Whether  the  fourth  section  in  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  the 
Confession  of  Faith  shall  be  expunged,  or  explained  so  as  to  au- 
thorize the  marriage  of  two  sisters  in  succession  ? 

Slavery. — This  topic  also,  like  that  of  marriage,  has  been  a  prolific 
source  of  contention.  The  primary  notice  of  it  is  found  in  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  in  1786,  under 
the  form  of  two  questions — "Whether  the  children  of  slaves  held  by 
church  members  should  be  baptized  ?"  and  "  Whether  the  children  of 
Christian  professors,  enslaved  by  irreligious  men,  ought  to  be  bap- 
tized?"    The  synod  replied  in  the  affirmative. 

In  the  year  1787,  the  matter  was  introduced  before  the  synod  in  a 
more  direct  manner,  and  the  result  of  their  deliberation  appeared  in  a 
testimony  against  it,  and  an  urgent  recommendation  to  "  all  their 
people,  to  procure  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  America."  That 
''  opinion"  was  reiterated  in  1793  ;  and  in  1795,  in  reply  to  a  petition, 
the  same  decision  was  confirmed,  with  a  specific  condemnation  of  all 
the  traffic  in  slaves.  At  that  period  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Cate- 
chisms, &c.,  were  published  by  order  of  the  General  Assembly.  To 
the  one  hundred  and  forty-second  question  of  the  "  Larger  Cate- 
chism" was  appended  a  note  containing  a  definition  of  "  man-steal- 
ing," with  scriptural  proofs.  During  the  twenty  years  which  followed, 
that  note  seems  to  have  been  overlooked  ;  but  in  1815,  the  subject  of 
slavery  was  brought  before  the  General  Assembly,  by  a  reference 
from  the  Synod  of  Ohio,  and  a  petition  from  Virginia.  The  General 
Assembly  then  reiterated  their  declarations  of  1787,  1793,  and  1795. 
But  in  the  following  year,  1816,  "  the  note  connected  with  the  scrip- 
ture proofs  in  answer  to  the  question  in  the  Larger  Catechism,  What 
is  forbidden  in  the  eighth  commandment?  in  which  the  crime  of  man- 
stealing  and  slavery  is  dilated  upon,"  was  ordered  to  be  omitted  in 
all  "  future  editions  of  the  Confession  of  this  church."     The  subject 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  589 

occupied  several  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly,  in  1816,  1817, 
and  1818,  at  which  last  meeting,  that  body  issued  a  long  declaration, 
entitled  "  A  full  Expression  of  the  Assembly'' s  vieios  of  Slavery"  From 
that  period,  the  disputatious  theme  has  remained,  in  a  great  measure, 
sub  silentio,  among  the  Presbyterian  ecclesiastical  bodies. 

The  closing  paragraph  of  Dr.  Hodge's  History  is  so  suitable  as  a 
peroration  to  the  history  of  Presbyterianism,  down  to  the  dissolution 
of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  that  it  is  extracted  as 
the  termination  of  that  part  of  this  narrative.  "  The  effects  of  the 
Revolutionary  war  on  the  state  of  our  church  were  extensively  and 
variously  disastrous.  The  young  men  were  called  from  the  seclusion 
of  their  homes  to  the  demoralizing  atmosphere  of  a  camp.  Congre- 
gations were  broken  up.  Churches  were  burned,  and  pastors  were 
murdered.  The  usual  ministerial  intercourse  and  efforts  for  the  dis- 
semination of  the  gospel  were,  in  a  great  measure,  suspended,  and 
public  morals  in  various  respects  deteriorated.  From  these  effects  it 
took  the  church  a  considerable  time  to  recover ;  but  she  shared, 
through  the  blessing  of  God,  in  the  returning  prosperity  of  the  coun- 
try, and  has  since  grown  with  the  growth,  and  strengthened  with  the 
strength,  of  our  highly  favoured  nation." 

The  first  General  Assembly  met  in  1789,  and  the  subsequent  his- 
tory of  American  Presbyterianism  is  chiefly  a  memorial  of  the  more 
efficient  and  extensive  developement  of  the  evangelical  features  and 
the  "  ecclesiastical  polity,"  which  already  have  been  delineated. 
However,  there  are  four  infli.iential  topics  connected  with  the  latter 
periods  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  which  must  be  recorded. 

The  plan  of  correspondence  and  union  eventually  included  the 
General  Association  of  Connecticut,  the  General  Convention  of  Ver- 
mont, the  General  Association  of  New  Hampshire,  the  General 
Association  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  Consociation  of  Rhode  Island, 
with  the  Reformed  Dutch  General  Synod,  and  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Synod.  The  great  object  of  it  was  to  combine  these  eccle- 
siastical bodies  and  the  churches  whom  they  represented  in  a  closer 
fraternity,  and  to  enlarge  their  Christian  intercourse,  both  as  ministers 
and  for  the  entire  denominations.  From  the  period  of  the  first  agree- 
ment the  system  has  been  co#inued  with  little  interruption. 

But  a  more  distinct  notice  is  requisite  concerning  the  "  Plan  of 
Union  between  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists  in  the  New 
Settlements,"  which  was  adopted  in  1801.  This  plan  was  designed 
to  extinguish  any  difficulties  arising  from  a  disagreement  among 
Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians,  so  that  they  might  all  unite  in 
the  support  of  the  ministry  and  sacred  institutions;  as  their  faith, 


590 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


order  of  worship,  and  principles  of  church  government  substantially 
were  one — there  being  only  a  "diflerence  of  administrations."  By 
that  compact,  a  Presbyterian  church  might  call  a  Congregational 
minister,  and  vice  versa.  If  one  body  of  Presbyterians  and  another 
of  Congregationalists  chose  to  unite  as  one  church  and  settle  a 
minister,  each  party  was  allowed  to  exercise  discipline,  and  regu- 
late its  church  aflairs  according  to  its  own  views,  under  the 
general  management  of  a  joint  standing  committee ;  and  one  of  that 
committee,  if  chosen  for  that  purpose,  had  "  the  same  right  to  sit  and 
act  in  the  presbytery,  as  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church." 
Under  the  operation  of  that  "  Plan  of  Union,"  hundreds  of  churches 
were  formed  in  the  States  of  New  Yor-k  and  Ohio,  during  the  period 
from  1801  to  1837. 

About  the  commencement  of  the  nineteenth  century,  a  remarl<able 
religious  awakening  was  manifest  through  a  v*'ide  extent  of  the  then 
"  Far  West."  New  congregations  were  formed  with  exhilarating 
rapidity.  To  supply  the  ministerial  destitution,  it  was  resolved  to 
secure  the  aid  of  men  of  piety  and  talents,  although  without  a  classi- 
cal education,  and  to  ordain  them  as  missionary  evangelists  and 
pastors.  Among  the  members  of  the  Presbytery  of  Transylvania 
some  opposed  the  measure ;  but  as  that  body  soon  afterwards  was 
divided,  that  portion  of  the  body  denominated  the  "  Cumberland 
Presbytery"  proceeded  to  license  and  ordain  preachers  who  had  not 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  ancient  languages,  and  of  the  other 
subjects  of  a  collegiate  course  of  study.  The  synod  finally  took 
cognizance  of  their  proceedings,  and  appointed  a  "  commission"  to 
visit  thetn,  who  summoned  the  presbytery,  with  their  licentiates,  can- 
didates, and  exhorters,  to  appear  before  them.  When  the  commis- 
sion met,  thej^  alleged  a  variety  of  charges  against  the  presbytery,  all 
of  which  were  comprised  within  two  general  statements: — that  they 
licensed  "  men  to  preach  who  had  not  been  examined  on  the  lan- 
guages," and  that  their  licentiates  had  been  required  to  adopt  the 
Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith  partially,  or  "as  far  as  they 
believed  it  to-  agree  with  God's  word." 

The  presbytery  justified  themselves  upon  the  ground  of  the  "  extra- 
ordinary emergency,"  the  example  of  ither  presbyteries,  and  of  the 
JSi'ew  Testament,  which  neither  by  example  nor  precept  condemns  the 
calling  into  the  Christian  ministry  those  whom  the  synod's  commission 
denominated  "unlearned  and  ignorant  men."  They  also  maintained 
that  their  candidates  did  not  deviate  in  doctrine  from  any  esse7}tial  ov 
important  doctrine  taught  in  the  Confession  of  Faith.  The  synodical 
"  commission"  demanded,  that  the  whole  of  the  licentiates  and  candi- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


591 


dates,  under  the  care  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  should  be  trans- 
ferred to  them  for  re-examination.  The  presbytery  spurned  at  the 
exaction,  as  destructive  of  their  privileges  and  independence ;  and 
the  young  preachers  and  exhorters  also  denied  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
"  commission,"  when  summoned  before  them.  Thus  the  controversy 
remained  during  four  years;  until,  in  February,  1810,  three  of  the 
ministers,  as  they  said,  "  protesting  against  the  unconstitutional  and 
unprecedented  acts  of  the  synod,  and  of  the  General  Assembly  who 
justified  them,"  constituted  a  separate  presbytery,  "  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery." 

They  required  of  all  candidates  and  licentiates,  that  they  '*  receive 
and  adopt  the  Confession  and  Discipline  of  the  Presbyterian  Church," 
except  any  "  fatality  taught  under  predestination ;"  and  the  requisition 
of  an  academical  education. 

The  "  Cumberland  Presbyterians"  have  prodigiously  multiplied. 
They  now  form  a  very  influential  religious  community  in  the  western 
districts  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 

In  the  year  1810  there  was  an  increasing  disposition  for  a  closer 
union  displayed  by  some  of  the  most  influential  ministers  and  elders, 
and  other  members  among  the  Associate  Reformed  body  to  combine 
with  the  Presbyterians.  Eventually  the  measure  was  proposed  with 
ecclesiastical  formality;  and  after  considerable  negotiation,  a  large 
portion  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  resolved  upon  that  mea- 
sure. That  course  produced  a  collision  among  them.  The  party 
who  wished  to  unite  with  the  other  Presbyterians  embodied  them- 
selves with  the  larger  community  in  1822;  but  their  proceeding  was 
attended  by  subsequent  embarrassment.  It  involved  the  two  denomi- 
nations in  litigation,  which  was  not  compromised,  until  after  a  vexa- 
tious dispute  that  continued  during  several  years,  and  which  termi- 
nated their  ecclesiastical  "  correspondence  and  union." 

In  many  aspects  the  disruption  of  the  American  Presbyterians 
which  occurred  in  1838,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  occurrences 
in  the  religious  annals  of  the  western  continent.  .  The  narrative  of 
the  successive  events  which  finally  produced  the  separation  of  the 
conflicting  parties,  with  their  organization  into  two  distinct  commu- 
nities, both  bearing  but  one  name,  and  both  claiming  to  be  the 
genuine  integral  body  which  had  been  subdivided,  would  combine  a 
very  instructive  chapter  of  ecclesiastical  history. 

The  collision  ostensibly  included  two  principal  topics  of  contro- 
versy— didactic  theology,  and  church  government  and  discipline. 

Prior  to  the  year  1830  some  laxity  respecting  the  admission  of 
ministers  had  been  displayed  by  some  of  the  presbyteries,  thereby 


592 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


opening  a  wide  gate  for  polemical  disputation.  But  at  that  period 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia  called  Mr.  Barnes, 
then  minister  of  the  church  at  Morristown,  to  be  their  pastor.  The 
case  was  submitted  to  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  at  their  meet- 
ing in  April,  1830. 

A  long  discussion  ensued,  which  involved  both  theological  doc- 
trines and  also  points  of  discipline  in  reference  to  the  correlate 
rights  and  duties  of  the  presbyteries.  The  origin  of  the  debate  was 
a  sermon  previously  published  by  Mr.  Barnes,  entitled  "  The  Way 
of  Salvation,"  to  which  objections  were  made,  that  it  promulged 
opinions  adverse  to  the  Presbyterian  "  Confession  of  Faith  and 
Catechisms."  The  call,  hou-ever,  finally  was  admitted,  accompanied 
by  a  protest  signed  by  twelve  members ;  and  the  usual  formalities 
with  the  Presbytery  of  Elizabethtown  having  been  fulfilled,  Mr. 
Barnes  became  the  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Phi- 
ladelphia. 

A  "  complaint"  was  made  to  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  by  the 
minority  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  based  on  their  protest  of 
the  preceding  April ;  and  after  the  consideration  of  the  whole  subject, 
the  synod,  by  a  decisive  majority,  referred  the  examination  of  the 
sermon  by  Mr.  Barnes,  entitled  "  The  Way  of  Salvation,"  with  the 
cognate  topics,  to  the  presbytery.  That  body,  in  November,  1830, 
complied  with  the  synodical  direction:  announced  their  disapproba- 
tion of  the  doctrines  promulged  in  the  sermon,  and  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  visit  and  confer  with  Mr.  Barnes,  thereby  to  remove  the 
difficulties  which  existed  among  them. 

Moreover,  another  subject  of  contention  had  arisen,  respecting  the 
admission  of  persons  into  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia.  A  "  com- 
plaint" against  the  rule  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  enforcing 
an  examination  of  all  persons  who  desired  admission  into  that  body 
was  presented  to  the  synod,  who  referred  that  subject  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  1832,  with  a  protest  by  twenty-two  ministers. 

To  accommodate  Mr.  Barnes  and  those  who  sustained  him,  the 
Assembly  constituted  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia ;  which 
act  the  synod  resisted  as  unconstitutional,  and  refused  to  enrol  the 
members  as  part  of  the  synod  at  their  next  meeting;  which  produced 
new  "complaints,  protests,  and  remonstrances,"  for  review  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  1833. 

The  General  Assembly  of  the  year  1833  reversed  the  proceedings 
of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia,  by  confirming  the  acts  of  the  previous 
year ;  which  brought  up  the  whole  controversy  before  the  synod  at 
iheir  annual  meeting.    In  the  interim,  a  new  principle  of  presbyterial 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  593 

consociation  had  been  enounced  and  acted  on,  by  a  departure  from 
the  usual  geographical  limits  for  presbyteries.  It  was  denominated, 
in  polemic  technology,  "elective  affinity."  The  synod  annulled  the 
proceeding  of  the  Assembly,  and  having  dissolved  the  then  Second 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  and  combined  the  members  with  their 
old  associates,  proceeded  to  sever  the  whole  original  presbytery  by  a 
geographical  line,  drawn  from  east  to  west  through  Ma^-ket  Street, 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  At  the  same  meeting  of  the  synod  a 
"  Protest  and  Complaint"  against  the  rule  respecting  the  examination 
of  ministers  or  licentiates  desiring  admission  into  the  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia,  and  the  synodical  virtual  approbation  of  that  rule,  were 
recorded  for  transmission  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1834.  The 
synod,  however,  had  introduced  another  subject  of  conflict,  by  the 
formation  of  t/ieir  new  presbytery :  so  that  there  existed  the  Second 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  organized  by  the  General  Assembly,  and 
the  Second  Presbytery  constituted  by  the  synod.  About  the  same 
time  the  Synods  of  Cincinnati  and  Pittsburg  formally  interfered  in 
the  collision  by  impugning  the  proceedings  of  the  General  Assembly 
in  reference  to  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia. 

The  vacillating  course  of  the  General  Assembly  during  some 
years,  with  the  various  attempts  to  compromise,  as  either  of  the 
parties  seemed  to  acquire  the  preponderance, — for  the  actual  divi- 
sion among  the  ministers  and  churches  was  avowed, — constantly 
augmented  the  strife  in  pungency  and  amplitude.  To  place  the 
matter  in  a  form  which  could  not  be  evaded,  Dr.  Junkin,  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Newton,  directly  charged  Mr.  Barnes  with  holding 
erroneous  opinions,  as  declared  especially  in  his  "  Nates  on  the 
Romans."  The  case  occupied  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadel- 
phia for  some  days,  when  that  ecclesiastical  body  acquitted  Mr. 
Barnes  of  "  having  taught  any  dangerous  errors  or  heresies  contrary 
to  the  Word  of  God,"  and  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms. 
From  that  decision  Dr.  Junkin  appealed  to  the  Synod  of  Philadel- 
phia who  met  in  1835.  Prior  to  that  period,  the  Synod  of  Delaware, 
which  had  been  erected  by  the  Assembly  to  include  the  Second  Pres- 
bytery of  Philadelphia,  was  dissolved,  and  that  presbytery  was 
re-incorporated  with  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia. 

When  Dr.  Junkin's  appeal  came  before  the  synod,  according  to 
the  constitutional  rule,  the  record  of  the  case  made  by  the  presbytery 
appealed  from,  was  required.  They  refused  to  submit  the  original 
copy  of  the  proceedings  to  the  synod.  The  synod,  however,  pro- 
ceeded with  the  investigation  upon  the  proofs  that  the  detail  of  the 
charges,  evidence,  and*  proceedings  laid  before  them,  was  an  au- 


504  HISTORY  OF  THE 

thcntic  copy  of  the  presbyterial  record.  Mr.  Barnes  refused  to  appear 
in  his  own  defence,  upon  the  plea  that  as  the  presbytery  to  which  he 
belonged,  and  who  had  acquitted  him,  would  not  produce  their  "at- 
tested record"  of  the  proceedings  in  his  case^  the  trial,  "  whatever 
might  be  the  issue,"  must  be  unconstitutional.  After  nearly  three 
days'  discussion,  the  synod  reversed  the  decision  of  the  Second  Pres- 
bytery in  the  case  of  Mr.  Barnes,  "  as  contrary  to  truth  and  right- 
eousness," and  declared,  that  the  errors  alleged  were  contrary  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  that  they  contravened  the 
system  of  truth  set  forth  in  the  word  of  God;  and  they  suspended  Mr. 
Barnes  from  the  functions  of  the  gospel  ministry.  Against  which 
decision,  Mr.  Barnes  entered  his  complaint  and  appeal  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  1836. 

The  synod  then  dissolved  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia, 
which  had  been  organized  by  the  General  Assembly,  and  also  the 
Presbytery  of  Wilmington. 

The  General  Assembly  met  in  1836,  and  those  various  "  appeals," 
"  complaints,"  and  "  protests,"  were  discussed.  That  body  rescinded 
all  the  acts  of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia — they  absolved  Mr.  Barnes 
from  the  censure  and  suspension  pronounced  by  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia. They  erected  their  former  Second  Presbytery  anew,  as  the 
Third  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia — they  restored  the  Presbytery  of 
Wilmington — and  they  virtually  proclaimed,  that  the  positions 
avowed  by  Mr.  Barnes  are  evangelical,  and  consistent  with  the  Pres- 
byterian Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms. 

The  alienation  between  the  two  parlies  had  constantly  been  in- 
creasing; but  after  the  proceedings  of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  in 
1835,  and  the  measures  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1836,  it  was 
manifest,  that  a  decisive  struggle  would  be  made  at  the  meeting  of 
the  General  Assembly  in  1837.  The  strict  interpreters  of  the  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  had  been  in  a  minority  of  the  Assembly  in  the  years 
1831,  2,  3,  4,  and  1836.  They  therefore  invited  a  convention  to  meet 
in  Philadelphia,  a  week  anterior  to  the  opening  of  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1837.  The  convention  included  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  members,  most  of  whom  also  were  delegates  to  the  Assembly, 
and  they  continued  in  session  until  the  General  Assembly  was  or- 
ganized. To  that  body  the  convention  transmitted  the  result  of  their 
deliberations  in  a  document  entitled  their  "  Testimony  and  Memorial." 
They  bear  testimony — 

I.  Against  sixteen  doctrinal  errors. 
II.  Against  ten  departures  from  Presbyterian  order. 
III.  Against  five  declensions  in  Christian  discipline. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  595 

ft 

They  emphatically  declared,  in  reference  to  the  distracted  church, 
among  ministers  and  people,  that  mutual  confidence  is  gone,  and  is 
not  to  be  restored  by  temporizing  measures. 

IV.  They  then  propose  the  "  Method  of  Reform." 

1.  The  immediate  abrogation  of  the  "  Plan  of  Union"  with  Con- 
gregationalists,  adopted  in  1801. 

2.  The  discontinuance  of  the  American  Home  Missionary,  and 
American  Education  Societies. 

3.  The  severance  of  all  churches,  presbyteries,  and  synods,  which 
are  not  strictly  organized  on  Presbyterian  principles. 

4.  The  examination  of  all  licentiates  and  ministers  on  theology  and 
church  government ;  and  the  requirement  of  an  "  explicit  adoption  of 
the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Form  of  Government." 

5.  The  separation  from  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  all  presbyteries 
and  synods,  which  are  known  to  consist  chiefly  of  unsound  or  disor- 
derly members. 

G.  A  caveat  to  be  sent  to  all  the  national  societies  respecting  their 
agents,  that  they  should  not  interfere  with  the  order  and  principles  of 
the  Presbyterian  churches.* 

*  Doctrinal  Errors. — The  minute  specification  of  the  disputed  themes  of  theology  was 
reserved  for  this  point,  because  the  "Testimony  and  Memorial"  of  1837,  constituled  the 
formal  basis  of  the  proceedings  in  tlie  Assembly  of  that  year;  and  also  because  the  cata- 
logue comprises  the  objections  included  in  the  protest  offered  to  the  Presbytery  of  Phila- 
delphia,  in  April,  1830;  the  "errors"  enumerated  in  the  western  memorial  of  1834;  and 
the  charges  of  Dr.  Junkin,  in  1835. 

The  Convention  of  1837  thus  announce — 

We  hereby  set  forth  in  order  some  of  the  doctrinal  errors,  against  which  we  bear 
testimony. 

I.  God  would  have  been  glad  to  prevent  the  existence  of  sin  in  our  world,  but  was  not 
able,  without  destroying  the  moral  agency  of  man  ;  or,  that  for  aught  which  appears  in 
the  Bible  to  the  contrary,  sin  is  incidental  to  any  wise  moral  system. 

II.  Election  to  eternal  life  is  founded  on  a  foresight  of  faith  and  obedience. 

III.  We  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  first  sin  of  Adam,  than  with  the  sins  of  any  other 
parent. 

IV.  Infants  come  into  the  world  as  free  from  moral  defilement,  as  was  Adam,  when 
he  was  created. 

V.  Infants  sustain  the  same  relation  to  the  moral  government  of  God  in  tliis  world  as 
brute  animals,  and  their  sufferings  and  death  are  to  be  accounted  for,  on  the  same  prin- 
ciples as  those  of  brutes,  and  not  by  any  means  to  be  considered  as  penal. 

VI.  There  is  no  other  original  sin  than  the  fact  that  all  the  posterity  of  Adam,  though 
by  nature  innocent,  or  possessed  of  no  moral  character,  will  always  begin  to  sin  when 
they  begin  to  exercise  moral  agency.  Original  sin  does  not  include  a  sinful  bias  of  the 
human  mind,  and  a  just  exposure  to  penal  suffering.  There  is  no  evidence  in  scripturo 
that  infants,  in  order  to  salvation,  do  need  redemption  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  regene- 
ration by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

VII.  The  doctrine  of  imputation,  whether  of  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  or  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  has  no  foundation  in  the  word  of  God,  and  is  both  unjust  and  absurd. 


596  HISTORY  OF  THE 

The  General  Assembly  of  1837  met,  and,  the  adherents  of  the  Con- 
vention having  a  decisive  majority  in  that  body,  promptly  acceded  to 
the  requests  of  the  Memorial.  They  abrogated  the  "  Plan  of  Union" 
between  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists.  They  adjudged  that 
the  four  synods  of  Genessee,  Geneva,  Utica,  and  the  Western  Re- 
serve were  not  "  constituent  parts"  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The 
operations  of  the  American  Home  Missionary,  and  of  the  American 
Education  Societies  were  excluded  from  their  churches,  and  the  Third 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  was  dissolved. 

The  succeeding  twelve  months  were  devoted  by  both  parties  to 
preparation  for  the  Assembly  of  1838.  By  custom  it  devolves  upon 
the  permanent  and  stated  clerks  to  make  up  the  list  of  the  members, 
who  present  their  commissions  for  that  purpose,  anterior  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  sessions.     These  officers  omitted  all  reference  to 

VIII.  The  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  were  not  truly  vicarious  and  penal,  but 
symbolical,  governmental,  and  instructive  only. 

IX.  The  impenitent  sinner  by  nature,  and  independently  of  the  renewing  influence  or 
almighty  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  in  full  possession  of  all  the  ability  necessary  to  a 
full  compliance  with  all  the  commands  of  God. 

X.  Christ  never  intercedes  for  any  but  those  who  are  actually  united  to  him  by  faith ; 
or  Christ  does  not  intercede  for  the  elect  until  after  their  regeneration, 

XI.  Saving  faith  is  the  mere  belief  of  ihc  word  of  God,  and  not  a  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

XII.  Regeneration  is  the  act  of  the  sinner  himself,  and  it  consists  in  a  change  of  his 
governing  purpose,  which  he  himself  must  produce,  and  which  is  the  result,  not  of  any 
direct  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  heart,  but  chiefly  of  a  persuasive  exhibition  of 
the  truth,  analogous  to  the  influence  which  one  man  exerts  over  the  mind  of  another ;  or 
regeneration  is  not  an  instantaneous  act,  but  a  progressive  work. 

XIII.  God  has  done  all  that  he  can  do  for  the  salvation  of  all  men,  and  man  himself 
must  do  the  rest 

XIV.  God  cannot  exert  such  influence  on  the  minds  of  men,  as  shall  make  it  certain 
that  they  will  choose  and  act  in  a  particular  manner,  without  impairing  their  moral 
agency. 

XV.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  not  the  sole  ground  of  the  sinner's  acceptance  with 
God;  and  in  no  sense  does  the  righteousness  of  Christ  become  ours. 

XVI.  The  reason  why  some  differ  from  others  in  regard  to  their  reception  of  the  gospel 
is,  that  they  make  themselves  to  differ. 

The  Convention  pronounced  these  "  errors  unscriptural,  radical,  and  highly  dangerous," 
which  in  "  their  ultimate  tendency,  subvert  the  foundation  of  Christian  hope,  and  destroy 
the  souls  of  men." 

Tlie  Convention,  on  church  order  and  discipline,  particularly  specified  a§  practices  of 
whicli  they  complained  :  The  formation  of  presbyteries  founded  on  doctrinal  repulsions 
as  affinities.  The  refusal  of  presbyteries  to  examine  tlicir  ministers.  The  licensing  and 
ordination  of  men  unfit  for  want  of  qualification,  and  wiio  deny  fundamental  principles  of 
truth.  The  needless  ordination  of  evangelists  without  any  pastoral  relation.  The  want 
of  discipline  respecting  gross  acknowledged  errors.  The  number  of  ministers  abandoning 
their  duties  for  secular  employments,  in  violation  of  their  vows.  The  disorderly  meetings 
of  members  and  others,  thereby  exciting  discord  and  contention  among  the  churches. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  597 

the  delegates  from  the  presbyteries  comprised  in  tiie  four  synods 
which  had  been  expunged  from  the  ecclesiastical  statistics  by  the 
previous  Assembly.  When  the  motion  was  made  that  the  commis- 
sions from  these  presbyteries  should  be  received,  the  moderator  re- 
fused to  recognise  the  motion,  or  the  parties  on  whose  behalf  it  was 
made.  After  a  short  interval  of  disorder,  the  minority,  (including 
both  the  advocates  of  the  synods  who  were  excluded  by  the  Assembly 
of  1837,  and  the  commissioners  from  those  synods,)  united  in  dis- 
claiming the  authority  of  the  moderator,  and  proceeded  to  organize 
by  themselves;  and  having  elected  another  moderator  and  clerks,  tile 
whole  of  the  dissentients  from  the  acts  of  the  Assembly,  in  1837,  im- 
mediately withdrew,  in  a  body,  to  the  edifice  occupied  by  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia. 

The  majority  retained  their  seats  until  the  temporary  confusion 
ceased,  when  they  proceeded  to  their  ecclesiastical  business  according 
to  the  prescribed  ordinary  forms. 

The  trustees  and  other  corporate  bodies  among  the  Presbyterians 
possess  much  valuable  property,  for  their  seminaries  and  missionary 
institutions.  Some  time  after  the  separation  in  1838  had  been  consum- 
mated, the  question,  in  whom  that  property  was  legally  vested,  was 
carried  into  the  civil  courts  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  state  the  trus- 
tees were  incorporated.  The  Trustees  of  the  General  Assembly  are 
elected  by  the  General  Assembly,  who  may  change  one-third  of  the 
number  every  year.  The  seceding  Assembly  elected  one-third  of  the 
board  as  new  members.  When  they  claimed  their  seats  at  the  board 
they  were  refused  admission.  A  suit,  therefore,  was  commenced,  to 
obtain  possession  of  the  offices  from  which,  as  they  contended,  they 
were  illegally  excluded.  The  cause  excited  intense  interest,  and  was 
primarily  decided  in  favour  of  the  claimants  ;  for  the  true  question  liti- 
gated was  this :  Was  the  body  who  refused  to  acknowledge  the  four 
severed  synods  the  true  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  1  An 
appeal  to  the  Supreme  Court  was  entered  from  the  adjudication  of 
the  inferior  tribunal.  The  superior  court  reversed  the  sentence  of 
the  lower  court ;  and  granted  a  nevi^  trial,  with  a  construction  of  the 
law  which  in  effect  precluded  the  plaintiffs  from  obtaining  their  ob- 
ject, and  the  suit  was  withdrawn.  Thus,  so  far  as  the  legal  decision 
in  Pennsylvania  operates,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  are  recognised  as  that  body,  represented 
by  their  trustees  who,  in  law,  still  hold  that  title,  with  its  common 
property. 

The  effervescence  of  the  strife  now  has  almost  disappeared ;  and 
the  two  bodies  of  American  Presbyterians  are  actively  pursuing  their 


i08 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


own  course.  According  to  their  statistical  returns,  they  have  in- 
creased during  the  six  years  from  their  separation,  nearly  one-third 
in  actual  numbers.  Moreover,  when  we  contrast  the  diversified  ad- 
ditional instrumentalities  to  promote  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  which 
have  been  put  in  operation  by  them,  since  their  division  m  1838 ;  it  is 
manifest,  that,  in  capacity  for  the  Lord's  work,  they  have  doubled  their 
usefulness  and  enterprise. 

Thus,  from  the  smallest  beginnings,  when  the  little  companies  of 
the  "  Presbyterian  Pilgrims"  who  first  came  to  America,  as  it  were, 
but  with  a  "  staff,''  here  laid  the  foundations  of  this  church,  and  reared 
it  under  manifold  difficulties  and  annoyances,  encountering  obloquy 
and  even  persecutions :  it  has  grown  under  the  protection  and  favour 
of  Providence,  oft  sharing  the  dews  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  enlarging  its 
borders  in  this  genial  land,  and  exerting  a  happy  influence  on  the 
world,  until  now  it  has  "  become  two  bands." 

Although  not  of  this  distinct  denomination,  the  Reformed  Dutch 
and  German  Reformed  Churches  in  the  United  States,  are  Presbyte- 
rian and  Calvinistic.  Their  standards  of  doctrine  are  the  Articles  of 
the  Synod  of  Dort  and  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  The  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church,  or  Covenanters,  the  Associate  Church,  and  the 
Associate  Reformed  Church,  and  the  body  which  separated  from  us 
in  1838,  adopt  the  Westminster  Standards  as  the  symbols  of  their 
faith  and  order; — the  last  specified  body  having  the  same  constitu- 
tion as  the  Presbyterian  Church,  with  the  exceptions  of  the  restriction 
which  they  have  since  put  to  the  powers  of  the  General  Assembly, 
and  of  the  substitution  of  triennial  for  annual  General  Assemblies. 

And  all  these  distinct  denominations,  including  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterians,  and  some  smaller  denominations,  although  for  various 
causes  they  are  arranged  in  separate  bodies,  compose  a  great  Pres- 
byterian family  in  the  United  States,  which  comprises  upwards  of 
fou7-  thousand  ministers  and  nearly  six  thousand  churches,  and  com- 
prehends a  population  of  three  or  four  millions  who,  either  as  com- 
municants or  worshippers,  are  associated  with  them. 

III.    STATISTICAL. 

According  to  the  statistical  tables,  appended  to  the  minutes  of  the 
General  Assembly,  for  1843,  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States,  comprises  19  synods,  or  105  presbyteries,  1434  ministers,  183 
licentiates,  314  candidates  for  the  ministry,  2092  churches,  and 
159,137  members  in  communion. 

The  existing  institutions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  must  be  con- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  599 

cisely  described.     They  may  generally  be  divided  into  those  con- 
nected with  education,  or  literature,  or  missions. 

Education. — This  department  comprises  colleges,  theological  semi- 
naries, and  the  "  Board  of  Education." 

Colleges. — The  establishments  of  learning  at  the  following  places, 
although  not  absolutely  connected  with,  or  directly  controlled  by 
Presbyterians  exclusively,  are  generally  considered  as  under  their 
supervision,  or  are  chiefly  sustained  by  them. 

JVew  York — Hamilton  College;  Union  College,  at  Schenectady; 
New  York  University. 

JVew  Jersey. — Nassau  Hall,  at  Princeton. 

Pennsylvania. — Jefferson,  at  Cannonsburg  ;  Washington  College; 
La  Fayette,  at  Easton. 

Virginia. — Hampden  Sidney,  in  Prince  Edward  county;  Wash- 
ington, at  Lexington. 

A'orih  Carolina. — University  of  North  Carolina,  at  Chapel  Hill; 
Davidson,  at  Mecklenburg. 

South  Carolina. — South  Carolina,  at  Columbia. 
Tennessee. — University  of  Nashville. 
Kentucky. — Centre,  at  Danville. 
Otiio. — Miami  University,  at  Oxford. 
Indiana. —  South  Hanover  College. 

Theological  Seminaries. — At  Princeton,  New  Jersey;  Western,  at 
Allegheny,  Pennsylvania ;  Union,  in  Prince  Edward  county,  Vir- 
ginia; Southern,  at  Columbia,  South  Carolina;  Indiana,  at  New 
Albany,  Indiana. 

Board  of  Education. — The  formal  commencement  of  the  work  of 
education  for  the  ministry,  was  the  result  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
General  Assembly  in  1806,  when  that  duty  was  assigned  to  each 
presbytery.  The  inefficiency  of  the  system  induced  the  General 
Assembly,  in  1819,  to  form  the  "Board  of  Education;"  but  during 
the  interval  until  1829,  there  was  not  the  adequate  result  which  was 
necessary  to  supply  the  demands  for  ministers.  A  new  organization 
was  then  made ;  and  the  consequence  has  been  manifested  in  a  large 
augmentation  of  the  funds,  and  a  proportionate  increase  in  the  number 
of  theological  students  maintained  during  their  preparatory  course. 

Thirteen  hundred  and  fifty  young  men  have  been  assisted  in  their 
studies  for  the  gospel  ministry.  Two-thirds  of  the  foreign  mission- 
aries, and  nearly  one-half  of  the  domestic  missionaries,  with  a  large 
proportion  of  the  pastors  of  the  Presbyterian  churches  at  this  time, 
have  been  introduced  to  the  ministry  through  the  aid  of  the  "  Board 
of  Education." 


6U0 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Literature. — This  department  comprises  the  miscellaneous  publica- 
tions, which  are  expressly  devoted  to  promulge  the  doctrinal  principles, 
and  to  defend  the  government  and  discipline  of  the  Presbyterian 
churches. 

There  is  a  quarterly  periodical,  by  Presbyterian  writers,  entitled 
the  Biblical  Repertory  and  Theological  Review,  which  is  devoted 
almost  exclusively  to  disquisitions  strictly  religious,  or  to  those  which 
have  a  close  affinity  with  them,  either  on  Christian  ethics  or  eccle- 
siastical history.  Several  weekly  newspapers  are  issued  by  them, 
and  very  extensively  dispersed.  The  Presbyterian,  at  Philadelphia  ; 
the  Presbyterian  Advocate,  at  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania ;  the  Presby- 
terian of  the  West,  at  Springfield,  Ohio  ;  the  Protestant  and  Herald, 
at  Frankfort,  Kentucky ;  the  Watchman  of  the  South,  at  Richmond, 
Virginia ;  and  the  Observer,  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina. 

Board  of  Publication. — In  addition  to  these  miscellanies,  the  Pres- 
byterians have  organized  a  most  important  and  efficient  society,  de- 
nominated the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  which  was  insti- 
tuted for  the  purpose  of  disseminating  standard  volumes  of  theology 
and  ecclesiastical  history,  and  also  tracts  that  elucidate  and  defend 
Presbyterianism.  This  board,  which  is  elected  by  the  General  As- 
sembly, has  printed  nearly  fifty  tracts,  doctrinal,  ritual,  on  Popery, 
historical,  and  for  youth. 

Nearly  one  hundred  and  thirty  works  have  already  been  issued  by 
the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  which  may  thus  be  classified : 
Biographical,  nineteen ;  devotional,  eight ;  doctrinal,  twenty ;  experi- 
mental, seventeen ;  historical,  seventeen  ;  polemical,  sixteen ;  practi- 
cal, five;  prophetic,  five;  and  works  adapted  for  youth,  eighteen. 
The  benign  fruits,  which  this  powerful  typographical  machinery  is 
producing,  can  be  estimated  only  by  remembering  the  moderate 
price  at  which  the  works  are  sold,  and  the  high  character  of  the 
volumes  themselves,  a  few  of  which  are  enumerated  in  the  order  in 
which  they  originally  were  published. 

Brooks's  Mute  Christian ;  Halyburton's  Great  Concern ;  Life  of 
John  Knox;  Charnock's  Discourses  on  Regeneration;  Guthrie's 
Christian's  Great  Interests  ;  Lime  Street  Lectures ;  Bradbury's  Mys- 
tery of  Godliness  ;  Flavel's  Divine  Conduct;  Charnock's  Discourses 
on  the  Attributes  of  God;  Owen  on  the  Holy  Spirit;  Charnock  on 
Christ  Crucified;  Owen  on  Justification;  Calvin's  Institutes,  trans- 
lated by  John  Allen;  Owen  on  Indwelling  Sin  ;  Sibbs's  Souls'  Conflict; 
Lorimer's  History  of  the  French  Protestants;  McCrie's  History  of 
the  Reformation  in  Italy  and  Spain ;  the  British  Reformers,  with  their 
Lives,  twelve  volumes;  Daillie's  Use  of  the  Fathers  ;  Mead's  Almost 


•    PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  601 

Christian ;  Charlotte  Elizabeth's  English  Martyrology,  and  the  Lives 
of  the  British  Reformers,  separate  from  their  writings. 

The  beneficial  influence,  under  the  divine  auspices,  which  must 
result  from  the  unrestricted  dissemination  of  these  and  similar  inva- 
luable Christian  productions,  throughout  the  Republic,  and  especially 
among  the  Household  of  Faith,  far  transcends  our  utmost  imagination ; 
and  the  exhilarating  anticipation  cannot  be  otherwise  expressed,  than 
in  the  Psalmist's  urgent  petition,  "  O  Lord,  we  beseech  thee,  send  now 
prosperity !"     Amen. 

Missions. — This  portion  of  the  philanthropic  labours  of  the  Presby- 
terian churches  is  conducted  by  two  distinct  agencies  and  boards  of 
managers. 

Domestic. — The  primary  arrangements  for  Home  Missions,  under 
the  committee  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly,  were  compara- 
tively restricted  in  extent  and  languid  in  their  operations ;  until  in 
1828,  the  present  efficient  system  was  adopted,  through  which  "there 
has  been  a  gradual  but  constant  increase  in  the  number  of  missiona- 
ries, the  amount  of  funds  collected,  the  interest  excited,  and  the  good 
accomplished."  Three  hundred  missionaries  are  now  employed, 
while  the  prospect  of  usefulness  in  spreading  the  gospel  never  was 
more  promising  than  at  the  present  period.  Signal  success  already 
has  attended  the  work  under  the  divine  blessing ;  and  every  heart 
must  exult  in  the  glorious  prospect,  that  "  the  righteousness"  of  Zion 
"  shall  go  forth  as  brightness,"  and  '*  the  salvation"  of  Jerusalem  "  as 
the  lamp  that  burneth." 

Foreign. — "  The  first  mission  to  the  heathen,  established  by  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  was  among  the  Indians  on  Long  Island,  in  the 
year  1741.  David  Brainard  was  the  second  missionary.  His  ordi- 
nation took  place  in  the  year  1744,  and  the  fields  of  his  remarkable 
labours  were  at  the  forks  of  the  Delaware,  on  the  borders  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, and  at  Crossweeks  in  New  Jersey.  From  that  period 
increasing  attention  was  given  to  this  great  subject,  and  various  mis- 
sionary societies  were  formed  in  which  Presbyterians  largely  parti- 
cipated. This  was  particularly  the  case  in  the  United  Foreign 
Missionary  Society,  which  after  a  brief  career  was  eventually 
merged  in  the  *  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions.' " 

Notwithstanding,  many  Presbyterians  were  solicitous  that  their 
own  churches  should  separately  engage  in  the  missionary  work.  In 
consequence  of  which,  "In  the  year  1831,  a  determined  and  active 
effort  was  made  by  the  Synod  of  Pittsburg,  to  awaken  the  church  to 
a  sense  of  her  duty  in  this  respect,  by  the  organization  of  the  '  West- 

39 


QQ2  HISTORY  OF  TIIK  PRESBYTERIAN  (5I1URCH. 

ern  Forcifrn  Missionary  Society.'  This  society  met  with  so  much 
favour,  that  the  General  Assembly  in  1835  resolved  to  engage  the 
whole  churcii  in  an  enterprise  worthy  of  her  character  and  resources. 
The  '  Presbvterian  Board  of  Foreign  Missions'  was  organized  in  the 
year  18.37,  under  favourable  auspices,  and  to  it  was  made  an  entire 
transfer  of  all  that  pertained  to  the  Western  Foreign  Missionary 
Society. 

"  The  experiment  has  succeeded,  and  the  smiles  of  God  have  rested 
on  that  institution.  Flourishing  missions  have  been  established  among 
various  tribes  of  American  Indians,  in  Western  Africa,  Northern 
India,  and  China,  and  all  the  operations  are  carried  on  with  great 
ability." 

In  Northern  India,  there  is  a  synod  of  American  missionaries  in 
connexion  with  the  General  Assembly ;  comprising  the  Presbytery 
of  Allahabad,  of  six  ministers — the  Presbytery  of  Furrukabad,  of  four 
ministers — and  the  Presbytery  of  Lodiana,  of  five  ministers.  Tlxe 
Board  of  Missions  issues  two  monthly  periodicals,  the  "Missionary 
Chronicle,"  and  the  "Foreign  Missionary;"  which  are  extensively 
dispersed,  and  effectually  sustain  the  solicitude  that  is  experienced  to 
"  send  out  the  light  and  the  truth." 

The  foregoing  article  claims  to  be  but  little  more  than  an  authentic 
compilation.  The  writer  has  freely  copied  and  incorporated  with  his 
own  language,  the  language  of  such  of  his  authorities  as  suited  his 
purpose,  without  specific  notice.  He  takes  this  place  to  acknovi'ledge 
his  oblisrations  of  this  sort  to  the  authorities  on  which  he  has  thus 
drawn,  viz.:  The  Confession  of  Faith;  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia; 
Miller's  Christian  Ministry,  and  Presbyterianism ;  Histories  of  the 
Westminster  Assembly,  by  Hetherington,  and  by  the  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication  ;  and  Hodge's  Constitutional  History  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  He  has  also  received  very  essential  aid  from 
the  Rev.  George  Bourne,  in  the  sedulous  explorations  of  the  official 
documents  and  records  of  the  Presb3'terian  Church,  and  other  relia- 
ble authorities,  and  in  the  arrangement  and  principal  composition  of 
that  part  of  the  historical  sketch  which  commences  with  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  and  in  the  preparation  of  the 
statistical  department. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


BY  JOEL  PARKER,  D.D., 

PASTOR  OF  THE  CLINTON  STREET  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA. 

The  character  and  peculiarities  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  may 
be  learned  from  the  Constitution  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  of  America :  containing  the  Confession  of  Faith,  the 
Catechisms,  and  the  Directory  for  the  worship  of  God  ;  together  with 
the  Plan  of  Government  and  Discipline  as  amended  and  ratified  by 
the  General  Assembly  at  their  session  in  the  first  Presbyterian  Church, 
Philadelphia,  in  May,  1840,  and  the  annals  of  the  church  found  in 
the  published  reports  of  the  proceedings  of  its  ecclesiastical  judicato- 
ries. This  church  does  not  difler  very  materially  in  doctrine  and 
"worship,  or  in  ecclesiastical  government  and  order,  from  any  of  the 
great  family  of  anti-prelatical  churches  that  sprung  from  the  Refor- 
mation, and  which  are  commonly  termed  Calvinistic. 

It  acknowledges  no  authority  in  things  pertaining  to  the  doctrines 
and  duties  of  die  Christian  Church,  but  the  revealed  will  of  God  as 
found  in  the  sacred  Scriptures.     It  maintains — 

That  God  alone  is  Lord  of  the  conscience,  and  hath  left  it.  free 
from  the  doctrine  and  commandments  of  men,  which  are  in  any  thing 
contrary  to  his  word,  or,  beside  it  in  matters  of  faith,  or  worship ; 
that  the  rights  of  private  judgment  in  all  matters,  that  respect  reli- 
gion, are  universal  and  inalienable,  and  that  no  religious  constitution 
ought  to  be  aided  by  the  civil  powers  farther  than  may  be  necessary 
for  protection  and  security,  and  at  the  same  time  be  equal  and  com- 
mon to  all  others. 

That  in  perfect  consistency  with  the  above  principle  of  common 
right,  every  Christian  church,  or  union,  or  association  of  particular 
churches,  is  entitled  to  declare  the  terms  oi'  admission  into  its  com- 
munion, and  the  qualifications  of  its  ministers  and  members,  as  well 
as  the  whole  system  of  its  internal  government  which  Christ  hath  ap- 
pointed ;  that  in  the  exercise  of  this  right,  they  may,  notwithstanding, 
err  in  making  the  terms  of  communion  either  too  lax  or  too  narrow; 


gQ4  HISTORY  OF  THt: 

yet,  even  in  this  case,  they  do  not  infringe  upon  the  liberty  or  the 
rights  of  others,  but  only  make  an  improper  use  of  their  own. 

That  our  blessed  Saviour,  for  the  edification  of  the  visible  church, 
which  is  his  body,  hath  appointed  officers,  not  only  to  preach  the 
gospel  and  administer  the  sacraments,  but  also  to  exercise  discipline, 
for  the  preservation  of  truth  and  duty  ;  and,  that  it  is  incumbent  upon 
these  officers,  and  upon  the  whole  church,  in  whose  name  they  act, 
to  censure  or  cast  out  the  erroneous  and  scandalous ;  observing,  in 
all  cases,  the  rules  contained  in  the  word  of  God. 

That  truth  is  in  order  to  goodness ;  and  the  great  touchstone  of 
truth  is  its  tendency  to  promote  holiness;  according  to  our  Sav^iour's 
rule,  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  And  that  no  opinion  can 
be  more  pernicious  or  more  absurd,  than  that  which  brings  truth  and 
falsehood  upon  'a  level,  and  represents  as  of  no  consequence  what  a 
man's  opinions  are.  On  the  contrary,  that  there  is  an  inseparable 
connexion  between  faith  and  practice,  truth  and  duty.  Otherwise 
it  would  be  of  no  consequence  either  to  discover  truth  or  to  em- 
brace it. 

That  while  the  above  principle  is  highly  important,  yet  it  is  neces- 
sary to  make  effectual  provision  that  all  who  are  admitted  as  teachers 
be  sound  in  the  faith.  Nevertheless  there  are  truths  and  forms,  with 
respect  to  which  men  of  good  characters  and  principles  may  differ. 
And  in  all  these  cases  it  is  the  duty,  both  of  private  Christians  and 
societies,  to  exercise  mutual  forbearance  towards  each  other. 

That  though  the  character,  qualifications,  and  authority  of  church 
officers  are  laid  down  in  the  holy  scriptures,  as  well  as  the  proper 
method  of  their  investiture  and  institution ;  yet  the  election  of  the 
persons  to  the  exercise  of  this  authority,  in  any  particular  society,  is 
in  that  society. 

That  all  church  power,  whether  exercised  by  the  body  in  general, 
or  in  the  way  of  representation  by  delegated  authority,  is  only  minis- 
terial and  declarative ;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  holy  scriptures  are  the 
only  rule  of  faith  and  manners ;  that  no  church  judicatory  ought  to 
pretend  to  make  laws  to  bind  the  conscience  in  virtue  of  their  own 
authority ;  and  that  all  their  decisions  should  be  founded  upon  the 
revealed  will  of  God.  Now  though  it  will  easily  be  admitted  that  all 
synods  and  councils  maiy  err,  through  the  frailty  that  is  inseparable 
from  humanity :  yet  there  is  much  greater  danger  from  the  usurped 
claim  of  making  laws,  than  from  the  right  of  judging  upon  laws  al- 
ready made,  and  common  to  all  who  profess  the  gospel ;  although 
this  right,  as  necessity  requires  in  the  present  state,  be  lodged  with 
fallible  men. 


I 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  q05 

That  if  the  preceding  scriptural  and  rational  principles  be  stead- 
fastly adhered  to,  the  vigour  and  strictness  of  its  discipline  will  con- 
tribute to  the  glory  and  happiness  of  any  church.  Since  ecclesiastical 
discipline  must  be  purely  moral  or  spiritual  in  its  object,  and  not 
attended  with  any  civil  effects,  it  can  derive  no  force  whatever  but 
from  its  own  justice,  the  approbation  of  an  impartial  public,  and  the 
countenance  and  blessing  of  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  Universal. 

These  catholic  and  liberal  views,  are  the  basis  upon  which  the 
structure  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America, 
rests.  It  does  not  regard  itself  as  the  Church,  but  only  as  a  particular 
branch  of  the  Catholic  or  Universal  Church  of  Christ,  which  consists 
of  all  those  persons  in  every  nation,  together  with  their  children,  who 
make  profession  of  the  holy  religion  of  Christ,  and  of  submission  to 
his  laws.  It  regards  Papacy  and  Diocesan  Episcopacy  as  great 
usurpations  of  ecclesiastical  power,  and  highly  unfavourable  to  the 
dissemination  of  the  pure  gospel,  and  uncongenial  with  our  republican 
institutions.  Yet,  while  Presbyterians  believe  that  the  parity  of  the 
clergy,  and  a  representation  of  the  laity  in  the  officers  denominated 
ruling  elders,  are  important  features  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  clearly 
discernible  in  the  New  Testament,  they  do  not  deny  the  validity  of 
ordinances,  because  mixed  with  the  errors  and  usurpations  of  prelacy. 
On  the  contrary  they  dare  not  disown  any  church  which  holds  Christ 
the  head,  and  which  is  by  him  made  the  instrument  of  edifying  spiri- 
tual believers,  and  extending  substantial  Christianity. 

The  officers  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  are  bishops  or  pastors, 
ruling  elders,  and  deacons.  "  The  pastoral  office  is  the  first  in  the 
church  both  for  dignity  and  usefulness."  The  person  filling  this  office 
is  designated  by  different  names  in  the  New  Testament,  names  ex- 
pressive of  various  duties.  As  he  feeds  the  flock  of  God,  he  is  called 
their  pastor  or  shepherd.  As  he  has  the  oversight  of  a  congregation, 
he  is  called  their  bishop  or  overseer.  As  he  is  expected  to  exhibit 
the  gravity  and  wisdom  of  age,  he  is  called  a  presbyter  or  elder.  As 
he  is  sent  a  messenger  to  the  church,  he  is  termed  an  angel.  As  he 
is  entrusted  with  means  of  reconciling  sinners,  he  is  spoken  of  as  an 
ambassador.  And  as  he  dispenses  spiritual  blessings,  he  is  called  a 
steward  of  the  mysteries  of  God. 

Ruling  elders  are  elected  by  the  people  as  their  representatives.  In 
conjunction  with  the  pastor  they  exercise  discipline.  They  are  de- 
signated in  the  scriptures  under  the  title  of  governments,  and  of  those 
who  rule  well,  but  who  do  not  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine. 

Deacons  are  also  regarded  as  distinct  officers  in  the  church.  Their 
official  duty  is  the  care  of  the  poor,  and  the  reception  and  disburse- 


606 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


incnt  of  the  charities  of  the  congregation.  These  duties  are  often 
performed  by  the  elders,  and  it  is  not  deemed  indispensable  that  dea- 
cons should  be  appointed,  unless  the  interests  of  the  congregation  de- 
mand it. 

The  session  consists  of  the  pastor  or  pastors,  and  the  ruling  elders 
of  a  congregation,  and  is  the  primary  judicatory  of  the  church.  The 
pastor  is  its  presiding  officer,  called  the  moderator.  This  court,  thus 
constituted,  has  power  to  watch  over  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  con- 
gregation, to  inquire  into  the  Christian  deportment  of  the  members  of 
the  church,  to  call  before  thein  offenders,  and  also  to  investigate 
charges  presented  by  others,  to  receive  members  into  the  church,  to 
admonish,  to  rebuke,  to  suspend,  or  to  exclude  from  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  those,  who  are  found  to  deserve  censure,  according 
to  the  different  degrees  of  their  criminality.  It  is  the  business  of  the 
session  also  to  appoint  a  delegate  from  its  own  body  to  attend  with 
the  pastor,  the  higher  judicatories  of  the  church.  It  is  required  to 
keep  a  fair  record  of  all  its  proceedings,  as  also  a  register  of  mar- 
riages, baptisms,  persons  admitted  to  the  Lord's  table,  deaths  and 
other  removals  of  church  members,  and  to  transmit  these  records  to 
the  presbytery  for  their  inspection. 

A  presbytery  consists  of  all  the  ministers  and  one  ruling  elder  from 
each  church,  within  a  certain  district.  Three  ministers,  and  as  many 
elders  as  may  be  present,  are  necessary  to  constitute  a  quorum.  The 
presbytery  has  power  to  receive  and  issue  appeals  from  church  ses- 
sions, and  references  brought  before  them  in  an  orderly  manner;  to 
examine  and  license  candidates  for  the  holy  ministry;  to  ordain,  in- 
stall, remove  and  judge  ministers ;  to  examine,  and  approve  or  cen- 
sure, the  records  of  church  sessions;  to  resolve  questions  of  doctrine 
or  discipline,  seriously  and  reasonably  proposed  ;  to  condemn  erro- 
neous opinions,  which  injure  the  purity  or  peace  of  the  church  ;  to 
visit  particular  churches,  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  into  their  state, 
and  redressing  the  evils  that  may  iiave  arisen  in  them ;  to  unite  or 
divide  congregations,  at  the  request  of  the  people,  or  to  form  or  re- 
ceive new  congregations ;  and  in  general  to  perform  whatever  pertains 
to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  churches  under  their  care.  The  pres- 
bytery also  keeps  a  full  record  of  its  proceedings;  and  its  doings  are 
subject  to  the  revision  of  the  synod,  which  is  a  court  of  appeal  stand- 
ing in  a  similar  relation  to  the  presbytery  with  that  of  the  presbytery 
to  the  church  session. 

A  synod  is  a  convention  of  the  bishops  with  one  elder  from  each 
church  in  a  larger  district ;  it  must  include  at  least  three  presbyteries. 
The  synod  is  the  court  of 'the  last  resort  in  all  cases  of  a  judicial 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


607 


nature,  so  that  the  whole  appellate  jurisdiction  of  the  church  is  limited 
to  its  final  decision  as  a  Provincial  Assembly  ;  having  supreme  con- 
trol in  its  own  appropriate  sphere,  though  subordinate  to  the  General 
Assembly,  as  to  the  review  and  constitutional  oversight  of  its  acts. 

The  synod  reviews  the  records  of  presbyteries,  approving  or  cen- 
suring their  proceedings,  erecting  new  presbyteries,  uniting  or  dividing 
those  which  were  before  erected,  and  taking  a  general  care  of  the 
churches  within  its  bounds,  and  proposing  such  measures  to  the 
General  Assembly,  as  may  be  for  advantage  to  the  whole  church. 
The  General  Assembly  is  the  highest  judicatory  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  Presbyterian  government,  nor  is  any  court 
higher  than  the  presbytery;  but  it  has  the  advantage  of  representing 
all  the  congregations  of  this  denomination  in  one  body.  It  is  consti- 
tuted of  an  equal  delegation  of  bishops  and  elders,  in  the  proportion 
of  one  minister  and  one  elder  from  each  presbytery ;  and  these  are 
styled,  commissioners  to  the  General  Assembly. 

Since  the  session  of  1840,  the  Assembly  exercises  no  judicial  power, 
as  it  had  formerly  done,  the  synod  now  being  the  highest  court  of 
appeal. 

In  other  respects  the  General  Assembly  possesses  powers  analogous 
to  those  of  the  inferior  courts,  in  reviewing  the  records  of  synods, 
and  approving  or  censuring  them.  It  also  gives  advice  on  subjects 
brought  up  to  it  in  an  orderly  and  consistent  manner;  and  constitutes 
a  bond  of  union  among  all  the  churches.  To  the  General  Assembly 
also,  belongs  the  pouer  of  deciding  in  all  controversies  respecting 
doctrine  and  discipline ;  of  reproviHg,  warning,  and  bearing  testimony 
against  error  in  doctrine,  or  immorality  in  practice  in  any  church, 
presbytery,  or  synod  ;  of  erecting  new  synods  when  it  may  be  judged 
necessary ;  of  superintending  the  concerns  of  the  whole  church  ;  of 
corresponding  with  foreign  churches,  on  such  terms  as  may  be  agreed 
upon  by  the  Assembly  and  the  corresponding  body ;  of  suppressing 
schismatical  contentions  and  disputations;  and,  in  general,  of  recom- 
mending and  attempting  reformation  of  manners,  and  the  promotion 
of  charity,  truth,  and  holiness,  through  all  the  churches  under  their 
care:  provided,  that  all  these  powers  and  relations  of  the  Assembly 
shall  be  construed  as  exclusive  of  all  the  proper  appellate  jurisdictions 
of  the  church,  in  cases  of  a  judicial  nature.  No  modification  of  the 
constitution,  or  of  constitutional  rules  can  be  introduced  by  the 
General  Assembly,  till  such  modifications  shall  have  been  transmitted 
to  the  presbyteries,  and  written  answers  approving  of  the  same  shall 
have  been  returned  by  at  least  a  majority  of  them.     The  sessions  of 


608 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


the  General  Assembly  are  held  regularly  once  in  three  years.     The 
synods  meet  annually,  and  the  presbyteries  once  in  six  months. 

There  are  provisions  also,  in  the  form  of  government,  for  conven- 
inn-  anv  one  of  these  judicatories  for  a  special  meeting,  if  any  special 
exigencies  shall  demand  such  a  step. 

The  public  worship  of  God  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  is  not  con- 
ducted by  a  prescribed  liturgy.  This  church  thinks  it  obvious  that 
no  forms  of  prayer,  no  prescribed  liturgies  were  used  in  apostolic 
times,  and  she  dares  not  introduce  human  inventions  into  the  mode  of 
lier  worship.  It  cannot  be  supposed  that  Paul  kneeled  down  on  the 
shore,  when  he  parted  with  his  friends  at  Tyre,  and  read  a  prayer 
from  a  book ;  or  that  Paul  and  Silas  used  a  prescribed  form  when 
they  prayed  at  midnight  in  the  prison  at  Philippi.  The  Lord's  Prayer 
forms  no  objection  to  these  views,  because  it  is  not  given  in  the  same 
words  by  any  two  of  the  Evangelists.  Besides,  it  contains  no  clause 
askins  for  blessings  in  the  name  of  Christ,  which  our  Saviour  himself 
solemnly  enjoined  upon  his  church,  before  he  withdrew  his  personal 
presence.  In  the  subsequent  inspired  history  we  find  no  allusion  to 
this  form  of  prayer,  nor  any  reference  to  either  saying  or  reading  of 
pravers,  both  of  which  modes  of  expression  are  natural  for  those  who 
employ  precomposed  forms.  Socrates  and  Sozomen,  respectable 
ecclesiastical  writers  of  the  fifth  century,  both  declare,  that  in  their 
day,  "  no  two  persons  were  found  to  use  the  same  words  in  public 
worship."  And  Augustine,  who  was  nearly  their  contemporary, 
declares  in  relation  to  this  subject,  "  There  is  freedom  to  use  different 
words,  provided  the  same  things  are  mentioned  in  prayer." 

In  forming  her  "  Directory  for  the  Public  Worship  of  God,"  the 
Presbyterian  Church  regards  the  holy  scriptures  as  the  only  safe 
guide;  therefore  she  does  no  more  than  to  recommend  a  judicious 
arrangement  of  the  several  parts  of  the  public  service,  throwing  upon 
the  pastor  the  responsibility  of  preparing  himself  for  a  proper  and 
edifying  performance  of  those  acts  of  worship,  which  shall  be  suited 
to  the  evcr-chanfjinjjr  wants  of  the  conc^rcffation. 

The  sacraments  of  the  church  are  regarded  as  being  two  only  : 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  former  is  ordinarily  performed 
by  Presbyterians  by  applying  the  water  to  the  subject,  though  they 
do  not  deny  the  validity  of  immersion.  Baptism  is  administered  to 
adult  believers  and  their  infant  offspring;  but  none  are  admitted  to 
participate  in  the  Lord's  Supper  who  have  not  given  evidence  of  per- 
sonal piety,  and  of  understanding  the  significance  of  the  ordinance. 

No  rite  is  looked  upon  as  possessing  any  intrinsic  influence.  Pres- 
byterians do  not  believe  that  an  influence  of  a  mysterious  kind  passes 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  qqq 

from  the  hands  of  the  presbytery  into  the  spiritual  nature  of  one  set 
apart  by  them  to  the  sacred  office.  On  the  contrary  they  regard  the 
call  to  the  ministry  as  proceeding  from  God.  The  candidate  pro- 
fesses to  have  been  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  desire  the  sacred 
office.  He  declares  that  he  does,  as  far  as  he  knows  his  own  heart, 
seek  the  office  of  the  holy  ministry  from  love  to  God,  and  a  sincere 
desire  to  promote  his  glory  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son.  When  the  pres- 
bytery is  satisfied  that  these  professions  have  been  made  sincerely, 
and  understandingly,  they  impose  hands  upon  the  candidate  as  a 
solemn  recognition  of  one,  whom  they  believe  God  has  by  his  provi- 
dence and  grace  "  put  into  the  ministry." 

They  deny  also  that  any  mysterious  grace  accompanies  the  water 
in  baptism,  or  that  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Lord's  Supper  possess 
any  new  qualities  after  a  blessing  has  been  invoked  by  the  officiating 
clergyman.  They  look  for  no  other  influence  from  religious  rites 
than  that,  which  results  from  a  wise  adaptation  for  enforcing  truth, 
by  striking  symbols,  and  creating  hallowed  associations.  They  de- 
precate the  doctrine  of  the  transmission  of  a  power  to  human  hands 
to  create  ministers  at  will,  or  to  convey  certainly  any  grace  to  sin- 
ners, as  tending  to  inflate  the  ministry  with  pride,  to  impart  to  them 
an  influence  which  God  never  intended,  and  to  sink  the  people  into  a 
degrading  superstition. 

From  the  same  apprehension  of  the  evils  of  superstition,  and  from 
the  want  of  a  warrant  in  the  word  of  God,  they  reject  Godfathers 
and  Godmothers,  and  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  baptism,  and  holy  days, 
and  kneeling  in  the  Lord's  Supper  and  bowing  at  the  name  of  Jesus, 
and  the  rite  of  confirmation,  and  the  efficacy  of  consecrated  grounds 
in  the  burial  of  the  dead. 

The  doctrines  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  are  Calvinistic.  They 
are  so  called,  not  because  Calvin  invented  them.  They  were  the 
doctrines  of  all  the  leading  Reformers  ;  of  the  Waldenses,  for  five  or 
six  hundred  years  before  the  Reformation;  of  Augustin  and  the  pri- 
mitive Church,  and  especially  are  they  distinctly  exhibited  in  the 
word  of  God.  This  system  of  doctrine  is  clearly  set  forth  in  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  and  the  Larger  and  Shorter  Cate- 
chisms. 

Without  pretending  to  expound  fully  the  great  principles,  more 
amply  unfolded  in  the  standards  of  the  church,  we  may  say,  briefly, 
that  the  Presbyterian  Church  maintains  that,  since  the  fall  of  Adam, 
and  in  consequence  of  his  lapse,  all  men  are  naturally  destitute  of 
holiness,  alienated  entirely  from  God,  and  justly  subject  to  his  eternal 


GIO 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


displeasure.  The  plan  of  man's  recovery  from  this  slate  is,  from  first 
to  last,  a  system  of  unmerited  grace.  The  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
including  his  instructions,  his  example,  his  sacrifice  on  the  cross,  his 
resurrection,  ascension,  and  intercession,  are  the  means  of  bringing 
men  buck  to  God.  Yet  these  means  would  be  without  eflicacy,  if 
there  were  not  revealed  to  man  a  gratuitous  justification  through  the 
merit  of  our  Saviour's  sacrifice,  and  if  the  Holy  Spirit  did  not  by  his 
own  invisible  agency  cause  sinners  to  accept  a  free  pardon  and  sal- 
vation. Hence  the  provisions  of  mercy  are  gratuitous,  not  only  de- 
pending on  the  sovereign  grace  of  God,  but  the  disposition  to  accept 
these  provisions  is  produced  by  a  sovereign  interposition  of  the  divine 
Spirit.  It  is  evident,  from  scripture,  and  from  daily  observation,  that 
all  are  not  saved  ;  and,  consequently,  that  it  was  not  the  original  pur- 
pose of  Him  who  never  changes  his  plans  of  operation,  to  bring  all 
to  repentance  and  faith  in  the  Redeemer.  *'  Known  unto  God  are 
all  his  works  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  All  the  dispensations 
of  his  grace,  as  well  as  of  his  providence,  and  among  the  rest  the 
effectual  calling  and  salvation  of  every  believer,  entered  into  his  plan 
from  all  eternity."  "  Yet  so  as  that  thereby  neither  is  God  the  author 
of  sin,  nor  is  violence  offered  to  the  will  of  the  creatures,  nor  is  the 
liberty  or  contingency  of  second  causes  taken  away,  but  rather  esta- 
blished." 

It  is  undeniable  that  these  views  may  be  perverted  and  misrepre- 
sented, and  rendered  odious  by  drawing  inferences  from  them  which 
Presbyterians  do  not  allow.  For  such  perversions  those  of  no  creed 
are  responsible.  If  we  might  refer  to  a  single  argument  in  which  the 
distinguishing  peculiarities  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
are  most  triumphantly  maintained,  it  should  be  that  masterly  homily 
of  the  Apostle  Paul,  or  rather  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  dictated  to  the  apostle 
as  his  amanuensis,  comprised  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

Whatever  odium  has  been  cast  upon  the  Presbyterian  Church  for 
holding  Calvinistic  doctrines,  it  ought  to  be  remembered  that  the 
honour  of  bearing  it  does  not  belong  to  them.  It  belongs  to  all  the 
Reformers,  to  the  symbols  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  the  Heidelberg  Con- 
fession and  Catechism,  and  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Established 
Church  of  England,  and  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  country.  If 
the  English  Church  has  fallen  into  such  a  spiritual  state  that  the  Earl 
of  Chatham  was  justified  in  saying,  "  We  have  a  Popish  liturgy,  a 
Calvinistic  creed,  and  an  Arminian  clergy;"  and  if  the  churches  on 
the  continent  of  Europe  have  sunk  to  a  lower  condition,  because  a 
vigorous  dissent  has  not  infused  a  little  spiritual  life  into  the  establish- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  611 

ments:  surely  the  Presbylerians  of  Scotland  and  America  are  not 
worthy  of  very  severe  censure  for  keeping  alive,  at  the  same  lime, 
the  doctrines  of  Calvinism  and  the  spirit  of  piety. 

The  genius  and  character  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  United 
States  of  America,  has  been  modified  by  a  union  of  churches  possess- 
ing some  varieties  of  feature,  while  agreeing  in  the  great  leading  prin- 
ciples of  Presbyterian  government  and  Calvinistic  doctrine.  In  1689, 
the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  denominations  in  Great  Britain 
consummated  a  union  of  the  two  denominations,  adopting  what  they 
call  the  Heads  of  Agreement,  embracing  a  few  cardinal  principles 
■■which  were  to  govern  them  in  their  fraternal  intercourse.  This 
Presbyterian  and  Congregational  union,  sent  over  one  of  their  num- 
ber, the  Rev.  Francis  McKemie,  as  a  missionary  to  the  new  settle- 
ments in  America.  This  devoted  missionary,  who  had  previously 
laboured  here  with  apostolic  zeal,  and  who  has  been  properly  styled 
the  father  of  Presbyterianism  in  America,  in  connexion  with  six 
others,  viz.,  Messrs.  McNish,  Andrews,  Hampton,  Taylor,  Wilson, 
and  Davis,  in  1704  or  1705,  formed  the  first  presbytery  in  this  coun- 
try, the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia.  This  presbytery  was  formed 
upon  the  principles  that  governed  the  London  association,  and  was 
composed  partly  of  Presbyterian,  and  partly  of  Congregational 
churches.  The  Presbyterianism  was  that  of  the  Church  of  Ireland, 
and  was  more  flexible  in  its  character  than  that  of  the  Scottish  Kirk. 
It  more  easily  coalesced  Vv-ith  the  Congregationalism  of  the  English 
Puritans.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Andrews,  the  first  pastor  of  the  first  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Philadelphia,  was  a  Congregational  Presbyterian. 
That  church  was  under  the  care  of  the  presbytery  sixty-four  years 
before  they  elected  ruling  elders.  Presbyterianism  gradually  ex- 
tended itself  till,  in  171G,  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  was  formed  out 
of  the  Presbyteries  of  Philadelphia,  New  Castle,  Snow  Hill,  and  Long 
Island.  The  Church  of  Scotland,  instead  of  imbibing  these  principles 
which  resulted  in  the  Union  of  J  689,  and  in  the  establishment  of  a 
modified  Presbyterianism  in  America,  solemnly  bore  their  testimony 
aofainst  relio-ious  toleration.  In  1724,  those  ministers  from  Scotland 
who,  in  the  language  of  Dr.  Miller,  "  were  desirous  to  carry  into  effect 
the  system  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed,  in  all  its  extent  and 
strictness,"  began  to  insist  that  the  entire  system  of  the  Scottish 
Church  be  received  in  this  country.  The  collisions  thus  occasioned 
at  length  subsided  in  the  Adopting  Act  of  1729,  the  liberal  principles  of 
which  were  embodied  in  the  following  language:  "Although  the 
synod  do  not  claim  or  pretend  to  any  authority  of  imposing  our  faith 
on  other  men's  consciences,  but  do  profess  our  just  dissatisfactiou 


gj2  HISTORY  OF  THE 

with,  and  abhorrence  of  such  impositions,  and  do  not  only  disclaim 
all  legislative  power  and  authority  in  the  church,  being  willing  to  re- 
ceive one  another  as  Christ  has  received  us  to  the  glory  of  God,  and 
admit  to  fellowship,  in  church  ordinances,  all  such  as  we  have  ground 
to  believe  that  Christ  will  at  last  admit  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 
yet,  we  are  undoubtedly  obliged  to  take  care  that  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints  be  kept  pure,  and  uncorrupt  among  us,  and  do 
therefore  agree,  that  all  the  ministers  of  this  synod,  shall  declare  their 
agreement  in,  and  approbation  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  with  the 
Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms  of  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  West- 
minster, as  being  in  all  essential  and  necessary  articles,  good  forms, 
and  sound  words  and  systems  of  Christian  doctrine,  &c.  And  we  do, 
also,  agree  that  the  presbyteries  shall  take  care  not  to  admit  any  can- 
didate, but  what  declares  his  agreement  in  opinion  with  all  the  essen- 
tial and  necessary  articles  of  said  Confession.  And  in  case  any  mi- 
nister or  any  candidate  shall  have  any  scruples  with  regard  to  any  ar- 
ticle of  said  Confession  or  Catechisms,  he  shall  declare  his  sentiments 
to  the  presbytery  or  synod,  who  shall,  notwithstanding,  admit  him  to 
the  exercise  of  the  ministry  within  our  bounds,  if  they  shall  judge  his 
scruples  or  mistakes  to  be  only  about  articles  not  essential  and  neces- 
sary in  doctrine,  worship,  and  government.  And  the  synod  do  solemnly 
agree,  that  none  of  us  will  traduce  or  use  any  opprobrious  terms  to- 
wards those  who  differ  from  us  in  those  extra-essential  and  not  ne- 
cessary points  of  doctrine,  but  treat  them  with  the  same  friendship, 
kindness,  and  brotherly  love,  as  if  nothing  had  happened." 

After  some  years  this  spirit  of  conciliation  and  charity  gave  place 
to  a  determination  on  the  part  of  some,  to  enforce  the  more  rigid 
forms  of  the  Scottish  Church.  This  led  to  the  first  great  schism  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  1741,  and  to  the  formation  of  the  Synod 
of  New  York,  in  1745. 

In  1758,  which  was  fifteen  years  after  the  separation,  the  Synods 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  were  united.  No  cause  of  disunion 
had  been  removed,  except  that  greatest  cause  of  division:  ambitious 
men  and  evil  tempers ;  for  when  the  reunion  took  place,  they  agreed 
to  adopt  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Catechisms,  and  Directory,  as  they 
had  been  adopted  in  1729.  In  17G6,  eight  years  after  the  union  of 
the  synod  under  the  name  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia, that  body  proposed  a  convention  of  delegates  of  the  pastors  of 
the  Congregational,  Consociated,  and  Presbyterian  Churches  in  North 
America,  which  was  held  annually  for  ten  years,  when  it  was  inter- 
rupted by  the  American  Revolution.  In  1788  the  General  Assembly 
was  organized,  and  in  1790  the  Assembly  "being  peculiarly  desirous 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  gl3 

to  renew  and  strengthen  every  bond  of  union  between  brethren  so 
nearly  agreed  in  doctrine  and  forms  of  worship,  as  the  Presbyterian 
and  Congregational  Churches  evidently  are,  do  resolve  that  the  Con- 
gregational Churches  of  New  England,  be  invited  to  renew  their 
annual  convention  with  the  clergy  of  the  Presbyterian  Church."  This 
resolution  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  plan  of  correspondence  with  the 
Congregational  bodies  of  New  England,  which  is  still  in  existence, 
and  according  to  which  "  every  preacher  travelling  from  one  body  to 
the  other,  and  properly  recommended,  shall  be  received  as  an  autho- 
rized preacher  of  the  gospel,  and  cheerfully  taken  under  the  patronage 
of  the  presbytery  or  association,  within  whose  limits  he  shall  find  em- 
ployment as  a  preacher." 

These  conciliatory  proceedings  led  to  unexampled  success  in  ex- 
tending the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  in  1801  the  General  Assembly 
devised  some  new  "  regulations  to  promote  harmony  in  the  new  settle- 
ments." 

These  regulations  were  proposed  to  the  General  Association  of 
Connecticut,  and  met  with  their  cordial  concurrence.  They  may  be 
found  under  the  title  of  "  A  Plan  of  Union,"  &c.,  in  the  Assembly's 
Digest,  p.  297,  as  follows,  viz. : 

"  Sec.  5.  A  plan  of  Union  between  Presbyterians  and  Congrega- 
tionalists  in  the  new  settlements,  adopted  in  1801. 

"  The  report  of  the  committee  appointed  to  consider  and  digest  a 
plan  of  government  for  the  churches  in  the  new  settlements  was  taken 
up  and  considered ;  and  after  mature  deliberation  on  the  same,  approved 
as  follows : 

"  Regulations  adopted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  America,  and  by  the  General  Association  of  the  State  of 
Connecticut,  (provided  said  Association  agree  to  them,)  with  a  view 
to  prevent  alienation,  and  promote  union  and  harmony,  in  those  new 
settlements  which  are  composed  of  inhabitants  from  these  bodies. 

"1.  It  is  strictly  enjoined  on  all  their  missionaries  to  the  new  settle- 
ments, to  endeavour,  by  all  proper  means,  to  promote  mutual  forbear- 
ance and  accommodation,  between  those  inhabitants  of  the  new 
settlements,  who  hold  the  Presbyterian,  and  those  who  hold  the  Con- 
gregational form  of  church  government. 

"  2.  If  in  the  new  settlements,  any  church  of  the  Congregational 
order  shall  settle  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  order,  that  church 
may,  if  they  choose,  still  conduct  their  discipline  according  to  Con- 
gregational principles,  settling  their  difficulties  among  themselves,  or 
by  a  council  mutually  agreed  on  for  that  purpose :  but  if  any  diffi.culty 
shall  exist  between  the  minister  and  the  church,  or  any  njember  of  it, 


(J 1 4  HISTORY  OF  THE 

it  shall  be  referred  to  the  presbytery  to  which  the  minister  shall  belong, 
provided  both  parties  agree  to  it;  if  not,  to  a  council  consisting  of 
equal  numbers  of  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists,  agreed  upon 
by  both  parties, 

"  3.  If  a  Presbyterian  church  shall  settle  a  minister  of  Congrega- 
tional principles,  that  church  may  still  conduct  their  discipline  accord- 
ing to  Presbyterian  principles;  excepting  that  if  a  difficulty  arise 
between  him  and  his  church,  or  any  member  of  it,  the  cause  shall  be 
tried  by  the  association  to  which  the  said  minister  shall  belong,  pro- 
vided both  parties  agree  to  it ;  otherwise  by  a  council,  one  half  Con- 
gregationalists and  the  other  half  Presbyterians,  mutually  agreed  on 
by  the  parties. 

"  4.  If  any  congregation  consists  partly  of  those  who  hold  the  Con- 
gregational form  of  discipline,  and  partly  of  those  who  hold  the 
Presbyterian  form,  we  recommend  to  both  parties  that  this  be  no  ob- 
struction to  their  uniting  in  one  church,  and  settling  a  minister:  and 
that,  in  this  case,  the  church  choose  a  standing  committee  from  the 
communicants  of  said  church,  whose  business  it  shall  be  to  call  to 
account  every  member  of  the  church  who  shall  conduct  himself  in- 
consistently with  the  laws  of  Christianity,  and  give  judgment  on  such 
conduct ;  and  if  the  person  condemned  by  their  judgment  be  a  Pres- 
byterian, he  shall  have  liberty  to  appeal  to  the  presbytery;  if  a  Con- 
gregationalist,  he  shall  have  liberty  to  appeal  to  the  body  of  the  male 
communicants  of  the  church :  in  the  former  case  the  determination 
of  the  presbytery  shall  be  final,  unless  the  church  consent  to  a  further 
appeal  to  the  synod,  or  to  the  General  Assembly ;  and,  in  the  latter 
case,  if  the  party  condemned  shall  wish  for  a  trial  by  a  mutual 
council,  the  cause  shall  be  referred  to  such  council.  And  provided 
that  the  said  standing  committee,  of  such  church,  shall  depute  one  of 
themselves  to  attend  the  presbytery,  he  may  have  the  same  right  to 
sit  and  act  in  the  presbytery  as  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

"  On  motion,  resolved,  that  an  attested  copy  of  the  above  plan  be 
made  by  the  stated  clerk,  and  put  into  the  hands  of  the  delegates  of 
this  Assembly  to  the  General  Association,  to  be  by  them  laid  before 
that  body  for  their  consideration;  and  that  if  it  should  be  approved 
by  them  it  go  into  immediate  operation." 

This  plan  was  acceded  to  by  the  General  Association  of  Connec- 
ticut, and  its  practical  working  was  remarkably  harmonious  for  more 
than  thirty  years.  During  this  period,  the  Presbyterian  Church  was 
extended  with  unexampled  rapidity.  "  The  Plan  of  Union"  operated 
m  lorming  churches  of  the  mixed  character  contemplated  by  this 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  (525 

scheme.  But  the  clergy  were  generally  favourable  to  Presbyterian 
government ;  and  as  its  representative  feature  agreed  so  well  with  the 
nature  of  our  civil  institutions,  and  secured  all  the  substantial  advan- 
tages of  Congregationalism,  the  churches  almost  uniformly  became 
Presbyterian  in  full,  at  no  distant  period  from  the  date  of  their  forma- 
tion. In  1803,  the  Synod  of  Albany  was  constituted  from  the  Pres- 
byteries of  Albany,  Oneida,  and  Columbia.  Through  this  synod  the 
Plan  of  Union  extended  its  united  forces  with  the  rolling  flood  of 
population  over  the  beautiful  regions  of  western  New  York.  Within 
a  few  years  the  Presbyteries  of  Onondaga,  Cayuga,  and  Geneva, 
were  successively  organized,  constituting  an  extended  western  limb 
of  the  Synod  of  Albany. 

The  last  named  three  presbyteries  were  then,  by  a  division  of  the 
Synod  of  Albany  constituted  into  the  Synod  of  Geneva. 

This  body  extended  itself  to  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  and  the  Nia- 
gara river.  In  1805,  this  extensive  synod  was  divided  by  the  General 
Assembly,  and  the  Synod  of  Genesee  was  erected  from  the  western 
portion.  Thus  the  Synod  of  Albany,  where  the  Plan  of  Union  first 
begun  to  operate,  became  three  large  synods,  including  thirty-four 
presbyteries  before  1837.  Congregationalism  was  rapidly  declining 
over  all  that  region,  and  some  whole  presbyteries  scarcely  contained 
one  church  on  the  principles  contemplated  by  the  Plan  of  Union. 
This  scheme  for  promoting  harmony  had  accomplished  the  work  for 
which  it  was  designed  ;  it  had  moulded  the  mixed  mass  into  a  com- 
paratively homogeneous  Presbyterian  community.  It  was  perhaps 
well  that  the  Plan  of  Union  should  be  abrogated.  Presbyterianism 
was  so  thoroughly  established,  that  no  other  consequences  could  well 
result  from  the  change,  except  perhaps,  the  falling  back  of  a  few 
churches  to  pure  Congi^egationalism. 

Yet  the  very  success  of  this  plan  became  the  occasion  of  separa- 
ting the  Presbyterian  Church  into  two  great  bodies  of  nearly  equal 
numerical  force.  But  while  the  Plan  of  Union  became  the  occasion 
of  this  rent,  it  was  by  no  means  the  cause  of  it. 

There  were  two  parties  in  the  church.  There  always  had  been 
from  the  time  that  McKemie  and  his  associates  formed  the  Presby- 
tery of  Philadelphia  in  170.5.  The  English  Puritan  and  the  Scotch 
elements  that  were  commingled  in  the  association  formed  in  Eng- 
land between  the  Presbyterian  and  the  Congregational  denominations, 
were  transplanted  into  America. 

In  this  compound  the  Puritan  influence  was  at  first  predominant. 
But  a  large  share  of  the  English  immigration  fell  naturally  into  the 
Congregational  Churches  of  New   England,  while   nearly   all   the 


GIG 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Scotch  as  naturally  dropped  into  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Hence 
the  Scotch  clement  became  more  and  more  influential,  as  it  came  to 
bear  a  greater  proportion  to  the  whole  body.  Hence  too  the  "  old 
side"  and  the  "new  side,"  and  the  division  of  1741.  These  parties 
possessed  in  their  common  symbols  of  faith,  and  in  their  common  at- 
tachment to  free  non-prelatical  principles,  affinities  of  sufficient  force 
to  draw  them  together  in  some  system  of  Christian  co-operation. 
Yet  there  were  diflerences,  which  like  the  repulsion  existing  between 
the  particles  of  matter,  when  brought  near  to  one  another,  resisted 
any  thing  like  a  complete  coalescence. 

The  appellations  "  old  side"  and  "  new  side,"  and  "  old  school" 
and  "  new  school,"  have  been  justly  complained  of  as  an  arrogant 
claim  for  themselves  on  the  part  of  those  terming  themselves  "  old 
school,"  and  as  evincing  an  attempt  to  cast  odium  upon  their  brethren 
as  having  less  reverence  for  scriptural  teaching,  and  the  ancient  paths 
of  Christianity. 

The  terms  Scotch  party,  and  Puritan  party,  cannot  be  reasonably 
objected  to,  because  each  party  glories  in  its  own  ancestry  in  this 
respect. 

The  differences  of  these  two  parties  in  their  native  characteristics, 
are  pretty  well  understood.  The  Puritan  is  satisfied  with  maintaining 
the  great  leading  truths  of  the  Calvinistic  faith,  and  is  ready  to  waive 
minor  diflerences,  and  to  co-operate  with  all  Christian  people  in  dif- 
fusing evangelical  piety.  Hence,  though  the  mass  of  our  Puritan 
people  preferred  Congiregational  government,  they  looked  calmly  on, 
while  hundreds  of  their  ministers,  and  thousands  of  their  church  mem- 
bers were  becoming  thorough  Presbyterians.  The  Scotch,  on  the 
contrary,  were  of  a  more  inflexible  character.  They  too  loved  Cal- 
vinistic doctrines,  and  if  they  had  less  zeal  than  the  Puritans  in  dif- 
fusing our  religion,  and  in  acting  for  the  regeneration  of  our  country 
and  the  world,  they  were  second  to  no  other  people  on  earth  in  these 
respects. 

The  diflTerences  in  doctrine  between  the  two  had  respect  mainly  to 
three  points  of  explanation  of  great  facts  in  the  Calvinistic  system. 
They  both  agreed  that  the  whole  race  of  Adam  were  sinners  by  na- 
ture. Many  of  the  vScotch  school  maintained  that  sin  was  literally 
infused  into  the  human  soul  prior  to  any  moral  agency  of  the  subject. 

Many  of  the  Puritan  parly  alleged  that  this  was  not  the  mode  by 
which  all  men  became  sinners,  but  that  it  was  enough  to  say  that 
there  were  certain  native  propensities  in  every  descendant  of  Adam, 
which  naturally  and  certainly  induced  sinful  action  with  the  com- 
mencement of  moral  agency. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  q  j  7 

Many  of  the  Scotch  party  maintained  that  the  atonement  of  Christ 
is  intended  as  a  provision  for  the  elect  alone.  The  Puritan  party 
asserted  that  the  atonement  is  made  for  the  race  as  a  whole,  so  that 
it  may  be  truly  said  to  every  lost  sinner,  after  he  shall  be  shut  up  in 
the  eternal  prison,  "You  might  have  had  salvation;  Christ  purchased 
it  for  you,  and  proffered  it  to  you  in  all  sincerity." 

The  Scotch  party  maintained,  that  unconverted  sinners  were  per- 
fectly unable,  in  every  sense,  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the 
gospel.  The  other  party  alleged,  that  "  God  hath  endued  the  will  of 
man  with  that  natural  liberty,  that  it  is  neither  forced,  nor  by  any 
absolute  necessity  of  nature,  determined  to  good  or  evil."  Many 
individuals  were  found,  on  both  sides,  that  pushed  these  views  to  an 
extreme;  but  far  the  greater  proportion  of  the  clergy,  in  each  party, 
were  content  to  preach  the  gospel  faithfully  to  their  respective  flocks, 
with  so  little  of  the  controversial  spirit,  that  the  greater  part  of  their 
intelligent  hearers,  did  not  understand  that  there  was  any  perceptible 
difference  in  the  theology  of  the  two  schools.  Indeed,  the  division 
cannot  he  said  to  have  taken  place  on  theological  principles. 

Nor  did  the  difference  of  measures  for  promoting  religion  exert 
any  influence  directly  in  producing  the  separation.  The  people  of 
western  New  York  were  a  staid  New  England  population.  When 
some  irregularities  sprung  up  among  them,  strong  remonstrances 
were  called  into  exercise  in  their  own  community,  by  this  infringe- 
ment of  the  uniform  and  long  established  order  to  which  they  had 
been  accustomed.  But,  the  same  irregularities,  that  produced  unhappy 
excitements  there,  are,  at  this  day,  exceeded,  by  far,  in  many  portions 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  that  have  been  wholly  moulded  by  the 
Scotch  party.  We  have  known  a  church,  in  a  village  of  v/estern 
New  York,  thrown  into  great  excitement,  because  a  member  was 
admitted  to  the  communion  of  the  church,  with  only  one  week's  pro- 
bation, after  his  first  expressing  a  hope  in  Christ.  This,  too,  when 
the  man  was  a  respectable  citizen,  a  regular  attendant  upon  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  of  most  blameless  morals.  Such  were  the  habits  of  the 
Christian  community,  that  great  anxiety  was  created  by  what  was 
there  deemed  so  hasty  a  step  in  the  reception  of  a  convert  to  the 
ordinances  of  the  church.  Yet  the  writer  of  this  article  has  wit- 
nessed in  the  state  of  Kentucky,  under  the  Scotch  system,  an  instance 
of  a  woman's  coming  to  what  was,  untastefully  enough,  called  an 
"  anxious  seat,"  on  Saturday  evening,  indicating  there  and  by  that 
act,  for  the  first  time,  that  she  was  impressed  with  the  great  truths  of 
the  gospel ;  and  yet  she  was  received  to  the  church  the  next  day, 
without  creating  even  surprise  among  the  people. 

40 


Q^^  HISTORY  OF  THE 

This  was  not  a  new  measure  at  the  West,  because  the  people  were 
accustomed  to  it.  It  would  probably  be  looked  on  as  an  act  of  hurried 
fanaticism  in  the  most  extravagant  Presbyterian  church  in  western 
New  York,  at  the  present  day. 

The  causes  of  the  division  lay  back  of  any  serious  differences  in 
doctrines  or  measures.  The  Domestic  Missionary  Society,  in  New 
York,  was  a  voluntary  association,  sending  its  missionaries  to  the 
new  settlements  of  our  western  frontiers.  The  General  Assembly 
also  employed  missionaries  to  labour  upon  the  same  field.  Some 
friends  of  domestic  missions  in  New  England  and  New  York,  con- 
ceived of  a  noble  project  for  increasing  the  elficiency  of  the  domestic 
missionary  movement. 

It  had  been  satisfactorily  proved  by  the  munificence  of  an  indi- 
vidual, that  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars,  given  to  a  feeble  congre- 
gation, would  operate  as  an  encouragement  to  the  people,  to  secure 
a  continuous  dispensation  of  the  gospel  among  them. 

After  some  communications  from  one  to  another,  among  distin- 
guished Christian  philanthropists,  the  Domestic  Missionary  Society 
was  merged  in  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  formed  in 
New  York,  in  1826.  This  society  enjoyed  a  success  which  the 
missions  of  the  General  Assembly  had  never  possessed. 

The  reasons  were  obvious.  According  to  its  plan  of  operations, 
every  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  dollars,  secured  the  planting  of  a 
missionary  for  one  year,  over  a  feeble  church.  Its  funds  were  col- 
lected by  soliciting  from  the  benevolent  considerable  annual  donations 
to  its  treasury.  Many  wealthy  Christians  contributed  a  sum  sufficient 
to  support  one,  two,  three  or  more  missionaries.  On  the  plan  of  the 
Assembly,  every  missionary  cost  its  mission  four  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  dollars.  Its  collections,  too,  were  mainly  sought  for  in  small 
sums.   "  The  fifty  cent  plan,"  as  it  was  termed,  was  greatly  relied  on. 

This  plan  of  soliciting  from  every  member  of  the  church,  a  penny 
a  week,  failed  to  secure  any  great  amount  of  funds.  The  wealthy 
were  pleased  with  a  plan  so  agreeable  to  a  parsimonious  spirit ;  the 
solicitation  was  not  universal,  and  great  numbers  failed  to  comply 
with  a  request  so  reasonable.  Here  was  the  germ  of  the  difficulty. 
The  Home  Missionary  Society  extended  its  influence  rapidly.  The 
plan  was  popular.  The  results  gave  it  increased  eclat,  and  those 
who  were  connected  with  it,  acquired  a  vast  moral  influence  in  the 
church.  This  influence  was  wielded  mainly  by  those  who  were  of 
the  Puritan  party.  In  Philadelphia,  there  was  another  kind  of  influ- 
ence. It  was  ecclesiastical,  and  arose  from  that  city's  being  the 
birthplace  of  American  Presbyterianism,  and  the  place  where  the 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  619 

General  Assembly  held  its  annual  sessions.  In  that  Jerusalem  of  our 
beloved  church  resided  men  venerated  for  their  years,  and  respected 
for  their  learning,  piety,  and  usefulness.  They  were  of  the  Scotch 
party.  "  They  were  desirous,"  as  Dr.  Miller  said  of  the  ministers 
from  Scotland,  at  another  period,  "  to  carry  into  effect  the  system  to 
which  they  had  been  accustomed  in  all  its  extent  and  strictness." 
The  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  the  Plan  of  Union,  promoted  a 
rapid  growth  of  the  Puritan  element  in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
That  portion  of  the  church  which  had  received  its  cast  and  tone  from 
New  England,  possessed  an  efficiency  in  impressing  its  own  character 
upon  our  growing  population,  which  the  Scotch  party  did  not  possess. 
It  gave  funds  for  the  missionary  work  with  far  greater  liberality ;  it 
educated  men  for  the  sacred  office  in  greater  numbers,  it  co-operated 
with  other  denominations  more  freely.  It  was  the  more  popular  and 
growing  portion  of  the  church,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  day  was 
not  very  distant,  when  it  would  have  a  strongly  ascendant  influence 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  unless  something  were  done  to  check  its 
power. 

This  naturally  created  anxiety  in  those  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  a  strong  control  in  the  ecclesiastical  judicatories.  They  felt  that 
the  church  would  be  unsafe,  if  the  power  should  pass  into  other  hands. 
Hence  arose  accusations  for  heresy  against  ministers  whose  reputation 
for  orthodoxy  never  could  be  brought  into  question  with  any  intelli- 
gent, uncommitted  hearers  of  their  preaching.  Three  distinguished 
prosecutions  for  heresy  were  instituted  as  a  means  of  carrying  out 
the  designs  of  the  Scotch  party.  These  were  the  cases  of  the  Rev. 
George  Duffield,  of  Carlisle ;  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  of  Philadelphia  ; 
and  the  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher,  D.  D.,  of  Cincinnati.  These  prosecu- 
tions were  carried  on  with  great  zeal  for  several  years ;  that  of  Mr. 
Barnes  lasted  six  years ;  but  all  proved  signal  failures.  There  was  a 
tone  of  moderation  and  piety  in  the  church,  which  would  not  allow 
such  men  to  be  deposed  as  heretics. 

These  efforts  were  accompanied  by  a  warm  resistance  of  voluntary 
associations  in  the  work  of  missions,  and  in  educating  young  men 
for  the  sacred  office ;  and  also  by  a  complaint  of  extravagance  and 
new  measures  in  the  region  where  "  the  Plan  of  Union"  had  exerted 
its  influence.  It  cannot  be  denied,  indeed,  that  extravagances  existed 
in  western  New  York ;  but  they  were  extravagances  of  which  the 
other  party  had  no  right  to  complain,  and  of  which  they  would  pro- 
bably never  have  heard,  if  the  Puritan  party  had  been  as  much  accus- 
tomed to  camp  meetings,  and  anxious  seats,  and  hasty  admissions,  as 


Q20  HISTORY  OF  THE 

extensive  regions  of  the  church  under  the  control  of  the  Scotch  party 
had  been. 

The  Scotch  party  was  doubtless  sincere  in  magnifying  every  cause 
for  apprehension  in  regard  to  the  doctrines,  and  the  order  of  the  other 
portion  of  the  church.  Good  men  accustomed  to  great  influence  very 
easily  believe,  that  if  power  passes  from  their  own  hands,  it  will  be 
exercised  with  less  discretion. 

The  moderate  party  had  the  advantage  in  point  of  numbers ;  but 
they  had  less  of  esprit  du  corps,  less  of  organization  as  a  party,  and 
less  disposition  to  contend.  The  Scotch  party  organized  themselves 
by  conventions  and  appeals  through  the  press,  representing  the  church 
as  being  in  extreme  danger  from  heresy  in  doctrine,  and  innovations 
upon  established  order.  The  feelings  to  which  they  appealed  were  a 
warm  regard  for  Presbyterian  order  and  doctrine.  The  Puritan  party 
really  believed  that  it  was  unjustifiable  to  attempt  to  meet  these  war- 
like preparations  by  demonstrations  of  the  same  character.  They 
thought,  if  they  still  devoted  their  energies  to  the  cause  of  missions, 
and  the  progress  of  piety  in  our  own  church,  and  in  the  country  at 
large,  God  would  protect  their  cause. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1837,  convened  in  Philadelphia.  It  was 
distinctly  understood,  previously  to  the  meeting,  through  a  convention 
of  that  party,  that  if  they  could  secure  a  majority,  some  measures 
would  be  adopted  which  would  disable,  ever  thereafter,  the  moderate 
party  in  the  church.  The  desired  majority  was  obtained.  They  first 
abrogated  the  Plan  of  Union,  and  then  declared  four  synods,  viz. :  those 
of  Utica,  Geneva,  Genesee,  and  the  Western  Reserve,  out  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  The  "  Plan  of  Union"  did  not  make  these  four 
synods,  it  only  made  the  people  Presbyterians,  and  the  General 
Assembly  constituted  the  synods.  When  "The  Plan  of  Union"  was 
abrogated,  it  became  obvious  that  those  churches,  which  were  partly 
or  wholly  Congregational,  must  lose  their  connexion  with  the  presby- 
teries; but  how  synods  and  presbyteries  lost  their  Presbyterian  cha- 
racter by  the  removal  of  what  little  remnants  of  Congregationalism 
had  remained  in  them  till  that  time,  it  is  difllicult  to  conceive.  Indeed 
it  is  quite  manifest  that  the  whole  movement  was  made,  as  was 
admitted  by  a  principal  leader  of  the  party  at  the  time,  for  the  simple 
purpose  of  preventing  a  future  majority  of  the  other  party.  These 
four  synods,  comprising  about  five  hundred  ministers,  and  six  hundred 
churches,  and  sixty  thousand  communicants,  were  attempted  to  be 
cut  off  from  the  Presbyterian  Church,  because,  if  the  opposing  party 
was  not  thoroughly  broken  by  such  an  excision,  the  Scotch  party 
would  never  have  a  majority  on  that  floor  again. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  gQl 

After  passing  these  resolutions,  the  majority  took  effective  measures 
to  retain  the  records,  and  the  funds  of  the  church,  by  passing  an  order 
requiring  the  clerks  to  pledge  themselves  not  to  receive  the  commis- 
sioners from  the  exscinded  synods,  in  the  formation  of  the  next 
Assembly. 

The  Puritan  party  learning  that  if  the  moderator  and  clerks  should 
assume  to  carry  out  the  unconstitutional  acts  of  1837,  in  the  organiz- 
ing of  the  Assembly  of  1838,  it  would  be  clearly  a  conspiracy  to 
deprive  them  of  their  rights,  appeared  by  their  commissioners  and 
organized  the  Assembly,  at  the  appointed  time  and  place,  in  a  legal 
and  constitutional  manner.  The  Scotch  party  also  organized,  and 
each  body  proclaimed  itself  the  regular  constitutional  "  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica." The  party  that  had  exscinded  the  four  synods  to  secure  to 
themselves  a  future  majority,  retained  all  the  funds  and  property  of 
the  church,  amounting  to  more  than  three  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  General  Assembly  in  its  session  in  1838,  appointed  six  new 
trustees,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  corporation,  passed  by  the 
Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  in  1799.  The  new  trustees  thus  ap- 
pointed, instituted  a  process  in  law,  requiring  of  the  trustees  who  had 
been  superseded  *'  To  answer  to  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
by  what  warrant  they  claimed  to  have,  use,  and  enjoy  the  franchises 
and  privileges  of  Trustees  of  the  General  Assembly." 

After  a  full  and  impartial  trial  before  a  jury,  a  verdict  was  ren- 
dered in  favour  of  the  plaintiffs — the  Puritan  party:  "that  is,"  as  ex- 
plained by  the  presiding  judge,  "  the  Assembly  which  held  its  sittings 
in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  (a  portion  of  which  had  been  cut 
off  in  ]837,  without  trial,)  was  the  true  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  United  States  of  America,  under  the 
charter." 

The  counsel  for  the  defendants  applied  to  "  the  Supreme  Court  in 
Banc"  for  a  new  trial.  After  hearing  the  cause,  Chief  Justice  Gibson 
ordered  a  new  trial.  Various  delays  occurred.  The  General  Assembly 
is  satisfied  with  the  moral  effect  of  the  decision  rendered  by  a  jury  of 
their  countrymen,  and  has  withdrawn  the  suit. 

The  reasons  for  this  withdrawment  are  various.  First,  the  General 
Assembly  is  willing  to  sacrifice  something,  and  even  much,  for  peace. 
But  the  great  object  of  the  trial  has  been  secured.  The  Constitutional 
party  definitely  offered  to  leave  all  the  funds  in  the  hands  of  the  ex- 
scinding party,  if  they  would  allow  the  separation  to  be  a  division  of 
the  church  rather  than  an  expulsion  of  nearly  one  third  part  of  the 
whole,  so  that  its  church  property  should  not  be  at  the  mercy  of  the 


(522  HISTORY  OF  THE 

cxscindcrs,  whenever  even  a  small  minority  might  sec  fit  to  rise  up  and 
claim  it  from  those  who  had  produced  it  to  secure  to  themselves  and 
their  children  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  This  they  utterly  refused. 
The  Assembly  preferred  to  secure  the  right  to  the  churches  which 
they  had  built,  by  testing  their  right  to  be  considered  the  lawful  suc- 
cessors, according  to  the  charter.  The  result  is  known.  An  enlight- 
ened court  and  jury,  before  whom  the  merits  of  the  cause  on  both 
sides  were  fully  and  ably  manifested — the  only  tribunal  where 
THE  CAUSE  EVER  WAS  TRIED  UPON  ITS  MERITS — wcrc  prompt  and  unani- 
mous  in  our  favour.  After  the  new  trial  was  ordered,  several  suits 
were  commenced,  by  small  minorities  attempting  to  take,  by  course  of 
law,  the  sanctuaries  which  our  people  had  erected  before  the  division. 
Every  one  of  these  cases  that  came  to  an  issue  was  decided  in  our 
favour. 

The  award  of  the  Court  in  Banc,  Chief  Justice  Gibson  presiding 
and  pronouncing  the  opinion  of  the  court,  in  the  case  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  York,  Pennsylvania,  w'hile  it  has  for  ever  settled  the 
occupancy  of  church  property  in  that  State  on  the  proper  basis,  has 
so  clearly  treated  of  the  main  questions  at  issue,  between  the  parties 
in  the  action  we  have  withdrawn,  and  so  correctly  in  the  main  has 
it  eclaircised  and  settled  them,  that  we  are  comparatively  content 
with  the  award,  inasmuch  as  it  explains,  qualifies,  and  in  effect 

MORALLY    OVERRULES,    THE     POSITIONS    BEFORE    ADVANCED,  by    the    SamC 

court,  on  the  motion  previously  "  affirmed  absolute,"  for  a  new  trial. 

In  that  award,  allusion  is  distinctly  had  to  those  positions,  as  leading 
to  the  absolute  affirmance  of  the  motion ;  and  this  result  is  explained 
as  follows  :  "  It  was  not  because  the  minority  were  thought  to  be  any 
thing  else  than  Presbyterians,  but  because  a  popular  body  is  known 
only  by  its  government  or  head.  *  *  *  Indeed,  the  measure  [the  ex- 
scinding violence]  would  seem  to  have  been  as  decisively  revolu- 
tionary, as  would  be  an  exclusion  of  particular  States  from  the 
Federal  Union,  for  the  adoption  of  an  anti-republican  form  of  govern- 
ment. ******  That  the  Old  School  party  acceded  to  the  privi- 
leges and  property  of  the  Assembly,  was  not  because  it  was  more 
Presbyterian  than  the  other,  but  because  it  w^as  stronger;  for  had  it 
been  the  weaker,  it  would  have  been  the  party  excluded." 

The  Scotch  party  retain  the  funds  and  property.  Individuals  of 
the  party  have  intimated  a  willingness  to  restore  as  much  of  these 
funds  as  was  contributed  by  the  Puritan  party.  There  is  no  doubt 
they  would  be  more  happy  if  it  were  done;  but  how  to  perform  that 
which  they  desire,  they  find  not.  The  funds  are  of  little  consequence. 
The  period  of  deep  excitement  has  passed  awa}'.    Some  great  advan- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


623 


tages  have  accrued  from  this  unhappy  division  of  brethren.  The 
accusations  of  heresy  have  ceased,  and  events  have  shown  that  either 
party  would  gladly  strengthen  itself  with  receiving  to  its  arms  any 
clergyman  of  good  standing  in  his  present  position.  An  interchange 
of  public  service  in  one  another's  churches  has  already  commenced, 
and  there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  the  time  is  not  distant,  when 
the  kindest  and  most  fraternal  intercourse  will  prevail  universally 
between  these  two  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  family. 

Names  are  of  minor  consequence ;  jjet  they  exert  an  influence ; 
and  the  present  relations  of  these  two  bodies  demand  the  exercise  of 
Christian  courtesy  and  kindness  in  the  appellations  by  which  they 
shall  distinguish  one  another.  The  General  Assembly  of  the  Puritan 
party  has  been  termed  the  Constitutional  General  Assembly,  to  distin- 
guish it  from  those  of  the  exscinding  body,  and  this  has  been  justified 
on  the  ground  that  the  jury  so  decided.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered 
that  a  final  decision  has  not  been  had,  and  it  is  adapted  to  wound  the 
feelings  of  some  to  fix  such  appellations  upon  the  two  parties.  They 
are  now  two  churches.  The  division  may  be  advantageously  con- 
templated as  one  of  the  events  ordered  by  an  all-wise  Providence. 

The  Assembly  of  the  Scotch  party  holds  its  sessions  annually.  That 
of  the  Puritan  party  meets  only  once  in  three  years.  There  can  be 
no  offence  in  calling  one  the  Annual  Assembly,  and  the  other  the 
Triennial  Assembly. 

The  numerical  strength  of  the  two  churches  is  not  greatly  unequal. 
The  Triennial  Assembly  carries  forward  its  charitable  operations 
wholly  by  means  of  voluntary  associations,  in  which  it  co-operates 
with  other  denominations.  Its  contributions  to  foreign  missions  are 
made  chiefly  to  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions ;  those  for  our  own  country  are  through  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society.  It  has  no  denominational  tract  society, 
preferring  to  act  with  its  Christian  brethren  of  other  churches  in  the 
American  Tract  Society.  The  church  has  raised  up,  and  has  now 
under  its  care,  four  theological  seminaries,  viz. :  those  of  Auburn,  New 
York,  and  Lane  Seminary,  at  Cincinnati,  and  the  Theological  Semi- 
nary of  Maryville,  East  Tennessee,  together  with  a  theological 
department  in  the  Western  Reserve  College, — and  all  in  a  highly 
flourishing  condition.  In  respect  to  colleges  and  institutions  of  secu- 
lar learning  generally,  the  Presbyterian  Church  prefers  to  act  with 
all  its  countrymen,  without  respect  to  denominations,  any  further  than 
to  secure  in  such  institutions  a  proper  regard  for  sound  morals  and 
true  religion.  Associated  naturally  with  the  population  of  New  Eng- 
land, the  difference  of  forms  of  ecclesiastical  polity  cannot  prevent  a 


(J04  HISTORY  OF  THE 

natural  co-operation  with  the  sons  of  tiie  Pilgrims,  in  disseminating 
Christianity  with  less  of  exclusiveness  and  sectarian  character  than 
belongs  to  any  other  body  of  Christians. 

It  remains  to  be  seen  whether  there  is  sufficient  of  liberality  and 
charity  in  the  age  to  justify  such  a  procedure,  or  whether  this  gene- 
rosity of  tlie  Presbyterian  Church  shall  be  met  with  such  an  amount 
of  exclusiveness,  as  to  receive  an  impulse  while  imparting  one,  and 
thus  to  become  assimilated  in  this  respect  to  the  sects  by  which  it  is 
surrounded. 

The  General  Assembly  has  under  its  care  19  synods,  101  presby- 
teries, and  nearly  1500  ministers. 

In  concluding  this  statement  it  may  not  be  improper  to  remark, 
that  when  other  denominations  have  been  alluded  to,  it  has  been  done 
for  the  sake  of  setting  forth  distinctly  the  character  and  position  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  Not  a  wish  has  been  indulged  to  wound 
the  feelings  of  other  communions.  The  prelatical  churches,  from 
which  we  differ  so  widely  on  the  great  principles  of  ecclesiastical 
liberty,  we  nevertheless  regard  as  churches  of  Christ,  and  would  as 
cordially  invite  them  to  our  pulpits  and  our  communion,  if  they  would 
reciprocate  our  kindness,  as  we  do  the  clergy  and  communicants  of 
other  denominations,  and  we  feel  even  an  unaffected  grief  that  they 
should  be  prevented  by  their  system  from  meeting  us  as  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  and  members  of  the  Church  Universal.  We  would  gladly 
have  passed  over  all  allusion  to  the  division  of  our  own  church  in 
1838;  but  it  seemed  otherwise  impossible  to  make  a  fair  statement 
of  the  characteristics  and  condition  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  We 
have  aimed  to  avoid  all  offence  in  speaking  of  the  parties  as  leaning 
respectively  towards  the  strictness  of  the  Scotch  Church,  and  the 
readier  tendency  to  yield  and  to  assimilate  with  others  manifested  by 
the  descendants  of  the  Endish  Puritans.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that 
many  Presbyterians  originally  of  the  Scotch  school,  both  clergy  and 
laity,  as  the  Synod  of  Virginia  and  others,  are  among  our  most  liberal 
constitutional  Presbyterians,  nor  that  some  of  the  clergy  and  people 
born  and  educated  among  the  Pilgrim  sons  of  New  England,  arc 
among  the  straitest  class  of  those  connected  with  the  church  of  the 
Annual  Assembly.  We  only  mean  a  general  characteristic  of  the 
parties  as  such,  when  we  give  them  these  appellations.  With  that 
church  the  writer,  as  an  individual — and  he  is  confident  the  same  may 
be  said  of  most  of  his  brethren — has  no  personal  dilRculties.  He  has 
been  for  a  term  of  five  years  together  connected  with  a  presbytery, 
in'wiiich  nearly  every  member  sympathized  with  that  party.  The 
kindly  intercourse  enjoyed  with  his  brethren  of  Louisiana  will  not  be 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  Q25 

easily  forgotten.  If  we  have  spoken  of  our  own  church  as  the  true 
constitutional  Presbyterian  Church,  it  was  not  to  question  the  rights 
of  others.  It  was  only  because  we  really  think  it  such.  Undoubtedly 
others  think  differently  with  equal  sincerity.  Our  prayer  is  that  both 
may  prosper,  and  only  provoke  one  another  to  love  and  good  works, 
and  that  all  those  churches  who  hold  Christ  the  head  may  unite  their 
energies  against  all  those  forms  of  sin  that  resist  the  progress  of  our 
common  Christianity. 

In  preparing  the  above  article,  thoughts  and  language  have  been 
taken  from  such  sources  of  information  as  were  accessible  to  us.  In 
doing  this  it  was  less  trouble  and  more  favourable  to  typographical 
beauty,  and  to  rendering  the  whole  readable,  to  avoid  frequent  quota- 
tion marks  and  notes  in  the  margin.  Acknowledgments  are  due  to 
the  Confession  of  Faith,  Catechisms,  and  Directory  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church;  The  Assembly's  Digest;  Dr.  Hill's  and  Dr.  Hodge's 
Histories  of  the  Presbyterian  Church;  Dr.  Miller's  Tract  on  Presby- 
terianism,  and  his  article  on  the  same  subject  in  the  Religious  Ency- 
clopasdia ;  Judge  Rogers'  Charge  to  the  Jury  on  the  trial  of  the 
Church  case;  Letter  of  the  Committee  ad  interim  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, and  the  Decision  of  Chief  Justice  Gibson  in  the  case  of  the 
Church  of  York,  Pennsylvania. 


EEFOEMED  PRESEYTEEIAN  CHUECH. 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  N.  M'LEOD.  D.D., 

NEW  YORK. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica derives  her  origin  from  the  old  Reformation  Church  of  Scotland. 
Her  history,  therefore,  down  to  the  period  of  her  organization  in  this 
country,  is  necessarily  involved  in  that  of  the  parent  church  herself. 
It  deserves  remembrance  to  her  honour,  that  Scotland  was  among 
the  last  of  the  nations  to  submit  to  the  usurpation  of  the  Church  of 
Rome.  Until  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  century  she  possessed  a 
Christian  church  which  maintained  her  spiritual  independence,  and 
refused  to  bow  to  the  Papal  supremacy.  But  Antichrist  at  length 
prevailed,  and  substituted  his  ruinous  formalism  for  the  ancient 
Christianity.  From  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  to  that  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  "  darkness  covered  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the 
people"  of  insular  as  well  as  continental  Europe. 

With  the  sixteenth  century,  however,  commenced  that  glorious 
revival  of  evangelical  religion,  the  Protestant  Reformation.  Scotland 
felt  its  influence,  and  awoke  from  her  slumber.  John  Knox  of  famous 
memory,  had  lighted  his  torch  at  the  candle  of  God's  word,  which 
had  just  been  rescued  from  under  the  bushel  where  Antichrist  had 
hidden  it  for  ages.  He  carried  it  through  his  native  land,  and  her 
nobles,  her  people,  and  many  even  of  the  priests  of  Rome,  were 
enlightened  in  the  truths  of  the  gospel.  In  the  year  1560  Popery  was 
abolished  ;  the  Bible  was  declared  free  to  all;  a  Confession  of  Faith, 
containing  an  admirable  summary  of  divine  truth,  was  prepared ;  a 
book  of  discipline,  declaring  the  government  of  the  church  to  be 
presbyterial,  was  adopted  ;  and  all  ranks  of  men  in  the  nation  bound 
themselves  to  each  other  and  to  God,  in  a  solemn  covenant  engage- 
ment, to  maintain  and  perpetuate  the  Reformation  which  had  been 
established.  This  is  what  is  usually  denominated  in  Scottish  history 
the  "  first  reformation,''  or  reformation  from  Popery.    And  thus  arose 


REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  627 

the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church.  For  more  than  thirty  years 
after  this  period,  the  church  enjoyed  great  temporal  and  spiritual 
prosperity.  But  from  the  year  1592  to  1688,  her  history,  with  the 
exception  of  a  twelve  years'  interval  of  rest  and  triumph,  is  one  of 
warfare  and  suffering.  Her  most  powerful  enemies  were  unprinci- 
pled civilians.  They  sought  to  make  her  a  mere  engine  of  state 
policy,  an  instrument  of  their  own  despotism ;  and  when  she  would 
not  submit,  they  attempted  to  coerce  her  by  the  sword.  During  the 
greater  part  of  the  reigns  of  James  VI.,  and  his  son  and  grand- 
son, the  first  and  second  Charles,  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 
was  struggling  for  existence  against  the  power  of  the  state,  which 
assumed  an  antichristian  supremacy  over  her,  and  proceeded  to 
dictate  to  her  the  doctrine,  worship,  and  order  she  should  receive 
and  observe  under  pain  of  imprisonment,  banishment,  and  death. 

Adversity  tests  the  character  of  systems  as  well  as  of  men  ;  and 
never  was  the  worth  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  system  more 
signally  manifested,  than  during  the  period  the  church  was  in  the 
furnace  of  affliction.  Thousands  maintained  her  principles  in  the 
face  of  the  persecutor.  The  life  and  power  of  godliness  was  most 
remarkably  displayed,  and  multitudes  of  holy  martyrs  sealed  with 
their  blood  the  testimony  which  they  held. 

Of  the  interval  of  relief  to  which  reference  has  already  been  had, 
it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  it  was  the  period  between  1638  and  1650 : 
the  era  of  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant ;  of  the  Westminster 
Assembly  of  divines;  of  the  revolution  which  dethroned  the  first 
Charles,  and  asserted  those  principles  of  civil  and  religious  liberty 
which  all  enlightened  Christians  and  statesmen  now  regard  as 
axiomatic  and  undeniable.  This  is  the  period  of  what  is  usually 
styled  the  "  second  reformation,"  and  it  was  for  a  strict  adherence 
to  its  principles  that  Cameron  and  Renwick,  and  their  valiant  coadju- 
tors, were  called  to  pour  out  their  blood  on  the  high  places  of  the 
field.  To  these  principles,  as  of  universal  importance  and  applica- 
bility. Reformed  Presbyterians  still  avow  their  attachment. 

In  the  year  1688,  William  of  Nassau  was  called  to  the  throne  of 
the  three  kingdoms.  He  proceeded,  among  the  first  acts  of  his  reign, 
to  give  a  civil  establishment  to  religion  in  his  dominions.  Episcopacy 
was  established  in  England  and  Ireland,  and  Presbytery  in  Scotland, 
by  the  sole  authority  of  the  king  and  parliament,  even  before  the 
assembly  of  the  church  was  permitted  to  meet.  And  thus  the  old 
principle  of  the  royal  supremacy  over  the  church  was  retained,  and 
incorporated  with  the  very  vitals  of  the  revolution  settlement.  The 
object  of  the  civil  rulers  was,  as  usual,  to  make  the  church  a  tool  of 


C2S  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  State.  Into  an  establishment  of  this  description  the  old  consistent 
Covenanters  could  not  go.  They  stood  aloof  and  dissented  from  it  as 
innperfect,  Erastian,  and  immoral.  The  principal  objections  which 
they  urged  against  incorporation  with  the  revolution  settlement,  were: 
1st.  That  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  which  they  considered  the 
constitution  of  the  empire,  was  entirely  disregarded  in  its  arrange- 
ments,— and  2d.  That  the  civil  rulers  usurped  an  authority  over  the 
church,  which  virtually  destroyed  her  spiritual  independence,  and  was 
at  variance  with  the  sole  headship  of  the  Redeemer  himself.  The 
world  has  just  witnessed  the  spectacle  of  the  large  majority  of  the 
Scottish  establishment  becoming  "  dissenters"  on  this  very  ground  :  a 
testimony  that  the  old  Reformed  Presbyterians  were  right.  For  more 
than  sixteen  years  they  remained  without  a  ministry ;  but  they  were 
not  discouraged.  Though  a  small  minority,  they  organized  themselves 
into  praying  societies,  in  which  they  statedly  met  for  religious  worship. 
They  exercised  a  watchful  care  over  the  moral  and  religious  deport- 
ment of  each  other.  They  fostered  the  spirit  of  attachment  to  Refor- 
mation principles,  and  waited  until  God  would  send  them  pastors. 
And  at  length  they  were  gratified.  In  the  year  1706,  the  Rev.  John 
McMillan  acceded  to  them  from  the  established  church.  In  1743  he 
was  joined  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nairne,  from  the  Secession  Church,  which 
had  been  recently  organized,  and  they  with  ruling  elders  constituted 
the  "  Reformed  Presbytery."  Through  this,  as  the  line  of  their  con- 
nexion with  the  ancient  church,  the  Reformed  Presbyterians  in  this 
country  received  their  present  ministry.  They  had,  however,  a 
ministry  as  well  as  a  people  in  the  North  American  colonies,  before 
the  Reformed  Presbytery  in  Scotland- was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
McMillan  and  his  coadjutors. 

In  the  same  series  of  persecutions  which  drove  the  Huguenots  of 
France  and  the  Puritans  of  England  to  these  shores,  many  of  the 
Scottish  and  Irish  Reformed  Presbyterians,  were  banished  from  their 
native  lands,  and  scattered  among  the  American  colonies.  In  cross- 
ing the  ocean  and  changing  their  iiabitation,  they  had  not  changed 
their  religious  attachments.  And  when  first  visited  by  the  ministers 
who  came  to  their  aid,  they  were  found  with  their  children  collected 
into  praying  societies,  and  fostering  with  care  the  principles  of  civil 
and  religious  freedom,  for  which  they  and  their  ancestors  had  suf- 
fered. Though  the  name  Covenanter,  like  that  of  Puritan,  was  given 
them  by  way  of  reproach,  they  did  not  refuse  it.  Esteeming  it  their 
honour  to  be  in  covenant  with  God  and  with  one  another,  to  do  their 
whole  duty,  they  accepted  the  designation,  and  even  attempted  in  a 
public  manner,  to  practise  the  thing  which  it  indicates.     In  the  year 


REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  qoQ 

1743,  aided  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Craighead,  who  had  acceded  to  them  from 
a  synod  of  Presbyterians  organized  a  few  years  before,  the  Cove- 
HEtnters  in  the  colony  of  Pennsylvania,  proceeded  to  enter  into  a 
solemn  public  engagement  to  abide  by  and  maintain  their  principles. 
This  transaction  served  to  promote  union  among  themselves,  and  to 
keep  them  distinct  from  the  other  religious  societies  which  were  form- 
ing around  them. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  has  ever  been  a  missionary  church. 
The  presbyteries  of  that  name  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  saw  the 
promising  field  beyond  the  ocean,  and  hearkening  to  the  Macedonian 
cry  that  came  from  their  brethren  there,  they  sent  them  the  aid  they 
desired.  In  1752  the  Rev.  Mr.  Culhbertson  arrived  in  America  from 
the  Reformed  Presbytery  of  Scotland.  He  served  the  church  alone 
for  nearly  twenty  years,  and  was  greatly  instrumental  both  in  pro- 
moting the  piety  of  those  among  whom  he  laboured,  and  fostering 
the  spirit  of  opposition  to  British  tyranny,  which  ultimately  demanded 
and  secured  the  independence  of  these  United  States.  Being  joined  by 
Messrs.  Linn  and  Dobbin  from  the  Reformed  Presbytery  of  Ireland, 
in  1774  a  presbytery  was  constituted,  and  the  church  took  her  stand 
as  a  distinct  visible  community  in  the  North  American  colonies. 

In  the  year  1776  the  declaration  of  American  independence  took 
place.  It  was  hailed  with  joy  by  Reformed  Presbyterians.  They 
were  opponents  of  the  British  government  from  both  principle  and 
feeling,  and  in  proportion  to  their  numbers  they  contributed  largely 
to  the  success  of  the  Revolution.  They  took  an  active  part  in  the 
war.  Some  of  them  were  members  of  the  conventions  which  esta- 
blished the  States'  constitutions,  and  subsequently  of  their  legisla- 
tures ;  and  although  they  saw  defects  in  the  new  government,  they 
cordially  recognised  it  as  legitimate,  and  deserving  of  their  conscien- 
tious support. 

The  visible  unity  of  the  Church  of  God  is  a  fundamental  principle 
of  the  Presbyterian  system.  The  revolutionary  and  transition  state 
of  society  for  some  time  before  the  establishment  of  American  inde- 
pendence, occasioned  a  neglect  of  this  principle,  and  kept  the  church 
in  a  divided  and  inefficient  condition.  But  on  the  settlement  of  a 
stable  civil  government  by  the  American  people,  the  minds  of  many 
in  the  different  churches  were  turned  to  the  subject  of  union.  A 
union  of  the  whole  Presbyterian  family  on  a  basis  of  truth  and  order 
adapted  to  the  age,  country,  and  circumstances  of  the  church  in  the 
American  republic,  was  very  extensively  desired,  and  various  attempts 
were  made  to  secure  it.  The  time,  however,  for  this  did  not  seem  to 
have  arrived.     The  results  of  the  overtures  for  union  in  some  in- 


030 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


stances  were  plans  of  correspondence  and  co-operation  rnore  or  less 
extensive,  and  the  nearest  approach  to  the  great  object  sought,  was 
that  union  of  formerly  distinct  bodies  which  gave  origin  to  the  Asso- 
ciate Reformed  Church.  This  took  place  in  the  year  1782,  between 
the  presbyteries  of  the  Associate  and  Reformed  Churches.  The  united 
body  took  the  names  of  its  two  constituent  parts,  and  hence  arose  tlie 
"Associate  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States." 

A  portion  of  the  Associate  Church,  however,  and  one  minister, 
with  a  large  number  of  the  people  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church,  did  not  approve  of  the  union,  or  enter  into  it  when  consum- 
mated. And  thus  both  these  bodies,  though  diminished  in  numbers, 
retained  their  distinctive  standings. 

Within  ten  years  after  this  event,  four  ministers  emigrated  from 
Europe,  to  aid  in  maintaining  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  cause. 
They  were  the  Rev.  James  Reid,  from  Scotland,  who  returned  to  his 
own  country  when  his  missionary  tour  was  accomplished,  and  INIessi's. 
McGarragh,  King,  and  McKinney,  the  latter  of  whom  arrived  in 
the  year  1793. 

The  Rev.  Messrs.  Martin,  King,  and  McGarragh,  regulated  the 
affairs  of  the  church  as  a  committee  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery  in 
Scotland.  But  this  was  a  mere  temporary  expedient,  and  its  object 
having  been  answered,  Messrs.  McKinney,  King,  and  Gibson,  who 
had  recently  emigrated  from  Ireland,  proceeded  to  constitute  a  Pres- 
byterial  judicatory  independent  of  all  foreign  control.  Mr.  King  did 
not  live  to  meet  his  brethren  at  the  time  appointed,  and  in  1798,  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  McKinney  and  Gibson,  with  ruling  elders,  proceeded 
to  constitute  the  "  Reformed  Presbytery  of  the  United  States  of  North 
America."  Thus  the  church  took  her  stand  on  American  ground. 
Her  relations  to  the  Reformed  Presbyterians  of  the  Old  World,  as 
there  defined  and  since  existing,  are  those  of  an  independent  sister 
church.  And  in  proceeding  to  arrange  her  terms  of  communion,  she 
at  once  declared  that  she  adopted  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  system, 
only  in  so  far  as  it  presents  common  truth,  and  "binds  to  duties  not 
peculiar  to  the  church  in  the  British  Isles,  but  common  in  all  lands." 
It  was  thus  her  determination  to  rear,  not  an  exotic  of  foreign  growth 
and  culture,  but  a  plant  which  would  be  at  home  on  American  soil, 
and  furnish  abundant  fruit  unto  eternal  life. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  presbytery.  Rev.  Drs.  Wylie, 
Black,  the  late  Dr.  Alexander  McLeod,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Donnely,  were 
licensed  to  preach  the  gospel.  They  became  efficient  missionaries 
through  the  United  States;  the  cause  prospered  in  their  hands  ;  and  in 
the  year  1808,  a  synod  composed  of  three  presbyteries,  was  consti- 


REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


631 


tuted,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  North  America."  In  the  year  1825 
the  supreme  judicatory  received  the  form  of  a  representative  assembly, 
composed  of  delegates  from  presbyteries,  and  styled  the  "  General 
Synod :"  under  this  organization  the  church  now^  exists. 

Of  the  principles  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  it  may  be 
sufficient  to  say  generally,  that  as  to  doctrine  they  are  strictly  Calvin- 
istic;  and  as  to  cliurcli  government  and  order  of  worship,  Presbyterian. 
Her  ecclesiastical  standards  subordinate  to  the  word  of  God,  are  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms,  and  her  Declara- 
tion and  Testimony,  third  edition,  1843.  In  declaring  her  approbation 
of  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  she  makes  the  following  dis- 
claimer :  "  To  prevent  all  misunderstanding  of  the  matter  of  the 
second  article  of  this  formula,  which  embraces  the  Confession  of  Faith 
and  Catechisms,  it  is  declared  in  reference  to  the  power  of  the  civil 
magistrate  in  ecclesiastical  things,  that  it  is  not  now,  and  never  was, 
any  part  of  the  faith  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  that  the 
civil  magistrate  is  authorized  to  interfere  with  the  Church  of  God,  in 
the  assertion,  settlement,  or  administration  of  her  doctrine,  worship, 
and  order ;  or  to  assume  any  dominion  over  the  rights  of  conscience. 
All  that  appertains  to  the  magistratical  power  in  reference  to  the 
church,  is  the  protection  of  her  members  in  the  full  possession,  exer- 
cise and  enjoyment  of  their  rights.  The  magistratical  office  is  civil 
and  political,  and  consequently  altogether  exterior  to  the  church." 

Reformed  Presbyterians  have  been  regarded  as  entertaining  certain 
peculiar  opinions  on  the  subjects  of  slavery,  psalmody,  communion, 
civil  government,  and  covenanting.  It  is  proper  that  these  should  be 
understood.  With  regard  to  slavery,  the  principle  which  they  hold  is, 
that  the  purchase,  sale,  or  retention  of  unoffending  men  of  any  part  of 
the  human  family  as  slaves,  is  a  moral  evil  against  which  the  Church 
of  God  should  bear  a  pointed  and  active  testimony.  And  in  carrying 
this  principle  into  practice,  it  was  enacted  by  the  highest  judicatory 
of  the  church  in  the  year  1800,  and  when  a  large  proportion  of  her 
members  resided  in  the  South,  that  no  slaveholder  should  be  retained 
in  the  communion  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church.  Upon  this 
principle  she  still  continues  to  act. 

On  the  subject  of  psalmody,  the  sentiments  of  the  church  are  thus 
expressed  in  the  eighth  article  of  her  Testimony,  under  the  head  of 
"  Christian  Worship :" — "  Singing  God's  praise  is  a  part  of  public 
social  worship,  in  which  the  whole  congregation  should  join ;  the  book 
of  Psalms,  which  are  of  divine  inspiration,  is  well  adapted  to  the  state 
of  the  church,  and  of  every  member,  in  all  ages  and  circumstances; 


G32 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  these  Psalms,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  imitations  and  uninspired 
compositions,  are  to  be  used  in  social  worship." 

The  lletbrmcd  Presbyterian  Church  has  never  insisted  on  the  use 
of  any  particular  version  of  the  book  of  Psalms,  any  further  than  that 
such  version  was  preferable  to  all  others.  Her  principle  is,  that  the 
matter  of  the  church's  praise  should  be  exclusively  the  songs  of  inspi- 
ration, in  the  best  attainable  translation. 

On  the  subject  of  sacramental  communion  the  principles  of  the 
church  are,  that  such  communion  is  the  most  solemn,  intimate  and 
perfect  fellowship  that  Christians  can  enjoy  with  God  and  one  another; 
that  when  Christians  are  associated  together  in  a  church  state  under 
a  definite  creed,  communion  in  the  sacraments  involves  an  approba- 
tion of  the  principles  of  that  creed  ;  and  that  as  the  church  is  invested 
with  authority,  which  she  is  bound  to  exercise,  to  keep  the  ordinances 
of  God  pure  and  entire :  sacramental  communion  is  not  to  be  extended 
to  those  who  do  not  approve  the  principles  of  the  particular  church 
or  submit  themselves  to  her  authority.  In  maintaining  these  principles 
the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  does  not  design  to  unchurch  any 
other  religious  denomination,  or  deny  the  Christianity  of  its  members. 
She  recognises  the  validity  of  the  ordinances  of  all  Christian  com- 
munities who  hold  the  divine  Head,  and  the  plenary  inspiration  of  his 
word.  She  rejoices  to  know  that  these  contain  many  of  the  saints 
of  God,  who  have  fellowship  with  him  and  with  one  another  at  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  and  she  is  willing  to  co-operate  with  them  to  the 
extent  of  her  ability,  in  promoting  the  common  Christianity.  But  she 
does  not  feel  at  liberty  to  allow  every  man  to  be  the  judge  of  his  own 
qualification  for  sealing  ordinances,  to  dispense  these  ordinances  to 
such  as  do  not  assent  to  her  religious  principles,  or  whom  she  could 
not  submit  to  her  discipline  were  they  found  violating  their  Christian 
obligations. 

On  the  subject  of  civil  government,  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church  expressly  testifies  against  a  sentiment  that  has  sometimes 
been  attributed  to  her,  "that  civil  government  is  founded  in  grace." 
And  she  affirms,  "  that  civil  society,  together  with  its  order,  has  its 
foundation  in  the  natural  constitution  of  man,  and  his  external  rela- 
tionships in  life ;  that  it  was  instituted  by  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of 
the  world  immediately  for  the  good  of  man,  and  ultimately  for  the 
divine  glory ;  and  that  the  principles  of  God's  moral  law  are  the 
supreme  standard  according  to  which  human  society  is  obliged  to 
regulate  and  conduct  its  affairs."  And  again,  "that  though  civil 
society  and  its  governmental  institutions  are  not  founded  in  grace : 
yet  it  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  endeavour  to  bring  over  civil  states 


REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  633 

the  influence  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  to  persuade  such  states 
to  put  themselves  in  subordination  to  Immanuel,  for  the  protection 
and  furtherance  of  the  interests  of  religion  and  liberty."  And  again, 
in  applying  these  principles  to  the  constitution  and  government  of  the 
-United  States,  she  further  declares,  "that  in  a  land  where  peculiar 
religious  characteristics  have  never  been  extensively  introduced  into 
civil  deeds  of  constitution ;  where  there  is  no  apostacy  from  esta- 
blished and  sworn  to  reformation;  where  the  constitutional  evils 
complained  of  are  simply  omissions,  not  fundamental  to  the  existence 
and  essential  operations  of  civil  society ;  where  no  immoral  engage- 
ment is  required,  and  no  pledge  either  demanded  or  given  to  approve 
of  or  perpetuate  defects;  where  fundamental  principles  of  the  social 
state,  moral  in  their  nature,  are  adopted ;  where  a  testimony  against 
defects  is  admitted,  and  the  way  left  open,  constitutionally,  to  employ 
all  moral  means  to  obtain  a  remedying  of  defects:  the  same  obstacles 
stand  not  in  the  way  of  a  Christian's  entrance  into  civil  communion, 
as  do  in  a  land  where,  such  religious  characteristics  having  been 
adopted,  covenanted,  and  sworn  to,  but,  having  been  departed  from, 
upon  the  ruins  of  a  reformed  system,  one  of  an  opposite  character 
has  been  introduced.  And  further,  that  under  a  testimony  against 
defects,  circumstanced  as  above  staled,  the  Christian  may  con- 
sistently enter  into  the  civil  fellowship  of  the  couniry  where  he 
resides,  using  his  liberty  on  a  moral  basis  to  seek  the  improvement 
of  the  social  state."  And  again,  the  church  has  declared,  "  that  the 
acts  and  legislation  of  this  church  have  at  all  times  authorized  all 
connexion  with  the  civil  society  and  institutions  of  the  United  States, 
which  does  not  involve  immorality." 

The  position,  then,  which  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  is  understood  to  occupy  towards  the  government 
of  the  country,  is  simply  this,  believing  that  a  representative  demo- 
cracy is  the  ordinance  of  God,  she  approves  of  its  republican  form 
and  character.  She  perceives  no  moral  evil  in  its  constitution.  She 
finds  it  promoting  the  best  interests  of  the  citizen,  and  throwing  the 
shield  of  its  protection  over  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore 
she  leaves  her  members  atjiberty  to  incorporate  with  it  by  becoming 
its  citizens  and  assuming  its  offices,  if  they  can  do  so  in  consistency 
with  their  own  conscientious  convictions.  But  she  insists  that  no 
immoral  man  should  be  invested  with  office;  that  the  Bible  is  the  rule 
of  official  administration  as  well  as  private  conduct;  and  that  civil 
rulers,  in  common  with  all  other  characters,  are  responsible  to  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  "  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  Governor  among 
the  nations." 

41 


(53  i  HISTORY"  OF  THE 

Some  Reformed  Presbyterians  have,  from  time  to  time,  entertained 
the  opinion  that  the  constitution  and  government  of  the  United  States 
is  essentially  infidel  and  immoral,  and  that  therefore  they  should  be 
dissenters  from  both.  And,  principally  on  the  ground  of  maintaining 
this  opinion,  in  the  year  1833,  a  number  of  ministers  with  adherents 
seceded  from  the  General  Synod  of  the  church,  and  formed  a  sepa- 
rate organization.  But  the  position  of  the  church  is  as  above  stated. 
(See  "Testimony,"  second  and  third  editions,  and  "Proceedings  of 
Synod,"  Pittsburg,  August,  1835.) 

On  the  subject  of  covenanting,  from  the  prominence  given  to  which 
in  their  systems,  Reformed  Presbyterians  have  often  been  called 
"  Covenanters,"  the  following  requisition  is  made  in  the  fourth  article 
of  their  Terms  of  Communion: — "An  acknowledgment  that  public 
social  covenanting,  upon  proper  occasions,  is  an  ordinance  of  God ; 
and  that  such  moral  deeds  as  respect  the  future,  whether  ecclesiasti- 
cal or  civil,  are  of  continued  obligation,  as  well  upon  those  who  are 
repcesented  in  the  taking  of  them,  as  upon  those  who  actually  cove- 
naint,  until  the  ends  of  them  be  effected." 

In  common  with  other  Christians,  Reformed  Presbyterians  believe 
that  every  individual  believer  is  in  covenant  with  God  for  himself 
personally,  and  that  the  Church  of  God  is  a  covenant  society,  whose 
members  are  solemnly  engaged  to  God,  and  one  another,  to  do  their 
whole  duty.  But  in  addition  to  this,  it  is  their  sentiment  that,  on 
special  occasions  of  commanding  importance — such  as  a  time  of 
great  and  threatened  danger  to  the  interests  of  church  and  state,  or 
of  attempted  extensive  reformation  in  the  church — men  may  and 
ought,  both  as  individuals  and  by  communities,  to  combine  together, 
and  mutually  pledge  themselves,  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oatli  to 
God  and  one  another,  to  sustain  the  right  and  oppose  the  wrong,  in 
both  civil  and  religious  things.  When  such  solemn  pledge  respects 
the  future,  it  is  binding  on  the  individual  or  community  which  gives 
it,  until  its  whole  object  be  accomplished.  Passing  by  the  many 
instances  of  public  social  covenanting  which  occur  in  the  history  of 
the  Hebrews  under  the  Old  Testament,  an  exemplification  of  the 
principle  is  presented  in  the  famous  League  of  Smalkalde,  formed  by 
the  Lutherans  in  1530,  when  they  pledged  themselves  to  one  another 
and  to  God  to  maintain  and  defend  the  Reformed  religion  against  all 
its  enemies.  And  there  is  another  still  more  perfect  and  remarkable 
in  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  in  which  the  friends  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty  combined  their  energies  to  protect  and  secure  the 
dearest  interests  of  humanity  against  the  civil  despot  and  religious 
persecutor.     Society,  at  the  time  it  was  formed,  was  in  a  revolu- 


REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  535 

tionary  condition.  In  the  state,  absolute  anarchy  seemed  about  to 
take  the  place  of  the  civil  despotism,  which  had  for  some  time  pre- 
vailed ;  and  the  very  existence  of  the  Protestant  religion  in  the  British 
empire  was  threatened.  In  this  emergency  the  friends  of  liberty  and 
truth  had  recourse  to  God's  ordinance  of  public  social  covenanting, 
for  relief  and  encouragement.  They  committed  themselves  to  God, 
and  to  one  another  by  the  will  of  God.  Under  the  shield  of  the 
Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  West- 
minster sat,  and  prepared  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms 
for  the  world.  It  furnished  the  rallying  point  for  the  best  friends  of 
religion  and  liberty  while  England  was  in  anarchy,  and  Scotland  in 
the  grasp  of  the  persecutor;  and  in  its  spirit  many  of  the  English 
Puritans  and  Scottish  and  Irish  Reformed  Presbyterians  emigrated 
to  America,  and  gave  their  aid  in  making  our  country  what  it  is. 
American  Reformed  Presbyterians  approve  of  the  great  principle  of 
combination  for  good  under  the  oath  of  God,  which  this  transaction 
illustrates,  and  hold  themselves  in  readiness,  when  the  exigencies  of 
the  times  may  demand,  to  exemplify  it  themselves  as  the  age,  coun- 
try, and  special  circumstances  of  their  condition  require. 

Reformed  Presbyterians  are  scattered  over  the  Middle  and  West- 
ern States,  and  have  a  few  congregations  in  the  South.  Their  minis- 
ters possess  much  of  the  missionary  spirit,  and  spend  a  considerable 
portion  of  their  time  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  destitute  of  all 
descriptions,  beyond  the  bounds  of  their  own  immediate  congrega- 
tions. The  practice  ©f  expository  preaching  prevails  universally 
among  them  ;  they  will  be  found  "  lecturing,"  as  it  is  styled,  over 
entire  books  of  the  Bible,  as  a  stated  part  of  the  service  of  the  Sab- 
bath ;  and  as  errors  and  delusions  arise,  and  are  propagated  in  society, 
they  are  among  the  first  to  enter  into  an  examination  of  them,  and 
utter  the  warning  against  them.  The  ministry  of  the  Reformed  Pres- 
byterian Church  has  always  had  among  its  members  men  eminent 
for  talent,  learning,  and  public  spirit,  who  in  proportion  to  their 
number,  have  had  a  large  share  of  the  literary  labours,  and  honours 
of  the  country.  Among  the  people,  meetings  for  prayer  and  Chris- 
tian conference,  weekly  and  monthly,  are  statedly  observed.  Family 
worship,  and  attention  to  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  of  the 
youth,  as  well  as  a  personal  deportment  becoming  the  gospel,  are  re- 
quired of  them  as  qualifications  for  sacramental  privileges.  They 
have  but  few  endowments  for  religious  or  benevolent  purposes,  but 
are  liberal  in  the  support  of  the  gospel,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  It 
is  left  to  others  to  speak  of  the  religious  character,  of  both  ministers 
and  people.     But  it  may  be  said  in  gratitude  to  the  God  of  all  grace, 


(530  HISTORY  OF  TIIK  REFORMED  PRKSBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

that  lie  has  not  left  thein  without  a  witness  of  his  presence  and  appro- 
bation; but  that  from  year  to  year  he  has  given  them  the  assurance, 
that  he  is  employing  their  instrumentahty  as  a  distinct  religious  com- 
munily,  for  the  maintenance  of  his  truth,  the  conversion  of  sinners  to 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  preparation  of  many  saints  for  the  celestial 
glory. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  is  under 
the  direction  of  a  General  Synod,  composed  of  six  presbyteries,  one 
of  which  is  established  among  the  heathen  in  Northern  India.  And 
she  numbers  at  present  twenty-four  ordained  ministers,  five  licentiates, 
eight  students  of  theology,  forty-four  organized  congregations,  and 
about  four  thousand  five  hundred  communicants. 


EESTOEATIONISTS. 

BY  THE  HON.  CHAS.  HUDSON,  M.  C. 

Restorationists  believe  that  all  men  will  ultimately  become  holy 
and  happy.  They  maintain  that  God  created  only  to  bless ;  and  that, 
in  pursuance  of  this  purpose,  he  sent  his  Son  to  "  be  for  salvation  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth;"  that  Christ's  kingdom  is  moral  in  its  nature, 
and  extends  to  moral  beings  in  every  state  or  mode  of  existence ;  that 
the  probation  of  man  is  not  confined  to  the  present  life,  but  extends 
through  the  mediatorial  reign ;  and  that,  as  Christ  died  for  all,  so, 
before  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  all  shall 
be  brought  to  a  participation  of  the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  that 
truth,  which  maketh  free  from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  death.  Thev 
believe  in  a  general  resurrection  and  judgment,  when  those  who  have 
improved  their  probation  in  this  life  will  be  raised  to  more  perfect 
felicity,  and  those  who  have  misimproved  their  opportunities  on  earth 
will  come  forward  to  shame  and  condemnation,  which  will  continue 
till  they  become  truly  penitent ;  that  punishment  itself  is  a  mediatorial 
work,  a  discipline,  perfectly  consistent  with  mercy  ;  that  it  is  a  means 
employed  by  Christ  to  humble  and  subdue  the  stubborn  will,  and  pre- 
pare the  mind  to  receive  a  manifestation  of  the  goodness  of  God, 
which  leadeth  the  sinner  to  true  repentance.* 

That  God  was  the  rightful  sovereign  of  the  universe  is  a  truth  which 
no  one  will  deny ;  and  that  he  had  a  moral  as  well  as  a  natural  go- 
vernment, will  be  conceded  by  every  believer  in  divine  revelation. 
But  man,  the  subject  of  this  moral  government,  rebelled  against  Heaven, 
and  set  the  laws  of  his  Maker  at  defiance.  In  this  defection,  which 
was  moral  in  its  character,  the  whole  world  was  involved.  They 
had  all  gone  out  of  the  way;  there  was  none  good,  no  not  one.  Now 
it  was  to  heal  this  moral  defection,  to  subdue  this  rebel  universe,  and 
to  bring  all  to  true  allegiance,  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  insti- 
tuted. This  lets  us  at  once  into  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom,  and  shows  most  clearly  the  object  of  his  reign. 

.    *  Encyclopcedia  of  Religious  Knowledge. 


G38 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


The  defection  was  universal.  It  reached  back  to  the  commence- 
ment of  time,  and  onward  to  the  consummation  of  all  things.  It  con- 
sisted in  an  alienation  of  heart  and  a  perverseness  of  mind.  It  was, 
in  a  word,  a  moral  epidemic,  affecting  every  individual  of  our  race. 
Such  was  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  disease;  and  the  cure  must  be 
correspondent.  Christ's  kingdom,  then,  is  moral  in  its  nature,  and 
universal  in  its  extent.  It  is  not  an  empire  over  matter,  but  over 
mind.  He  was  placed  at  the  head  of  this  kingdom,  not  to  exercise 
mere  physical  power,  and  thus  subdue  sinners  by  brute  force ;  not  to 
operate  upon  men  mechanically,  and  by  the  application  of  natural 
laws  to  restrain  their  outward  actions.  No ;  he  was  invested  with 
regal  authority,  that  he  might  by  the  employment  of  moral  means 
subdue  the  evil  propensities,  and  implant  virtuous  affections  in  the 
heart — that  he  might  induce  men  to  return  to  their  allegiance,  become 
reconciled  to  God,  and  own  him  as  their  lawful  sovereign.  His  king- 
dom is  purely  moral — the  rod  of  his  empire  is  persuasion,  and  the 
sword  he  wields  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit.  By  an  exhibition  of  his 
Father's  love,  by  a  display  of  the  joys  of  heaven,  by  kind  entreaty 
and  stern  rebuke,  by  promises  and  threatenings — by  these,  and  means 
such  as  these,  he  assails  a  rebel  universe.  With  such  weapons  he 
will  subdue  our  unregenerate  hearts,  and  re-establish  the  reign  of 
righteousness  throughout  the  vast  empire  of  the  King  Eternal. 

The  nature,  design,  and  extent  of  Christ's  kingdom  involve  each 
other.  His  kingdom  being  moral,  must  apply  to  every  moral  being. 
Being  clothed  with  authority  to  put  down  rebellion,  it  must  extend  to 
as  many  as  have  rebelled.  Being  sent  to  heal  the  leprosy  of  sin,  the 
healing  medicine  must  be  applied  to  as  many  as  are  diseased.  No 
reason  can  be  assigned  for  the  establishment  of  this  reign,  which  will 
not  apply  equally  to  every  individual  of  our  race.  Did  it  flow  from 
the  love  of  God  1  That  love  is  universal,  and  embraces  the  whole 
intelligent  creation.  Was  it  to  bring  men  to  their  rightful  Sovereign? 
All  were  estranged  from  God  by  wicked  works,  and  needed  alike  this 
reconciliation.  Was  it  to  subdue  rebellion,  so  that  the  laws  of  God 
might  be  obeyed,  and  his  character  respected?  Our  whole  species 
had  revolted  from  heaven,  and  were  alike  in  opposition  to  the  reign 
of  God.  Every  reason  therefore  which  can  be  assigned  fur  the  esta- 
blishment of  the  mediatorial  kingdom,  shows  that  that  kingdom  in- 
cludes the  whole  offspring  of  Adam. 

There  is  another  consideration  which  proves  beyond  a  doubt  the 
universality  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  The  very  idea  of  a  kingdom 
supposes  laws,  and  these  laws  are  binding  upon  all  the  subjects.  No 
sovereign,  hov/  great  soever  may  be  his  power,  or  extensive  his  do- 


RESTORATIONISTS.  539 

minion,  has  a  right  to  command  the  obedience  of  a  single  individual 
who  is  not  a  subject  of  his  kingdom.  The  Czar  of  Russia,  potent  as 
he  is,  and  absolute  as  his  power  may  be,  has  no  right  to  extend  his 
laws  a  single  inch  beyond  his  dominion.  Wherever  you  limit  his 
kingdom,  you  limit  his  right  to  command  obedience.  And  the  same 
principle  applies  to  the  divine  government.  Jehovah  himself  in  the 
plenitude  of  his  power,  has  no  moral  right  to  extend  his  authority 
beyond  his  own  kingdom.  His  right  to  command  obedience  is  un- 
limited, simply  because  his  kingdom  has  no  bounds.  If  you  could 
limit  the  one  you  would  at  the  same  time  limit  the  other.  To  whom 
then  does  Christ  address  his  laws?  Who  are  under  obligation  to 
obey  those  moral  precepts  which  flowed  from  the  lips  of  the  dear 
Redeemer  1  The  true  answer  to  this  question  determines  the  extent 
of  his  kingdom.  And  surely  there  can  be  no  dispute  on  this  subject. 
Every  enlightened  Christian  will  allow  that  his  precepts  are  univer- 
sally binding;  that  every  human  being,  from  our  first  progenitor  down 
to  his  latest  descendants,  is  under  obligation  to  obey  all  known  gospel 
requisitions,  and  ascribe  glory  to  God  and  the  Lamb.  This  settles 
the  question  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner,  and  proves  beyond  con- 
troversy that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  universal. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject  it  appears  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
is  moral  or  spiritual  in  its  nature,  unlimited  in  its  extent,  and  benevo- 
lent in  its  design ;  that  it  was  instituted  by  God  to  put  down  rebellion, 
and  to  bring  all  his  creatures  to  the  worship  and  enjoyment  of  him- 
self. Do  you  ask  from  what  scriptures  we  prove  these  positions?  we 
answer,  from  the  whole  Bible.  They  are  the  fundamental  principles 
of  divine  revelation.  That  all  have  sinned,  and  that  Christ  came  to 
save  sinners,  is  the  summary  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  compen- 
dium of  the  New.  The  very  existence  of  the  Christian  scriptures 
shows  that  Christ  came  to  save  sinners,  and  reconcile  to  God  a  world 
lying  in  wickedness.  The  Gospels  prove  it  without  the  Epistles,  and 
the  Epistles  without  the  Gospels.  You  may  expunge  from  the  New 
Testament  any  verse  you  please,  any  chapter  you  please,  or  any  book 
you  please,  and  the  residue  will  clearly  sustain  these  positions.  Nay, 
you  may  expunge  from  the  New  Testament  any  five  books  you  please, 
and  you  leave  the  positions  we  have  stated  untouched.  They  are  deeply 
interwoven  with  the  whole  New  Testament.  They  constitute  the  bones 
and  sinews,  the  letter  and  spirit,  the  life  and  soul  of  the  Christian  scrip- 
tures. Take  from  the  New  Testament  the  important  facts  that  Christ 
came  to  save  sinners,  that  his  kingdom  is  moral  in  its  nature,  and 
extends  over  all,  and  you  sap  the  foundation  of  the  gospel — you  ex- 
tract the  life-blood  of  the  living  oracles  of  God. 


C40 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


We  do  not  rely  upon  particular  texts,  so  much,  as  upon  the  perva- 
ding spirit  of  the  Bible.  We  draw  our  conclusions  from  the  whole 
rather  than  from  a  part.  One  argument  of  this  character  will  out- 
weifrh  a  hundred  arguments  founded  on  particular  passages  or  isolated 
expressions.  When  we  reason  from  particular  texts,  the  argument 
frequently  turns  upon  the  meaning  of  a  single  term ;  and  as  words 
have  different  significations,  we  are  somewhat  liable  to  mistake  the 
import  of  a  term,  and  hence  all  arguments  of  this  sort  are  more  or 
less  uncertain.  But  where  we  draw  our  argument  from  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  word  of  God — where  the  conclusion  results 
from  the  very  being  of  scriptures,  and  any  other  conclusion  would 
oppose  the  whole  design  of  revelation,  we  arrive  at  the  highest  degree 
of  moral  certainty. 

But  if  there  is  any  charm  in  particular  passages,  any  thing  like 
ocular  demonstration  in  the  precise  phraseology  of  the  scriptures, 
we  can  produce  a  multitude  of  passages  in  support  of  our  views.  We 
are  told  thai  Christ  came  "to  save  sinners,"  "to  be  for  salvation  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,"  "  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ;"  that  he 
"died  for  our  sins,"  "  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world;"  that  there 
was  given  to  him  a  "  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages 
should  serve  him ;"  that  he  "  will  reconcile  the  world  to  himself," 
"  swallow  up  death  in  victory,"  and  bring  "  every  creature  in  heaven 
and  on  earth  to  confess  him  to  be  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father."  This  phraseology,  with  which  the  Bible  is  filled,  concurs 
with  all  the  great  principles  of  divine  revelation,  in  sustaining  the 
views  we  have  expressed  concerning  the  nature,  design,  and  extent 
of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

There  is  one  passage  .to  which  we  will  call  especial  attention. 
Christ  says  to  Pilate,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  This  pas- 
sage, taken  in  connexion  with  the  circumstances  which  called  it  forth, 
shows  most  conclusively  the  nature  of  his  empire.  Judca  at  that 
time  was  subject  to  the  Emperor  of  Rome,  and  was  ruled  by  a  Roman 
governor.  Before  Pilate,  this  Roman  governor,  the  Jews  accused  the 
Saviour.  Knowing  that  the  Romans  suspected  them  of  conspiring 
against  their  authority,  and  of  intending  to  raise  up  a  prince  of  their 
own  who  should  deliver  them  from  the  Roman  yoke,  they  brought 
Jesus  before  Pilate,  and  accused  him  of  being,  or  pretending  to  be,  a 
temporal  prince,  and  of  course  an  enemy  to  the  Romans.  Pilate  in- 
terrogated him  on  this  subject — "  Art  thou  the  king  of  the  Jews?"  In 
answer  to  this  Jesus  replies,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  temporal,  but  spi- 
ritual— not  seculur,  but  moral."     Our  Saviour  did  not  mean  to  say 


RESTORATIONISTS.  641 

that  his  kingdom  did  not  exist  in  this  world,  but  that  it  was  not 
worldly  in  its  character.  He  nneant  to  inform  Pilate  that  his  govern- 
ment was  of  such  a  nature  as  would  not  in  the  least  interfere  with 
his;  that  his  business  was  not  to  lead  armies  to  battle  and  to  victory, 
but  to  teach  men  to  subdue  their  evil  passions;  that  he  came  not  to 
deliver  his  people  from  the  Roman  yoke,  but  to  redeem  them  from 
the  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan. 

The  view  we  have  taken  of  this  subject  shows  that  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  has  no  reference  to  climates,  states,  or  worlds,  but  is  the  same 
at  all  periods  of  time,  and  in  all  modes  of  existence.  His  kingdom 
does  not  apply  to  one  world  to  the  exclusion  of  the  other.  It  com- 
mences in  this  state  of  being,  but  it  is  not  bounded  by  our  temporal 
existence.  The  reign  of  Christ  has  no  reference  to  our'  temporal  ex- 
istence, he  takes  no  cognizance  of  our  earthly  being  as  such.  We 
are  his  subjects,  not  temporally  and  corporally,  but  morally  and  intel- 
lectually. The  death  of  the  body  does  not  in  the  least  affect  our 
allegiance  to  him,  or  alter  thefclation  he  sustains  to  us.  In  all  states 
and  worlds,  where  we  are  moral  and  intellectual  beings,  we  are  the 
citizens  of  his  realm,  and  the  subjects  of  his  kingdom. 

If  we  look  at  the  origin  or  design,  nature  or  extent  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  we  shall  be  led  irresistibly  to  the  conclusion  that  it  extends 
into  a  future  life. 

In  what  then  did  this  kingdom  originate?  What  gave  rise  to  the 
reign  of  the  Redeemer?  It  resulted  from  the  goodness  of  God.  The 
divine  Teacher  himself,  says  that  "God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son."  The  mission  of  Christ  then  originated 
in  divine  benevolence.  And  this  unpurchased  benevolence  existed 
from  eternity,  fills  all  space,  extends  to  all  Vi'orlds  and  all  beings.  It 
was  moreover  manifested  to  the  world,  when  they  were  "dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins."  And  unless  we  limit  the  goodness  of  God  to  the 
brief  period  of  human  existence,  we  must  allow  that  the  kingdom  of 
grace  extends  into  a  future  life. 

The  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom  confirms  this  opinion.  We  have 
already  seen  that  his  kingdom  is  a  moral  kingdom ;  that  he  sways  his 
empire  not  over  our  bodies,  but  our  minds.  If  his  empire  were  tem- 
poral, its  operations  w-ould  cease  with  our  temporal  existence;  if  his 
sway  were  to  be  exerted  over  our  bodies  merely,  it  would  cease  with 
our  natural  lives.  But  his  kingdom  relates  to  our  moral  and  intellec- 
tual existence.  And  do  these  cease  at  temporal  death?  Does  man 
cease  to  be  an  intelligent  being,  when  he  changes  the  mode  of  his 
existence  ?     Does  he  cease  to  be  accountable  to  his  God,  when  he 


G12 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


throws  ofT  this  frail  body  ?  Certainly  not.  Man  is  a  moral  and  an 
intelligent  being  in  a  future  world,  and  as  such  is  a  subject  of  Christ's 
kingdom. 

The  design  of  the  gospel  kingdom  absolutely  requires  that  it  should 
extend  to  all  worlds,  where  sinful  beings  are  found,  and  that  it  should 
continue  till  its  end  be  accomplished.  Every  consideration  which 
could  have  prompted  the  divine  Being  to  constitute  this  kingdom,  or 
his  Son  to  accept  the  trust  committed  to  him,  applies  to  a  future  life 
as  much  as  to  the  present.  And  besides,  if  we  look  at  the  great  ob- 
ject which  the  gospel  has  in  view,  we  must  allow  that  it  is  not  limited 
to  our  present  mode  of  existence.  The  gospel  is  designed  to  destroy 
sin  and  to  reconcile  all  men  to  God ;  but  this  is  not  accomplished  in 
this  world.  Does  sin  put  off  its  sinfulness  by  passing  the  vale  of 
death  1  Surely  not.  Then  the  gospel  must  extend  into  a  future  life, 
or  its  object  is  not  attained.  Is  the  enormity  of  sin  increased  by  tem- 
poral death  ?  Not  in  the  least.  Why  then  is  not  man  the  subject  of 
mercy  as  much  after  death  as  before  1  We  cannot  for  the  honour  of 
Christ  allow  that  death  bounds  his  empire.  It  would  be  a  total  defeat 
on  the  part  of  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  to  permit  every  rebel  sub- 
ject who  .happens  to  pass  the  defile  of  death,  to  remain  in  rebellion  to 
eternity. 

And  further;  the  multitudes  who  died  before  the  advent  of  Christ, 
and  those  in  heathen  lands  who  have  never  heard  of  him,  and  infants 
and  idiots  in  countries  where  the  gospel  is  known,  are  all  the  subjects 
of  Christ's  kingdom.  But  they  die  without  even  knowing  that  they 
have  such  a  Prince.  How  can  they  in  any  rational  sense  of  the  term 
be  said  to  be  Christ's  subjects,  unless  his  kingdom  extend  beyond 
death  ?  How  can  they  be  accountable  to  him  of  whom  they  know 
nothing  1  or  "  how  can  they  believe  on  him  of  whom  they  have  not 
heard  1"  We  have  already  seen  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  uni- 
versal, that  all  men  are  given  him  of  the  Father,  and  that  he  extends 
his  laws  over  the  whole  human  family.  But  practically  this  cannot 
be  true  in  this  life.  His  reign  can  affect  none  but  those  who  hear  of 
him,  are  made  acquainted  with  his  laws,  and  are  subdued  by  their 
converting  influence.  In  what  practical  sense  are  the  heathen  the 
subjects  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  this  state?  They  do  not  obey  his 
laws,  for  they  do  not  know  them ;  they  have  no  faith  in  his  name,  for 
they  have  never  heard  of  him.  This  is  true  of  a  vast  majority  of  the 
human  family.  From  the  creation  to  the  present  time,  not  one  in  ten 
thousand  while  on  earth,  has  ever  heard  of  the  name  of  Christ.  Now 
with  what  propriety  can  the  scriptures  teach  that  all  men  are  given 
to  Christ,  and  that  his  kingdom  Includes  every  human  being,  if  his 


RESTORATIONISTS.  g^g 

reign  is  confined  to  this  world?  These  scriptures  can  have  no 
tolerable  sense,  if  the  reign  of  Christ  be  limited  to  our  temporal 
existence. 

Thus  we  see  that  every  view,  which  we  can  take  of  the  subject, 
leads  us  to  reject  the  popular  notion  that  the  mediatorial  kingdom 
begins  and  ends  here  in  time.  We  must  give  up  all  our  notions  of 
the  nature,  extent,  and  design  of  Christ's  kingdom,  supported  as  they 
are  by  the  living  oracles  of  God,  or  reject  that  opinion  which  limits 
the  grace  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  our  earthly  existence. 

We  are  told  on  the  authority  of  an  inspired  apostle,  that  this  world 
does  not  bound  the  reign  of  the  Redeemer.    St.  Paul  says,  "Whether 
we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord ;  or  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the 
Lord.     Whether  we  live  therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's.    For  to 
this  end  Christ  both  died  and  rose  and  revived  that  he  might  be  Lord 
both  of  the  dead  and  of  the  living."     Here  we  are  expressly  told  that 
the  hving  and  the  dead  are  the  Lord's,  and  that  Christ  died  and  rose 
that  he  might  possess  them.     But  how  can  Christ  be  Lord  of  the 
dead,  if  the  means  of  grace  are  confined  to  this  world?     We  allow 
that  he  may  be  Lord  of  the  dead,  inasmuch  as  he  will  raise  them  from 
the  grave,  and  bring  them  to  the  bar  of  his  judgment-seat.     But  this 
cannot  be  the  only  sense  in  which  he  is  their  Lord  or  Ruler.     We 
have  already  shown  that  his  kingdom  is  moral,  and  that  its  object  is 
to  change  the  character,  and  renovate  the  heart.     But  the  resurrec- 
tion, self-considered,  is  a  mere  physical  process,  and  can  accomplish 
no  end  in  the  kingdom  of  grace.     As  it  does  not  of  itself  renovate  the 
heart,  so  of  itself,  it  can  never  bring  about  that  subjection  which  is 
the  ultimate  object  of  the  Saviour's  mission.     The  same  may  be  said 
of  the  judgment,  if  it  inflicts  an  endless  punishment.    It  can  do  nothing 
towards  improving  the  mind,  subduing  the  unholy  affections,  or  re- 
generating the  heart — the  grand  object  for  which  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom was  ordained.     If  Christ  is  Lord  of  the  dead  only,  as  he  will 
raise  them  to  life,  and  adjudge  them  to  an  endless  punishment,  he  is 
not  the  Lord  of  them  in  any  sense,  that  will  subserve  the  great  object 
of  his  mission.     We  must  then  allow  that  Christ  is  Lord  of  the  dead 
in  some  benevolent  sense — in  some  sense  which  will  improve  them  in 
virtue  and  happiness;  or  else  allow  that  he  died  on  the  cross  and  arose 
from  the  dead  to  attain  an  object  which  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
design  of  his  mission. 

That  Christ  did  continue  his  labours  in  a  future  life,  is  evident  from 
the  testimony  of  St.  Peter.  He  informs  us  that  the  gospel  was 
preached  to  the  dead ;  that  Christ  after  his  crucifixion  went  and 
preached  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  old  world,  who  were  disobedient  in 


014 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


llie  days  of  Noah.  This  passage  appears  to  me  to  be  decisive  on  this 
subject.  I  am  aware  of  the  diflerent  expositions  which  have  been 
given  of  this  passage,  and  I  am  equally  aware  that  they  contradict 
the  apostle  in  almost  every  particular;  and  that,  if  such  latitude  is 
taken  in  expounding  the  word  of  God,  we  can  make  the  sacred  volume 
teach  what  we  please. 

In  the  popular  theology  of  the  day,  death  is  made  to  occupy  a  very 
commanding  position.  One  class  of  Christians  contends  that  death 
destroys  all  sinfulness,  and  introduces  all  men  into  heaven  in  a  mo- 
ment ;  the  other  that  it  cuts  off'  the  means  of  grace,  and  fixes  the 
character  for  eternity. 

Both  of  these  representations  make  death  more  powerful  than  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  one  supersedes  the  gospel,  the  other  defeats 
it.  The  former  makes  death  the  saviour,  the  latter  the  destroyer  of 
a  great  part  of  mankind.  But  the  advocates  of  both  these  systems 
seem  to  mistake  the  nature  of  Chrisi's  kingdom.  They  seem  to  forget 
that  man  is  a  moral  being,  and  that  his  character  is  affected  by  moral 
and  not  by  physical  causes.  They  appear  to  regard  our  holy  religion 
as  a  mere  physical  engine,  and  man  as  a  piece  of  passive  machinery. 
They  degrade  the  gospel  by  confounding  it  with  the  laws  of  nature, 
and  thus  detract  from  the  honour  of  Clirist.  They  both  ascribe  to 
death,  a  mere  physical  operation,  the  power  of  afl!ecting  character. 
The  former  supposes  that  death  will  convert  the  most  abandoned  in 
an  instant  into  the  confirmed  saint,  so  that  he  will  be  for  ever  beyond 
the  reach  of  all  punishment,  and  be  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  most 
perfect  bliss;  the  latter  supposes  that  death  so  corrupts  the  sinner  as 
to  place  him  in  an  instant  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy,  and  to  consign 
him  to  infinite,  interminable  anguish.  But  it  is  strange,  passing  strange, 
that  men  with  the  scriptures  in  their  hands  can  so  mistake  the  nature 
of  the  gospel,  as  to  degrade  this  spiritual,  divine,  life-giving  system, 
below  the  frigid  laws  which  govern  senseless  matter!  It  is  surprising 
that  death  should  be  thought  so  potent  as  to  supersede  or  defeat  the 
mission  of  Christ,  when  the  scriptures  declare  that  he  came  to  destroy 
death,  and  him  that  hath  the  power  of  death  ! 

The  position  that  death  places  us  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy,  is 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  system  of  those  \vho  advance  it.  On  this 
position  all  who  die  in  infancy  must  be  cast  off'  for  ever.  But  will  any 
sect  of  Christians  at  this  day  so  far  outrage  every  principle  of  common 
sense  and  every  feeling  of  humanity,  as  to  contend  that  all  who  die 
in  infancy  will  be  lost?  We  think  they  will  not.  All  then  who 
allow  that  infants  will  be  saved,  must  allow  that  there  will  be  a 
change  after  death.     I  would  gladly  inquire  of  those  who  believe  that 


RESTORATIONISTS. 


645 


infants  who  die  in  infancy  will  be  saved,  by  what  nieans  they  are  to 
be  qualified  for  the  joys  of  heaven?  The  scriptures  are  clear  upon 
this  point.  They  assert  that  all  who  are  saved,  must  be  saved 
by  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  is  our  only  hope  for  eternal  life — the  only 
name  given  under  heaven  whereby  we  can  be  saved.  But  as  his 
kingdom  is  moral,  he  saves  only  by  moral  means. 

But  infants  never  enjoyed  these  means.  Being  called  away  in  a 
few  days  or  months  from  its  birth,  the  infant  in  this  state  had  no 
knowledge  of  Christ,  of  his  mediation,  doctrines,  or  salvation.  With- 
out a  knowledge  of  Christ  and  a  faith  in  his  mediation,  the  infant  can 
never  be  saved.  But  this  knowledge  was  not  possessed,  nor  this  faith 
exercised  in  this  world.  Now,  unless  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel  is 
imparted,  and  the  child  is  instructed  after  death,  it  must  come  short 
of  salvation.  Those,  then,  with  whom  we  contend,  must  either  allow 
that  innocent  infants  will  be  cast  off  for  ever,  or  that  the  mercy  of 
God  and  the  means  of  grace  will  extend  beyond  death.  But  to  meet 
this  argument  we  shall  perhaps  be  presented  with  the  cold,  deistical 
notion,  that  we  do  not  know  how  men  will  be  saved,  that  we  ought 
to  leave  infants  to  the  mercy  of  God.  We  allow  that  infants  and  all 
others  should  be  left  to  the  mercy  of  God  ; — but  how  will  he  manifest 
his  mercy  1  Only  in  the  manner  pointed  out  in  the  gospel — through 
the  agency  of  Christ,  by  the  use  of  those  means  which  he  has  or- 
dained. The  insinuation  that  God  will  save  infants  and  those  who 
do  not  hear  of  Christ  in  this  world,  without  the  usual  means  of  the 
gospel,  is  an  infidel  insinuation,  and,  as  far  as  it  has  any  bearing  upon 
the  subject,  goes  to  support  the  position  that  the  mediation  of  Christ 
is  useless,  and  that  men  may  be  saved  without  the  Redeemer  as  well 
as  with.  Nor  is  it  proper  to  attempt  to  resolve  it  all  into  darkness 
and  doubt.  To  say  that  we  do  not  know  how  God  performs  his 
works,  and  that  we  have  no  right  to  inquire  how  infants  will  be  saved, 
is  to  confess  that  the  gospel  is  an  imperfect  guide,  and  that  we  ought 
not  to  improve  our  powers,  nor  attempt  to  understand  the  way  of  sal- 
vation. Such  insinuations  might  be  expected  from  the  enemies  of 
revealed  religion,  but  they  come  .with  an  ill  grace  from  professed 
Christians. 

The  remarks  we  have  made  upon  infants  will  apply  to  idiots,  and 
the  whole  heathen  world.  They  must  all  come  short  of  salvation, 
unless  the  means  of  grace  are  extended  beyond  the  grave.  But  per- 
haps it  will  be  asked,  whether  the  scriptures  do  not  teach  the  senti- 
ment, that  there  will  be  no  work  of  grace  in  eternity.  We  answer 
no,  not  to  our  understanding.  We  have,  we  think,  clearly  shown  that 
the  gospel  as  a  means  of  salvation  applies  to  all  states  where  sinners 


G4C> 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


exist ;  and  if  the  scriptures  teach  the  opposite  they  contradict  them- 
selves. We  know  that  there  are  a  few  passages  which  are  thought 
by  some  to  favour  the  latter  sentiment,  but  we  believe  that  they  yield 
no  support  to  that  sentiment  into  whose  services  they  are  frequently 
pressed. 

But  we  are  sometimes  asked  with  astonishment,  Can  a  dead  man 
repent  ?  We  will  ask  in  our  turn.  Can  a  dead  man  praise  God  1  Every 
Christian  will  allow  that  men  after  death  are  intellectually  able  to 
exercise  gratitude,  and  that  the  saints  will  praise  God  and  the  Lamb. 
And  if  men  have  the  intellectual  ability  to  exercise  gratitude,  they 
must  have  intellectual  ability  to  exercise  contrition.  To  deny  this  is 
to  deny  a  future  life  altogether.  If  men,  intellectually  considered, 
cannot  exercise  penitence,  they  cannot  exercise  any  other  affection, 
and  hence  must  be  incapable  of  either  pleasure  or  pain. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  asked,  why  the  sentiment  here  opposed,  should 
become  so  general,  if  it  is  not  taught  in  the  scriptures  ?  It  is  no  easy 
matter  to  trace  every  error  to  its  source.  The  Jews  in  the  days  of 
Christ  expected  a  temporal  Messiah ;  but  it  would  be  difficult  perhaps 
to  account  for  this  perversion  of  their  scriptures.  But  the  case  before 
us  is  somewhat  plain.  The  primitive  Church  generally  believed  in  a 
future  probation.  Among  the  advocates  of  this  sentiment  may  be 
mentioned  Clement  of  Alexandria,  Origen,  Didymus  the  Blind,  Gre- 
gory N\'Ssen,  John  of  Jerusalem,  and  many  others.  This  doctrine 
was  popular  at  the  time  the  Romish  Church  was  growing  into  power. 
On  this  scripture  doctrine  they  found  their  absurd  notions  of  purga- 
tory and  indulgences.  These  abuses  were  carried  to  such  excess  as 
to  produce  the  Reformation  in  the  sixteenth  century.  We  all  know 
the  feelings  which  the  early  Reformers  exercised  towards  the  Papal 
Church  ;  they  were  disposed  to  put  down  indulgences  at  all  events. 
Believing  that  indulgences  grew  in  some  degree  out  of  the  doctrine 
of  a  future  probation,  they  did  not  distinguish  between  the  true  doc- 
trine and  its  abuse,  but  rejected  them  together.  And  this  enmity  to 
the  Catholic  Church  has  prevented,  in  a  good  degree,  a  faithful  and 
impartial  examination  of  the  subject.  The  taunt  that  this  is  the  Ca- 
tholic Purgatory,  has  prevented  thousands  from  examining  the  sub- 
ject, and  has  silenced  many  who  have  believed  that  the  grace  of  God 
extended  beyond  the  confines  of  this  world. 

But  the  faithful  inquirer  after  truth  will  follow  demonstration, 
wherever  it  may  lead  him.  And  what  if  this  doctrine  has  been  em- 
braced and  abused  by  the  Catholics  ?  In  the  days  of  the  apostles,  there 
were  those  who  turned  the  grace  of  God  into  lasciviousness.  But  must 
we  as  Christians  reject  every  thing  which  has  been  abused  ?     Must 


RESTORATIONISTS.  (547 

•we  yield  every  thing  which  the  Papists  have  perverted  1  Must  we 
give  up  divine  existence,  because  the  Papists  entertained  false  notions 
of  God  ?  Must  we  give  up  the  Eucharist,  because  they  believed  in 
transubstanliation  ?  or  the  doctrine  of  forgiveness,  because  they  be- 
lieved in  the  absolution  of  the  Pope  ? 

Every  lover  of  the  gospel,  every  friend  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  will 
abide  by  the  teachings  of  the  scriptures,  whether  the  doctrine  be 
popular  or  unpopular,  whether  it  has  been  perverted  or  not.  The 
gospel  itself  has  been  unpopular,  and  is  often  abused ;  but  we  do  not 
feel  disposed  to  reject  it  on  that  account.  So  of  the  views  we  have 
here  niaintained.  They  may  be  unpopular  ;  but  we  believe  that  they 
are  the  truth,  and  we  are  confident  that  they  must  and  will  prevail. 
They  are  interwoven  with  the  very  nature  of  the  gospel,  and  we 
think  that  they  must  stand  or  fall  with  it.  They  grow  out  of  the 
character  of  God,  and  are  as  immutable  as  the  divine  nature.  They 
result  from  the  mission  of  Christ,  and  must  be  adopted  to  give  success 
to  his  reign.  We  do  not  then  despair  of  the  triumph  of  these  views ; 
but  we  rather  rejoice  that  they  are  fast  gaining  ground,  and  trust  in 
the  promises  of  God  for  their  final  accomplishment.  Let  us  then 
confide  in  the  sovereign  mercy  of  God,  and  yield  cheerfully  to  him 
who  has  emphatically  said,  that  his  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world. 

Restorationists  contend  that  this  doctrine  is  not  only  sustained  by 
popular  texts,  but  grows  necessarily  out  of  some  of  the  first  princi- 
ples of  divine  revelation.  They  maintain  that  it  is  immediately  con- 
nected with  the  perfections  of  the  Deity  ;  that  God,  being  infinitely 
benevolent,  must  have  desired  the  happiness  of  all  his  offspring ;  that 
his  infinite  wisdom  would  enable  him  to  form  a  perfect  plan,  and  his 
almighty  power  will  secure  its  accomplishment.  They  contend  that 
the  mission  of  Christ  is  abortive  on  any  other  plan,  and  that  nothing 
short  of  the  "  restitution  of  all  things"  can  satisfy  the  ardent  desires  of 
every  pious  soul.  On  this  system  alone  can  they  reconcile  the  attri- 
butes of  justice  and  mercy,  and  secure  to  the  Almighty  a  character 
worthy  of  our  imitation. 

They  insist  that  the  words  rendered,  everlasting,  eternal,  and  for 
ever,  which  are  in  a  few  instances  applied  to  the  misery  of  the  wicked, 
do  not  prove  that  misery  to  be  endless;  because  these  terms  are  loose 
in  their  signification,  and  are  frequently  used  in  a  hmited  sense ;  that 
the  original  terms  being  often  used  in  the  plural  number,  clearly  de- 
monstrates that  the  period,  though  indefinite,  is  limited  in  its  very 
nature.  They  maintain  that  the  meaning  of  the  term  must  always 
be  sought  in  the  subject  to  which  it  is  applied  ;  and   that  there  is  ' 


018 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


notliintT   in  the  nature  of  punishment  wliich  will  justify  an  endless 
sense.* 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  enter  into  an  elaborate  argument  to  sustain 
the  positions  here  laid  down.  It  has  been  shown  again  and  again  by 
some  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the  church,  that  the  terms  ren- 
dered everlasting  and /or  ever  are  indefinite  in  their  signification,  and 
are  used  with  great  latitude.  Instances  have  been  produced  in  which 
tiic  Hebrew  word  ohun  occurs  in  the  Old  Testament,  in  connexion  with 
terms  and  phrases,  the  literal  rendering  of  which  would  be,  "  for  ever, 
and  farther,'"  •'  for  ever  and  ever,  and  farther,"  "  for  ever,  and  beyond 
ll;-'> — a  circumstance  which  plainly  shows  that  the  word  is  used  in  a 
limited  sense.  In  many  places  olam  is  rendered  ancient  and  old,  and 
is  applied  to  landmarks,  people,  paths,  places,  times,  nations,  &c. 
(See  Prov.  xxii.  28;  Isa.  xliv.  7;  Jer.  xviii.  15;  Ezek.  xxxvi.  2;  Ps. 
Ixxvii.  5;  Deut.  xxii.  7;  Isa.  Ixiii.  9  ;  Job  xxii.  15;  Prov.  xxiii.  10.) 
This  term  is  also  rendered,  any,  long,  any  time,  long  time,  long  home, 
long  dead,  &c.  All  of  which  clearly  proves  that  an  absolute  eternity 
cannot  be  the  signification  of  the  term  in  these  passages. 

The  term  in  the  New  Testament  which  corresponds  with  ohim  in 
the  old,  is  aion,  and  is  variously  rendered.  Paul  speaks  of  walking 
according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  of  the  ages  to  come,  and  of  the 
mystery  hid  from  ages  and  generations.  In  these  passages  aion  is 
translated  course  and  ages,  and  consequently  is  used  in  a  limited  sense. 
The  same  term  is  rendered  icorld  in  nearly  thirty  passages  of  scrip- 
ture. The  apostle  speaks  of  "  the  god  of  this  world,"  "  the  ruler  of 
this  norld,''  "  the  princes  of  this  world,"  and  the  "  disputes  of  this 
world;"  of  being  "  delivered  from  the  'present  evil  world,"  and  of  being 
"  conformed  to  this  world."  We  also  read  of  the  end  of  the  icorld, 
of  events  which  occurred  before  the  icorld  was,  and  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  icm-ld;  also,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  since 
the  world  began.  We  also  read  of  the  worlds  in  the  plural,  and  even 
of  the  ends  of  the  worlds.  (See  2  Cor.  iv.  4  ;  Eph.  v.  12  ;  1  Cor.  i. 
20  ;  Gal.  i.  4 ;  Rom.  xii.  2  ;  1  Cor.  ii.  G,  and  many  other  texts.) 
In  these  and  many  other  texts,  aion  is  rendered  world,  and  hence 
must  have  a  limited  signification ;  for  it  would  be  absurd  to  speak  of 
this  eternity,  of  the  end  of  the  eternity,  &c. 

We  would  pursue  this  subject  farther,  but  it  is  thought  unnecessary. 
Every  intelligent  believer  in  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery  will  readily 
allow,  that  these  terms  are  very  frequently,  if  not  generally,  used  in 


*  Encjclopcedia  of  Religious  Knowledge. 


RESTORATIONISTS.  649 

a  limited  sense.  These  terms  are  allowed  to  have  a  great  latitude  of 
signification — sometimes  they  are  used  in  an  endless  sense,  and  some- 
times in  a  limited  sense.  It  is  manifest  then  that  they  can  prove  no- 
thing in  this  controversy.  We  admit  that  these  terms  are  in  a  kw 
instances  applied  to  the  misery  of  the  wicked  ;  but  they  do  not  and 
cannot  of  themselves  prove  this  misery  to  be  endless.  The  word  is 
of  doubtful  signification,  and  its  meaning  must  be  sought  in  the  con- 
text, or  determined  by  the  subject,  or  from  other  passages.  The 
advocates  of  interminable  punishment  show  the  weakness  of  their 
cause,  by  resting  it  upon  terms  which  they  themselves  allow  to  be 
of  doubtful  signification. 

In  fact,  the  argument  founded  upon  the  words,  j^r  ever,  everlasting, 
&c.,  if  it  were  sound,  would  overthrow  the  whole  gospel  dispensation. 
The  Jew  can  employ  it  against  Christianity  with  as  much  force,  as 
the  believers  in  endless  misery  can  employ  it  against  the  restoi'ation. 
The  gospel  itself  professes  to  supersede  the  legal  dispensation,  and 
rests  its  claims  upon  the  fact,  that  the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  and  the 
rites  of  the  law  were  never  designed  to  be  perpetual.  But  the  Jew 
will  tell  you  that  the  terms  everlasting,  eternal,  and  for  ever,  are  ap- 
plied in  nearly  a  hundred  instances  to  the  rites  and  ceremonies,  or 
something  connected  with  tliie  dispensation  of  their  great  lawgiver ; 
that  these  words  imply  an  endless  duration,  and  consequently  prove  the 
perpetuity  of  the  law,  and  hence  the  falsity  of  the  gospel.  And  how 
is  it  possible  to  meet  this  argument,  unless  we  allege  the  fact,  that 
these  words  are  used  in  a  limited  sense?  Let  the  believers  in  endless 
punishment  refute  this  argument  of  the  Jew ;  and  when  they  have  done 
that,  they  will  see,  that  we  can  reply  to  them  in  their  own  language, 
and  show  that  they  cannot  prove  misery  to  be  endless  from  the 
strength  of  these  words  without  proving  at  the  same  time  that  Ju- 
daism is  perpetual  and  the  gospel  false. 

But  we  are  told  that  these  terms  are  applied  to  happiness  as  well 
as  misery,  and  that  if  we  limit  the  duration  of  misery,  we  limit  the 
duration  of  happiness.  A  few  remarks  will  show  the  futility  of  this 
argument.  We  do  not  prove  that  happiness  will  be  endless,  by  the 
strength  of  these  words,  but  by  terms,  and  phrases  much  stronger 
than  the  words  everlasting  and  for  ever, — by  terms  and  phrases  which 
have  no  exception  in  their  meaning.  It  is  said  of  the  righteous, 
^^  neither  can  they  die  any  more,  {ox  they  zve  equal  to  the  angels ;^^ 
they  are  said  to  be  happy,  "  world  without  end,"  and  to  have  an  inheri- 
tance and  a  crown  "  incorruptible,  undefiled,  thatfadetli  not  away.^  It 
is  said  of  them  that,  "  they  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death," — 
that  "  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying"     They 

42 


G50 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


arc  likewise  said  to  possess  "  an  enduring  substance,"  and  *'  a  kingdom 
Avhicli  cannot  be  moved."  St.  Paul  assures  us,  "  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present, 
nor  thinfTs  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature, 
shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord." 

While  these  terms  and  phrases,  which  have  no  exception  in  their 
signification,  are  applied  to  the  happiness  of  the  righteous :  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked  is  expressed  by  terms  and  phrases  which  natu- 
rally denote  a  limited  period.  They  are  compared  to  icood,  hay, 
and  slubhle,  to  chaff,  and  a  icilhered  branch.  There  is  also  this  re- 
markable difference  between  happiness  and  misery:  the  former  is 
an  end, — the  grand  object  for  which  man  was  created,  and  the  media- 
torial kingdom  established.  But  no  one  will  say  that  misery  is  the 
end  at  which  the  Deity  aimed  in  creation  and  redemption.  Misery 
is  a  means  and  not  an  end.  As  a  means,  punishment  is  perfectly 
consistent  with  the  divine  character,  and  the  design  of  his  adminis- 
tration ;  but  as  an  end  it  would  be  repugnant  to  both.  Endless  hap- 
piness then  is  immediately  connected  with  the  character  and  purposes 
of  God,  and  is  as  certain  as  his  immutable  designs;  while  endless 
misery  is  at  war  with  the  perfections  of  the  Almighty,  and  subversive 
of  his  gracious  designs. 

But  we  are  told  that  the  happiness  of  the  righteous,  and  the  misery 
of  the  wicked  are  contrasted  ;  and  that  in  this  contrast  the  same  terms, 
everlasting,  and  eternal,  are  applied  to  denote  the  duration  of  both ; 
and  that,  if  the  one  be  endless,  the  same  must  be  true  of  the  other. 
This  is  the  most  plausible  argument  which  can  be  urged  in  support 
of  ceaseless  torment.  We  will,  however,  state  the  reasons  which 
satisfy  us,  that  the  argument  is  unsound.  If  there  is  any  strength  in 
this  argument,  it  must  rest  either  upon  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"  everlasting,"  or  upon  the  alleged  fact  that  happiness  and  misery  are 
contrasted.  As  to  the  meaning  of  the  word,  we  have  already  shown 
that  it  is  used  in  a  great  variety  of  senses;  sometimes  it  denotes  end- 
less, and  sometimes  limited  duration.  But  its  signification  must  always 
depend  upon  the  nature  of  the  subject  to  which  it  is  applied.  When 
it  is  joined  to  the  happiness  of  the  saints,  it  takes  an  endless  sense ; 
not  from  the  natural  import  of  the  term,  but  from  the  nature  of  the 
subject  to  which  it  is  applied.  Endless  happiness  is  established  beyond 
a  doubt,  independently  of  the  use  of  this  ambiguous  term ;  and  having 
established  that  point,  the  word  "  everlasting"  takes  an  endless  sense, 
from  the  character  of  the  subject  to  which  it  is  applied.  To  make 
the  cases  parallel,  the  absolute  eternity  of  punishment  must  be  proved 


RESTORATIONISTS.  q^^ 

independently  of  this  term.  But  the  believers  of  ceaseless  punishment 
always  press  this  doublful  term  into  the  controversy;  and  in  this  way 
the}^  admit  that  they  cannot  prove  their  position  without  the  passages 
in  which  this  term  occurs.  But  what  sort  of  reasoning  is  this  ?  Why, 
they  attempt  to  prove  a  doubtful  point  by  the  use  of  a  word  equally 
doubtful.  Let  them  prove  the  endless  duration  of  punishment  inde- 
pendently of  the  use  of  this  term  ;  and  then,  but  not  till  then,  will  it 
follow  with  any  degree  of  certainty,  that  everlasting  is  used  in  an 
endless  sense,  when  applied  to  this  subject  of  punishment. 

Nor  is  it  true,  that  the  antithesis  requires  that  the  same  term  should 
have  the  same  signification  in  both  members  of  the  sentence.  Take 
the  famous  passage  in  the  25th  chapter  of  Matthew, — "  These  shall 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  but  the  righteous  into  life  eter- 
nal." Suppose  the  meaning  to  be  that,  the  one  goes  into  endless  hap- 
piness, but  the  other  into  a  long  and  severe  punishment.  The  contrast 
here  is  just  as  perfect,  as  though  the  one  continued  as  long  as  the 
other.  The  object  of  the  Saviour  was,  to  contrast  the  condition  of 
the  two  classes,  rather  than  the  duration  of  the  life  on  the  one  side, 
and  the  punishment  on  the  other. 

Besides  there  is  evidence  in  this  very  passage  that  the  punishment 
here  spoken  of,  is  not  endless.  The  Greek  word  rendered  punishment 
is  kolasis,  which  critics  define  to  signify  chastisement,  or  that  punish- 
ment which  is  inflicted  for  the  good  of  the  sufferer.  Dr.  Smith,  in  his 
Treatise  on  Divine  Government,  published  a  few  years  since  in  Eng- 
land, says  that  kolasis  invariably  denotes  a  corrective  'punishment. 
Hedericus  gives  chastisement  as  the  prominent  meaning  of  kolasis. 
Grotius  says  expressly,  "  that  kind  of  punishment  which  tends  to  im- 
prove the  criminal  is  what  the  philosophers  called  kolasis,  or  chastise- 
ment." See  also  "  Improved  Version  of  New  Testament."  Here  it 
will  be  seen,  that  the  very  passage  which  is  relied  upon  in  proof  of 
endless  misery,  contains  evidence  of  the  limited  nature  of  punishment. 
Chastisement  of  itself  implies  a  limitation,  and  as  the  word  everlasting 
is  applied  to  chastisement,  or  a  word  of  that  import,  it  must  be  used 
in  a  limited  sense. 

But  as  great  reliance  is  placed  upon  the  fact  that  in  the  25th  chapter 
of  Matthew,  the  word  rendered  everlasting  occurs  twice;  and  as  it  is 
inferred  fi-om  this,  that  it  must  have  the  same  meaning  in  both  cases: 
we  will  refer  to  several  other  passages,  where  the  same  word  occurs 
twice,  and  where  all  will  admit  that  the  sense  is  not  the  same. in  each 
case.  In  Romans  xvi.  25,  26,  Paul  speaks  of  the  "mystery  which 
was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  but  is  now  made  manifest, 
according  to  the  commandment  of  the  everlasting  God."     In  this  pas- 


052  HISTORY  OF  THE 

sage  the  word  in  question  occurs  twice ;  in  one  case  it  is  rendered 
ivmid,  and  in  the  other  everlastivg.  In  the  latter  case  tlie  term  has 
an  endless  sense,  because  it  is  applied  to  the  Deity  ;  in  the  former  case 
it  is  used  in  a  limited  sense,  because  the  passage  speaks  of  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world.  In  Titus  i.  2,  the  apostle  speaks  of  eternal  life 
which  God  promised  before  the  icorld  began.  Here  again  the  same 
word  occurs  twice.  Once  it  is  rendered  eternal  and  applied  to  life,  and 
consequently  is  used  in  an  endless  sense ;  and  once  it  is  rendered 
world,  and  must  be  used  in  a  limited  sense,  for  it  would  be  an  absur- 
dity to  speak  of  the  beginning  and  end  of  eternity.  In  Habak.  iii.  6, 
the  word  "  everlasting'^  is  twice  employed ;  once  it  is  applied  to  the 
mountains,  which  the  passage  declares,  "were  scattered,"  and  once 
to  the  ways  of  God,  which  we  know  are  unchangeable. 

We  have  here  three  several  instances  in  which  the  terms  rendered 
everlasting  and  for  ever  are  twice  employed  in  the  same  passage,  by 
way  of  antithesis ;  and  yet  every  person  will  admit  that  the  word  has 
one  meaning  in  one  part  of  the  sentence,  and  another  meaning  in  the 
other.  Why  then  may  not  the  same  term  in  the  same  construction 
be  employed  to  denote  an  endless  duration  in  the  one  case,  and  a 
limited  duration  in  the  other,  in  the  25th  of  Matthew,  as  well  as  in 
the  IGth  of  Romans,  the  1st  of  Titus,  or  the  3d  of  Habakkuk? 

From  what  we  have  oflered  upon  this  subject,  I  think  it  follows 
most  conclusively  that  the  words  rendered  eternal  and  for  ever,  are 
loose  and  indefinite  in  their  meaning ;  and  that  we  must  look  at  the 
subject  to  which  they  are  applied,  in  order  to  determine  their  sense 
in  any  given  case.  It  has  also  been  shown  that  there  is  nothing  in 
the  nature  of  punishment  which  would  give  an  endless  sense  to  the 
term,  when  applied  to  that  subject ;  but  on  the  contrary,  chastisement, 
the  only  punishment  worthy  of  a  merciful  God,  necessarily  implies  a 
limitation. 

But  in  contending  for  the  final  subjugation  of  the  world,  we  do  not 
overlook  the  agency  of  man.  It  is  no  part  of  our  creed  that  man  is 
to  be  passive  in  the  great  work  of  salvation.  We  believe  that  all 
men  will  ultimately  be  made  happy ;  because  we  believe  that  all  men 
will  of  their  own  accord  bow  submissively  and  become  the  willing 
subjects  of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  The  free  agency  instead  of  consti- 
tuting any  objection  to  our  views,  is  the  medium  through  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  operates  in  bringing  men  to  holiness  and  happiness.  On 
any  system  of  religion,  those  who  are  saved,  are  saved  willingly; 
and  if  one  free  agent  can  be  brought  to  penitence  without  impairing 
his  freedom,  the  same  may  be  true  of  all. 

Restorationists  believe  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Restoration  is  the 


RESTORATIONISTS,  653 

most  consonant  to  the  perfections  of  the  Deity,  the  most  worthy  of 
the  character  of  Christ,  and  the  only  doctrine  which  will  accord  with 
pious  and  devout  feelings,  or  harmonize  with  the  scriptures.  They 
teach  their  followers,  that  ardent  love  to  God,  active  benevolence  to 
man,  and  personal  meekness  and  purity,  are  the  natural  results  of 
those  views. 

Though  the  Restorationists,  as  a  separate  sect,  have  arisen  within  a 
few  years,  their  sentiments  are  by  no  means  new.  Clemens  Alexan- 
drinus,  Origen,  Didymus  of  Alexandria,  Gregory  Nyssen,  and  several 
others,  among  the  Christian  fathers  of  the  first  four  centuries,.it  is 
said,  believed  and  advocated  the  restoration  of  all  fallen  intelligences. 
A  branch  of  the  German  Baptists,  before  the  Reformation,  held  this 
doctrine,  and  propagated  it  in  that  country.  Since  the  Reformation 
this  doctrine  has  had  numerous  advocates;  and  some  of  them  have 
been  among  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the  Church.  Among  the  Eu- 
ropeans, we  may  mention  the  names  of  Jeremy  White  of  Trinity 
College,  Dr.  Burnet,  Dr.  Cheyne,  Chevalier  Ramsay,  Doctor  Hartley, 
Bishop  Newton,  Mr.  Stonehouse,  Mr.  Petitpierre,  Dr.  Cogan,  Mr. 
Lindsey,  Dr.  Priestley,  Dr.  Jebb,  Mr.  Relly,  Mr.  Kenrick,  Mr.  Bel- 
sham,  Dr.  Southworth  Smith,  and  many  others.  In  fact  the  Restora- 
tion is  the  commonly  received  doctrine  among  the  English  Unitarians 
at  the  present  day.  In  Germany,  a  country  which,  for  several  cen- 
turies, has  taken  the  lead  in  all  theological  reforms,  the  orthodox 
have  espoused  this  doctrine. 

The  Restoration  was  introduced  into  America  about  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century;  though  it  was  not  propagated  much  till  about 
1775  or  1780,  when  John  Murray  and  Elhanan  Winchester  became 
public  advocates  of  this  doctrine,  and  by  their  untiring  labours  ex- 
tended it  in  every  direction.  From  that  time  to  the  present,  many 
men  have  been  found  in  all  parts  of  our  country,  who  have  rejoiced 
in  this  belief.  This  doctrine  found  an  able  advocate  in  the  learned 
Dr.  Chauncey,  of  Boston.  Dr.  Rush,  of  Philadelphia,  Dr.  Smith,  of 
New  York,  Mr.  Foster,  of  New  Hampshire,  may  also  be  mentioned 
as  advocates  of  the  Restoration. 

Most  of  the  writers,  whose  names  are  given  above,  did  not  belong 
to  a  sect  which  took  the  distinctive  name  of  Restorationists.  They 
were  found  in  the  ranks  of  the  various  sects  into  which  the  Christian 
world  has  been  divided.  And  those  who  formed  a  distinct  sect  were 
more  frequently  denominated  Universalists  than  Restorationists.  In 
1785,  a  convention  was  organized  at  Oxford,  Massachusetts,  under 
the  auspices  of  Messrs.  Winchester  and  Murray.     And  as  all  who 


G54 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


had  embraced  universal  salvation  believed,  that  the  efTects  of  sin  and 
the  means  of  grace  extended  into  a  future  life :  tlie  terms  Resloralionist 
and  Unimrsalist  were  then  used  as  synonymous ;  and  those  who 
formed  that  convention  adopted  the  latter  as  their  distinctive  name. 

During  the  first  twenty-five  years,  the  members  of  the  Universalist 
Convention  were  believers  in  a  future  retribution.  But  about  the 
year  1818,  Hosea  Ballou,  now  of  Boston,  advanced  the  doctrine  that 
all  retribution  is  confined  to  this  world. 

That  sentiment  at  first  was  founded  upon  the  old  Gnostic  notion, 
that-all  sin  originates  in  the  flesh,  and  that  death  frees  the  soul  from 
all  impurity.  Subsequently  some  of  the  advocates  for  the  no-future- 
punishment  scheme,  adopted  the  doctrine  of  materialism,  and  hence 
maintained  that  the  soul  was  mortal ;  that  the  whole  man  died  a  tem- 
poral death,  and  that  the  resurrection  was  the  grand  event  which 
would  introduce  all  men  into  heavenly  felicity. 

Those  who  have  since  taken  to  themselves  the  name  of  Restora- 
tionists,  viewed  these  innovations  as  corruptions  of  the  gospel,  and 
raised  their  voices  against  them.  But  a  majority  of  the  convention 
having  espoused  these  sentiments,  no  reformation  could  be  effected. 

The  Restorationists,  believing  these  errors  to  be  increasing,  and 
finding  in  the  connexion  what  appeared  to  them  to  be  a  want  of  en- 
gagedness  in  the  cause  of  true  piety,  and  in  some  instances  an  open 
opposition  to  the  organization  of  churches  ;  and  finding  that  a  spirit 
of  levity  and  bitterness  characterized  the  public  labours  of  their  bre- 
thren, and  that  practices  were  springing  up  totally  repugnant  to  the 
principles  of  Congregationalism,  resolved  to  obey  the  apostolic  in- 
junction, by  coming  out  from  among  them,  and  forming  an  inde- 
pendent association.  Accordingly  a  convention,  consisting  of  Rev. 
Paul  Dean,  Rev.  David  Pickering,  Rev.  Charles  Hudson,  Rev.  Ad  in 
Ballou,  Rev.  Lyman  Maynard,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Wright,  Rev.  Phile- 
mon R.  Russell,  and  Rev.  Seth  Chandler,  and  several  laymen,  met  at 
Mendon,  Massachusetts,  August  17,  1831,  and  formed  themselves 
into  a  distinct  sect,  and  took  the  name  of  Universal  Restorationists. 

Since  the  organization  of  this  association,  they  have  had  accessions 
of  six  or  seven  clergymen,  so  that  their  whole  number  of  clergymen 
in  1834,  was  estimated  at  fourteen,  and  the  number  of  their  societies 
at  ten  or  twelve.  With  all  or  nearly  all  these  societies  an  organized 
church  is  associated.  These  societies  are  principally  in  Massachu- 
setts, though  there  is  a  large  society  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
and  one  in  New  York  city.  The  largest  societies  are  those  of  Boston 
and  Providence. 


RESTORATIONISTS.  655 

The  Independent  Messenger,  a  paper  published  weekly  at  Mendon, 
Massachusetts,  by  Rev.  Adin  Ballou,  is  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Re- 
storationism. 

It  ought  also  to  be  stated  in  connexion  with  this,  that  there  are 
several  clergymen  who  agree  with  the  Restorationists  in  sentiment, 
who  still  adhere  to  the  Universalist  connexion.  And  if  we  were  to 
present  a  complete  list  of  those  who  believe  that  all  men  will  ulti- 
mately be  restored,  we  might  enumerate  many  of  the  Unitarian  and 
Christian  clergymen.  This  sentiment  prevails  more  or  less  among 
the  laity  of  every  sect.  The  Restorationists  are  Congregationalists 
on  the  subject  of  church  government. 

In  relation  to  the  trinity,  atonement,  and  free  will,  the  Restora- 
tionists' views  harmonize  with  those  of  the  Unitarians. 

In  relation  to  water  baptism,  they  maintain  that  it  may  be  adminis- 
tered by  immersion,  suffusion,  or  sprinkling,  either  to  adults  or  infants. 
They  do  not  regard  baptism  as  a  saving  ordinance ;  and  they  are 
rather  disposed  to  continue  this  rite  from  the  example  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  than  from  any  positive  command  contained  in  the  New 
Testament.  They  maintain  that  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper  is  ex- 
pressly commanded  by  Christ,  and  should  be  open  to  all  believers  of 
every  name  and  sect ;  and  while  they  admit  that  every  organized 
church  should  have  the  power  to  manage  its  own  private  and  local 
affairs,  they  recognise  no  power  in  any  church  to  exclude  believers 
of  other  denominations  from  the  table  of  our  common  Master. 

The  difference  between  the  Restorationists  and  Universalists  relates 
principally  to  the  subject  of  a  future  retribution.  The  Universalists 
believe  that  a  full  and  perfect  retribution  takes  place  in  this  world, 
that  our  conduct  here  cannot  affect  our  future  condition,  and  that  the 
moment  man  exists  after  death,  he  will  be  as  pure  and  as  happy  as 
the  angels.  From  these  views  the  Restorationists  dissent.  They 
maintain  that  a  just  retribution  does  not  take  place  in  time;  that  the 
conscience  of  the  sinner  becomes  callous,  and  does  not  increase  in 
the  severity  of  its  reprovings  with  the  increase  of  guilt ;  that  men  are 
invited  to  act  with  reference  to  a  future  life ;  that  if  all  are  made  per- 
fectly happy  at  the  commencement  of  the  next  state  of  existence, 
they  are  not  rewarded  according  to  their  deeds ;  that  if  death  intro- 
duces them  into  heaven,  they  are  saved  by  death,  and  not  by  Christ ; 
and  if  they  are  made  happy  by  being  raised  from  the  dead,  they  are 
saved  by  physical,  and  not  by  moral  means,  and  made  happy  without 
their  agency  or  consent ;  that  such  a  sentiment  weakens  the  motives 
to  virtue,  and  gives  force  to  the  temptations  of  vice;  that  it  is  unrea- 
sonable in  itself,  and  opposed  to  many  passages  of  scripture. 


SHAKEES. 

BY   THOMAS    BROWN, 

ORANGE  CO.,  N.  Y. 

The  Shakers,  or  the  Millennial  Chufch,  the  subject  of  this  article, 
hold  that  the  Apostolic  Church  gradually  degenerated,  and  finally  be- 
came a  church  of  Antichrist,  under  the  favour  and  protection  of 
Constantino,  the  Roman  emperor;  but,  at  the  same  time,  profess  to 
believe  that  God  has,  in  every  age,  raised  up  witnesses  to  bear  testi- 
mony against  sin  and  the  power  of  Antichrist ;  among  these  they 
claim  to  be,  and  profess  to  be  of  those  known  by  the  name  of  the 
French  prophets  who  were  raised  up,  and  endued  with  the  true  spirit 
of  prophecy ;  and  that  they  were  the  two  witnesses  mentioned  by  St. 
John,  who  "  after  three  days  and  a  half,"  i.  e.  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  years,  "  stood  upon  their  feet,"  i.  e.  were  not  slain  or  persecuted 
unto  death. 

The  French  prophets  alluded  to,  first  appeared  in  Dauphiny  and 
the  Cevennes  in  France,  about  1688  ;  in  a  few  years,  several  hundred 
Protestants  professed  to  be  inspired;  their  bodies  were  much  agitated 
with  various  operations:  when  they  received  the  spirit  of  prophecy, 
they  trembled,  staggered,  and  fell  down  and  lay  as  if  they  were  dead  ; 
they  recovered  twitching,  shaking,  and  crying  to  God  for  mercy  for 
themselves  and  for  all  mankind,  not  only  in  their  assemblies,  but  at 
other  meetings.  Three  of  their  most  distinguished  prophets,  namely, 
Elias  Marlon,  John  Caviller,  and  Durand  Fage,  left  France  about 
the  year  1705,  and  repaired  to  London,  where  they  also  began  to 
prophesy,  with  the  like  operations  and  ecstasies,  as  in  France.  In 
England  they  met  with  much  opposition.  Several  of  the  prophets 
went  from  London  to  Scotland,  and  afterwards  to  Holland,  where 
the  magistrates  committed  them  to  prison. 

James  Wardley,  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  Jane,  iiis  wife,  formerly 
Quakers,  lived  at  Bolton,  county  of  Lancashire,  England,  joined  the 
French  prophets  in  testifying  against  all  the  churches  then  in  standing. 
About  the  year  1747,  several  other  persons  were  added  to  them  and 


SHAKERS.  657 

a  small  society  formed  without  any  established  creed  or  particular 
manner  of  worship,  as  they  professed  to  be  only  beginning  to  learn 
the  new  and  living  way  of  complete  salvation,  which  had  long  been 
the  subject  of  prophecy ;  and  therefore  they  professed  to  be  resigned, 
to  be  led  and  governed,  from  time  to  time,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  might 
dictate.  The  principal  members  were,  beside  Wardley  and  his  wife, 
John  Townley,  of  Manchester,  and  his  wife,  and  John  Kattis,  who,  it 
is  said,  was  a  scholar;  but  did  not  retain  his  faith.  Wardley  and 
his  wife,  Jane,  conducted  their  meetings.  Jane  Wardley  was  called 
"  mother,"  and  to  her  confessions  of  sin  were  made.  She  had  the 
principal  lead  in  their  meetings.  In  1757,  Ann  Lee  joined  their 
society,  by  confessing  her  sins  to  Jane  Wardley.  Ann  was  born 
about  the  year  1735;  at  a  marriageable  age  she  entered  the  bonds  of 
matrimony  with  Abraham  Stanley ;  some  years  after  joining  the 
society,  Ann  united  her  testimony  against  "  the  root  of  human  de- 
pravity ;"  and  professed  she  had  received  the  greatest  gift ;  and  from 
the  year  1768  or  69,  she  was  owned  as  the  "  spiritual  mother,"  and 
took  the  lead  of  the  society,  thenceforth  familiarly  known  as  "  Mother 
Ann."  Their  society,  in  the  year  1772,  numbered  about  thirty  per- 
sons, though  many  more  had  joined  it,  but  had  fallen  off.  As  the 
prospects  of  any  further  increase  were  gloomy,  as  the  people  in  ge- 
neral disbelieved  their  testimony.  Mother  Ann,  about  that  time,  re- 
ceived a  revelation  from  God  to  repair  to  America.  She  prophesied 
of  a  great  increase  and  permanent  establishment  of  the  church  and 
work  of  God  in  this  country.  Accordingly,  as  many  as  firmly  be- 
lieved in  her  testimony,  and  could  settle  their  temporal  concerns  and 
furnish  necessaries  for  the  voyage,  concluded  to  follow  her ;  they 
procured  a  passage  at  Liverpool,  in  the  ship  Maria,  Capt.  Smith,  and 
arrived  at  New  York  in  1774.  Those  who  came  with  the  "  mother" 
were  her  husband  Abraham  Stanley,  William  Lee,  James  Whittaker, 
John  Parlington,  and  Mary  his  wife;  John  Hocknell,  James  Shepard, 
and  one  Ann  Lee,  the  "mother's"  niece.  In  the  spring  of  1776  she 
went  to  Albany,  thence  to  Niskeuna,  now  Water  Vliet,  eight  miles 
from  Albany,  where  a  small  society  was  established  in  Sept.,  1776, 
and  still  exists.  They  own  here  about  2000  acres  of  good  land,  well 
cultivated,  and  divided  into  four  farms,  on  each  of  which  is  a  family, 
the  whole  amounting  to  about  80  persons  of  both  sexes  and  all  ages. 
From  this  society  have  grown  several  communities,  one  of  which  is 
established  at  New  Lebanon,  N.  Y.  The  community  here  consists 
of  about  600  members,  divided  into  several  orders  and  families.  An- 
other community  is  found  in  the  State  of  New  York,  in  Wayne 
county ;  another  at  Enfield,  Connecticut ;  and  two  in  Ohio,  one  at 


G58 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Union  village,  in  the  county  of  VVarren,  thirty  miles  from  Cincinnati, 
which  contains  nearly  GOO  members ;  and  one  at  Beaver  creek,  in 
Montgomery  county,  six  miles  southeast  of  Dayton,  which  contains 
rising  100  members.  In  Kentucky  there  are  two  societies,  one  at 
Pleasant  Hill,  Mercer  county,  containing  about  500  members ;  one 
in  Logan  county,  which  contains  nearly  400  members.  One  so- 
ciety at  West  Union,  Knox  county,  Indiana,  with  rising  of  200 
members. 

Among  their  first,  and  distinguished  converts  were  David  Darrow, 
Valentine  Rathbone,  a  Baptist  preacher,  Daniel  Rathbone,  and  Reuben 
Rathbone.  Valentine  Rathbone  renounced  his  union  with  the  society 
within  a  few  months  after  he  had  joined  them,  and  soon  published  a 
pamphlet  against  their  faith  and  practice. 

Their  number  had  been  considerable  at  one  time  in  the  United 
States,  but  on  the  death  of  "  Mother  Ann,"  who  died  at  Water  Vliet, 
Sept.  8,  1784,  they  began  to  diminish.*  They  live  in  communities, 
and  are  generally  instructed  to  be  very  industrious,  and  to  bring  in 
according  to  their  ability  to  keep  up  the  meeting.  They  vary  in  their 
religious  exercises;  their  heaving  dancing,  as  it  is  called,  is  performed 
by  a  perpetual  springing  from  the  house  floor,  about  four  inches  up 
and  down,  both  in  the  men's  and  women's  apartments,  moving  about 
with  extraordinary  transport,  singing,  sometimes  one  at  a  time,  some- 
times more,  making  a  perfect  charm.  They  sometimes  fall  on  their 
knees,  and  make  a  sound  like  the  roaring  of  many  waters,  in  groans 
and  cries  to  God,  as  they  say,  for  the  wicked  world  who  persecute 
them. 

Their  religious  tenets  are  as  follows:  We  believe  that  the  first  light 
of  salvation  was  given  or  made  known  to  the  patriarchs  by  promise; 
and  that  they,  who  believed  in  the  promise  of  Christ,  and  w^ere  obedient 
to  the  command  of  God  made  known  unto  them,  were  the  people  of 
God,  and  were  accepted  by  him  as  righteous,  or  perfect  in  their 
generation,  according  to  the  measure  of  light  and  truth  manifested 
unto  them  :  which  were  as  waters  to  the  ankles;  signified  by  Ezekiel's 
vision  of  the  holy  w-aters  (chap.  47).  And  although  they  could  not 
receive  regeneration,  or  the  fulness  of  salvation,  from  the  fleshly  and 
fallen  nature  in  this  life ;  because  the  fulness  of  time  was  not  yet 
come  that  they  should  receive  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the 
destruction  of  the  body  of  sin,  and  purification  of  the  soul.      But 


•  In  1828,  the  number  of  societies  was  sixteen ;  the  number  of  preachers  about  forty- 
five,  members  gathered  into  their  societies,  about  4500 ;  tliose  not  received,  900 ;  making 
in  all  about  5400. — Editor. 


SHAKERS.  659 

Abraham,  called  and  chosen  of  God,  as  the  father  of  the  faithful,  was 
received  into  covenant  relation  with  God  by  promise ;  that  in  him, 
and  his  seed,  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  And  the 
earthly  blessings,  which  were  promised  to  Abraham,  were  a  shadow 
of  a  gospel  or  spiritual  blessings  to  come.  And  circumcision,  or  out- 
ward cutting  of  the  foreskin  of  the  flesh,  did  not  cleanse  the  man 
from  sin,  but  was  a  sign  of  the  spiritual  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  fire.  Which  is  by  the  power  of  God  manifested  in  divers  opera- 
tions and  gifts  of  the  spirit,  as  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  which  does 
indeed  destroy  the  body  of  sin  or  fleshly  nature,  and  purify  the  man 
from  all  sin,  both  soul  and  body.  So  that  Abraham,  though  in  the 
full  faith  of  the  promise,  yet  as  he  did  not  receive  the  substance  of  the 
thing  promised,  his  hopes  of  eternal  salvation  was  in  Christ,  by  the 
gospel,  to  be  attained  in  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

The  second  dispensation  was  the  law  that  was  given  of  God  to 
Israel,  by  the  hand  of  Moses ;  which  was  a  farther  manifestation  of 
that  salvation,  which  was  promised  through  Christ  by  the  gospel, 
both  in  the  order  and  ordinances,  instituted  and  given  unto  Israel,  as 
the  Church  and  people  of  God,  according  to  that  dispensation  which 
was  as  waters  to  the  knees  (Ezek.  xlvii.  Ni) ;  by  which  they  were  dis- 
tinguished from  all  the  families  of  the  earth.  For  while  they  were  faith- 
ful and  strictly  obedient  to  all  the  commands,  ordinances,  and  statutes 
that  God  gave  :  they  were  approved  of  God  according  to  the  promise 
for  life,  and  blessings  were  promised  unto  them  in  the  line  of  obedience; 
cursing  and  death  in  disobedience,  (Deut.  xxviii.  12,  15.)  For  God, 
who  is  ever  jealous  for  the  honour  and  glory  of  his  own  great  name, 
always  dealt  with  them  according  to  his  word.  For  while  they  were 
obedient  to  the  commands  of  God,  and  purged  out  sin  from  among 
them,  God  was  with  them,  according  to  his  promise.  But  when  they 
disobeyed  the  commands  of  God,  and  committed  sin,  and  became 
like  other  people :  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  turned  against  them  ;  and 
those  evils  came  upon  them  which  God  had  threatened.  So  we  see 
that  they,  who  were  wholly  obedient  to  the  will  of  God,  made  known 
in  that  dispensation,  were  accepted  as  just  or  righteous.  Yet  as  that 
dispensation  was  short,  they  did  not  attain  that  salvation  which  was 
promised  in  the  gospel ;  so  that,  as  it  respected  the  new  birth,  or  real 
purification  of  the  man  from  all  sin,  the  laiv  made  nothing  perfect 
(Heb.  vii.  19) ;  but  ivas  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  (1  Cor.  ii.  17  ; 
Heb.  X.)  Their  only  hope  of  eternal  redemption  was  in  the  promise 
of  Christ,  by  the  gospel,  to  be  attained  in  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead. 

The  third  dispensation  was  the  gospel  of  Christ's  first  appearance 


600 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


in  the  flesh,  which  was  as  ivater  to  the  loins,  (Ezek.  xlvii.  4,)  and  that 
salvation  which  took  place  in  consequence  of  his  life,  death,  resurrec- 
tion, and  ascension  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  being  accepted  in 
his  obedience,  as  the  frst  born  among  many  brethren,  (Rom.  viii.  29,) 
he  received  power  and  authority  to  administer  the  power  of  the  re- 
surrection and  eternal  judgment  to  all  the  children  of  men.  So  that 
he  has  become  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  unto  all  that  obey  him, 
(Heb.  iv.  9.)  And  as  Christ  had  this  power  in  himself,  he  did  ad- 
minister power  and  authority  to  his  church  at  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
as  his  body,  with  all  the  gifts  that  he  had  promised  them  ;  which  was 
the  first  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  an  indwelling  comforter,  to  abide 
with  them  for  ever ;  and  by  which  they  were  baptized  into  Christ's 
death;  death  to  all  sin;  and  were  in  the  hope  of  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  through  the  operation  of  the  power  of  God,  which 
wrought  in  them.  And  as  they  had  received  the  substance  of  the 
promise  of  Christ's  coming  in  the  flesh,  by  the  gift  and  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost :  they  had  power  to  preach  the  gospel,  in  Christ's 
name,  to  every  creature;  and  to  administer  the  power  of  God  to  as 
many  as  believed,  and  were  obedient  to  the  gospel  which  they 
preached ;  and  to  remit  and  retain  sins  in  the  power  and  authority  of 
Christ  on  earth.  So  they,  that  believed  in  the  gospel,  and  were  obe- 
dient to  that  form  of  doctrine  which  was  taught  them,  by  denying  all 
ungodliness  and  ivorldly  lust,  and  became  entirely  dead  unto  the  law, 
by  the  body  of  Christ,  or  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  in  travail  of 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead  or  the  redemption  of  the  body,  (Rom. 
viii.  23.)  So  that  they,  who  took  up  a  full  cross  against  the  world, 
flesh,  and  devil,  and  who  forsook  all  for  Christ's  sake,  and  followed 
him  in  the  regeneration,  by  persevering  in  that  line  of  obedience  to 
the  end,  found  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  eternal  salvation 
in  that  dispensation.  But  as  the  nature  of  that  dispensation  was  only 
as  water  to  the  loins,  (Ezek.  xlvii.,)  the  mystery  of  God  was  not  finish- 
ed ;  but  there  was  another  day  prophesied  of,  called  the  second  ap- 
pearance of  Christ,  or  final  and  last  display  of  God's  grace  to  a  lost 
world,  in  which  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  (Rev.  x.  7,)  as 
he  has  spoken  by  his  prophets,  since  the  u-orld  began,  (Luke  i.  70,) 
which  day  could  not  come,  except  there  was  a  falling  away  from 
that  faith  and  power  that  the  church  then  stood  in,  (2  Thess.  ii.  3 ; 
2  Tim.  iv.  3  ;  Dan.  xi.  36-38;  xii.,)  in  which  Antichrist  was  to  have 
hifi  reign,  whom  Christ  should  destroy  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth, 
and  brightness  of  his  appearance,  (2  Thess.  ii.  8.)  Which  falling 
away  began  soon  after  the  apostles,  and  gradually  increased  in  the 
Church,  until  about  A.  D.  457,  or  thereabouts ;  at  which  time  the 


SHAKERS.  661 

power  of  the  holy  people,  or  Church  of  Christ  was  scattered  or  lost, 
by  reason  of  transgression,  (Dan.  xii.  7  ;  viii.  2 ;)  and  Antichrist,  or 
false  religion,  got  to  be  established.  Since  that  time,  the  witnesses  of 
Christ  have  prophesied  in  sackcloth,  or  under  darkness,  (Rev.  vi.  3.) 
And  thus  many  have  been  faithful  to  testify  against  sin,  even  to 
the  laying  down  of  their  lives  for  the  testimony  which  they  held,  so 
that  God  accepted  them  in  their  obedience,  which  they  were  faithful 
and  just  to  live,  or  walk  up  to  the  measure  of  light  and  truth  of  God, 
revealed  or  made  known  unto  them.  But  it  is  written,  that  all  they 
that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution :  and  so  it 
has  been ;  and  these  faithful  witnesses  lost  their  lives  by  those  falsely 
called  the  Church  of  Christ,  which  is  Antichrist.  For  the  true  Church 
of  Christ  never  persecuted  any ;  but  was  inoffensive,  harmless,  sepa- 
rate from  sin.  For  the  true  Church  of  Christ,  taking  up  its  cross 
against  the  world,  flesh,  and  devil,  and  all  sin,  living  in  obedience 
to  God,  earnestly  contends  for  the  same.  Therefore  it  may  be 
plainly  seen  and  known  where  the  true  church  is.  But  as  it  is  written, 
Antichrist,  or  false  churches,  should  prevail  against  the  saints,  and 
overcome  them,  before  Christ's  second  appearance,  (2  Thess.  ii.  3 :) 
Let  no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means,  for  that  day  shall  not  come,  ex- 
cept there  come  a  falling  aioay  first,  and  that  man  of  sin  he  revealed, 
the  son  of  perdition.  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  overcome  all  kin- 
dreds, tongues,  and  nations.  (Rev.  xiii.  7.)  And  this  is  the  state  Christ 
prophesied  the  world  of  mankind  should  be  in,  at  his  second  appear- 
ance, (Luke  xvii.  22-37.)  And  as  it  teas  in  the  days  of  JVoah,  so 
shall  it  be  in  the  days  of  the  So7i  of  man  ;  even  shall  it  be  in  the  days 
when  (he  Son  of  man  is  revealed.  Plainly  referring  to  his  second  ap- 
pearing, to  consume  and  destroy  Antichrist,  and  make  a  final  end  of 
sin,  and  establish  his  kingdom  upon  earth.  (Isa.  Ixv.  25 ;  Jer.  xxxi. 
33,  34;  Dan.  ii.  44  ;  vii.  18,  27,  and  ix.  27  ;  Oba.  ii.  1  ;  Rev.  xv.  15, 
&c.)  But  as  the  revelation  of  Christ  is  spiritual,  it  must  consequently 
be  in  his  people,  whom  he  had  chosen  to  be  his  body,  to  give  testi- 
mony of  him,  and  to  preach  his  gospel  to  a  lost  world. 

The  fourth  dispensation  is  the  second  appearance  of  Christ,  or  final 
and  last  display  of  God's  grace  to  a  lost  world  ;  in  which  the  mystery 
of  God  will  be  finished,  as  a  decisive  work,  to  the  final  salvation  or 
damnation  of  all  the  children  of  men,  which  according  to  the  pro- 
phecies, rightly  calculated  and  truly  understood,  began  in  the  year 
of  our  Saviour,  1747,  (see  Daniel  and  Revelations,)  in  the  manner  fol- 
lowing :  To  a  number,  in  the  manifestation  of  great  light,  and  mighty 
trembling,  by  the  invisible  power  of  God,  and  visions,  revelations, 
miracles,  and  prophecies.    Which  have  progressively  increased  with 


G62 


HISTORY  OF  THK  SHAKERS. 


administrations  of  all  those  spiritual  gifts  that  were  administered  to  the 
apostles  at  the  day  of  Pentecost :  and  these  are  the  Comforter  that  has 
led  us  into  all  truth ;  and  which  was  promised  to  abide  with  the  true 
Church  of  Christ  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  And  by  which  we  find 
baptism  into  Christ's  death,  (Rom.  vi.  4,)  death  to  all  sin ;  become 
alive  to  God,  by  the  power  of  Christ's  resurrection,  which  worketh  in 
us  inifrlitily; — by  which  a  dispensation  of  the  gospel  is  committed 
unto  us.  And  wo  be  unto  us  if  we  preach  not  the  gospel  of  Christ; 
for  in  sending  so  great  a  salvation  and  deliverance  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death,  in  believing  and  obeying  this  gospel,  which  is  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ ;  in  confessing  and  forsaking  all  sin,  and  denying  our- 
selves, and  bearing  the  cross  of  Christ  against  the  world,  flesh,  and 
devil :  we  have  found  forgiveness  of  all  our  sins,  and  are  made  par- 
takers of  the  grace  of  God,  wherein  we  now  stand.  And  all  others,  in 
believing  and  obeying,  will  have  acceptance  with  God,  and  find  salva- 
tion from  their  sins  as  well  as  we,  God  being  no  respecter  of  persons, 
but  willing  that  all  men  should  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth 
and  be  saved. 


SCHWENKFELDEES. 

BY  ISAAC  SCHULTZ, 

BERKS  CO.,  PA. 


ScHWENKFELDERS  are  a  denomination  of  Christians,  and  are  so  called 
after  Casper  Schwenkfeld  von  Ossing,  a  Silesian  knight,  and  counsellor 
to  the  Duke  of  Lignitz.  He  was  born  (seven  years  after  the  Saxon 
Reformer,  Martin  Luther,  first  beheld  the  light,  in  Eisleben)  in  Lower 
Silesia,  A.  D.  1490,  in  the  principality  of  Lignitz.  He  studied  several 
years  at  Cologne  and  other  universities ;  he  was  well  read  in  the  Latin 
and  Greek  classics,  as  well  as  in  the  Fathers.  He  was  a  man  of 
eminent  learning.  After  finishing  his  university  course,  he  was  taken 
into  service  by  the  Duke  of  Munsterberg  and  Brieg,  until  he  was  dis- 
abled by  bodily  infirmities  from  attending  to  the  business  of  the  court. 
He  then  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  theology.  About  this  time 
Luther  commenced  the  Reformation  in  Germany,  which  attracted 
Schwenkfeld's  whole  attention.  Every  circumstance  in  his  conduct 
and  appearance  was  adapted  to  give  him  credit  and  influence.  His 
morals  were  pure,  and  his  life  in  all  respects  exemplary.  His  exhor- 
tations in  favour  of  true  and  solid  piety  were  warm  and  persuasive, 
and  his  principal  zeal  was  employed  in  promoting  piety  among  the 
people;  he  thus  acquired  the  friendship  and  esteem  of  many  learned 
and  pious  men,  both  in  the  Lutheran  and  Helvetic  churches ;  among 
these  were  Luther,  Melancthon,  &c.,  whom  he  held  in  high  esteem, 
but  was  decided  in  his  opinion  that  they  still  held  several  relics  of 
Popery  in  their  doctrines. 

He  diftered  from  Luther  and  other  friends  of  the  Reformation,  in 
three  points.  The  first  of  these  points  related  to  the  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  Eucharist.  Schwenkfeld  inverted  these  words:  "toCto 
stfTi  TO  tfu/xa  (ji,ou,"  (Matt.  xxvi.  26,)  "  This  is  my  body,"  and  insisted  on 
their  being  thus  understood :  "  My  body  is  this,"  that  is,  such  as  is 
this  bread  which  is  broken  and  consumed ;  a  true  and  real  food, 
which  nourishes,  satisfies,  and  delights  the  soul.  "  My  blood  is  this,"  i.  e., 
such  in  its  effects  as  the  wine,  which  strengthens  and  refreshes  the 


GG4 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


heart.  The  second  point  on  which  he  difTered  from  Luther,  was  in  his 
hypothesis  relating  to  the  efficacy  of  the  divine  word.  He  denied, 
for  example,  that  the  external  word,  which  is  committed  to  writing 
in  the  scriptures,  was  endowed  with  the  powder  of  healing,  illuminating, 
and  renewing  the  mind ;  and  he  ascribed  this  power  to  the  internal 
wa>rd,  which,  according  to  his  opinion,  was  Christ  himself.  His  doc- 
trine concerning  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  formed  the  third  subject 
of  debate  between  him  and  the  Lutherans.  He  would  not  allow 
Christ's  human  nature,  in  its  exalted  state,  to  be  called  a  creature,  or 
a  created  substance,  as  such  denomination  appeared  to  him  infinitely 
below  his  majestic  dignity,  united  as  it  is,  in  that  glorious  state,  with 
the  divine  essence. 

On  the  first  point  of  difference,  Schwenkfeld  wrote  Luther  twelve 
questions,  concerning  the  impanation  of  the  body  of  Christ.  These 
Luther  answered  laconically,  but  "  in  his  usual  rough  style,"*  told 
Schwenkfeld  he  should  not  irritate  the  Church  of  Christ ;  that  the 
blood  of  those  he  should  seduce  would  fall  upon  his  head.  Notwith- 
standing this,  he  still  expostulated  with  Luther,  and  desired  a  candid 
examination  of  his  arguments,  which  so  irritated  Luther  that  he 
wrote  a  maledictory  letter  to  Schwenkfeld. 

Schwenkfeld  was  an  indefatigable  writer;  he  produced  some  ninety 
treatises  and  pamphlets,  in  German  and  Latin,  on  religious  subjects, 
most  of  which  were  printed,  and  are  yet  extant,  though  whole  editions 
were  confiscated  and  destroyed.  He  had  an  extensive  correspondence 
all  over  the  empire,  with  persons  of  every  rank  and  description.  The 
principal  part  of  his  letters  was  printed,  and  three  large  folio  volumes 
thereof  are  still  left.  In  his  writings,  he  displayed  a  penetrating  discern- 
ment and  good  judgment,  with  a  true  Christian  moderation.  He  often 
declared,  in  his  writings,  that  it  was  by  no  means  his  object  to  form  a 
separate  church,  and  expressed  an  ardent  desire  to  be  serviceable  to  all 
Christians,  of  whatever  denomination;  but  his  freedom  in  giving  ad- 
monition to  those  whom  he  thought  erroneous  in  doctrine,  brought  on 
him  the  enmity,  not  of  Papists  only,  but  of  some  Protestants.  His 
writings  were  prohibited  to  be  printed,  and  such  as  had  been  printed 
were  either  confiscated  or  destroyed;  and  he  was  obliged  to  wander 
from  place  to  place,  under  various  turns  of  fortune,  to  escape  danger, 
and  to  flee  from  his  persecutors,  till  death  put  an  end  to  all  his  trials 
upon  earth  ;  he  died  in  the  city  of  Ulm,  1562,  in  the  72d  year  of  his 

*  Luther,  in  liis  reply,  said  :  "  Kurtzum,  untwcdcr  ilir,  odcr  wir,  mtissen  des  Teufels 
leibcigcn  seyn,  wcil  wir  uns  bcydcrscits  Gottes  Worts  rahmcn,"  i.  e.  "  In  sliort,  either 
you  or  we,  must  be  in  the  bond-service  of  the  devil,  because  we,  on  both  sides,  appeal  to 
God's  Word." 


SCHWENKFELDERS.  665 

age.     His  learning  and  piety  are  acknowledged  by  all ;  and  even  his 
most  bitter  antagonists  award  him  this  praise. 

After  his  death  many,  on  having  read  and  heard  his  views,  and 
having  embraced  them,  were  known  and  called  Schwenkfelders,  and 
persecuted  nearly  as  much  as  had  been  the  deceased  Schwenkfelder 
himself.  The  greatest  number  of  them  were  in  Silesia,  particularly 
in  the  principalities  of  Lignitz  and  Tour.  The  established  clergy 
there,  being  Lutherans,  resorted  to  various  devices,  and  used  every 
intrigue,  to  oppose  them ;  in  particular,  if  they  assembled  for  religious 
worship,  they  were  thrown  into  prisons  and  dungeons,  where  many 
of  them  perished.  Such  was  often  their  unhappy  fate.  This  was 
especially  their  lot  in  1590,  in  1650,  and  at  a  later  period. 

In  1719,  the  Jesuits  thought  the  conversion  of  the  Schwenkfelders 
an  object  worthy  of  attention.  They  sent  missionaries  to  Silesia, 
who  preached  to  that  people  the  faith  of  the  emperor.  They  pro- 
duced imperial  edicts,  that  all  parents  should  attend  public  worship 
of  the  missionaries,  and  bring  their  children  to  be  instructed  in  the 
holy  Catholic  faith,  under  severe  penalties.  The  Schwenkfelders 
sent  deputies  to  Vienna  to  solicit  for  toleration  and  indulgence ;  and 
though  the  emperor  apparently  received  them  with  kindness  and  con- 
descension: yet  the  Jesuits  had  the  dexterous  address  to  procure 
another  imperial  edict,  ordering  that  such  parents  as  would  not  bring 
every  one  of  their  children  to  the  missionaries  for  instruction,  should 
at  last  be  chained  to  the  wheel-barrow,  and  put  to  hard  labour  on  the 
public  works,  and  their  children  should,  by  force,  be  brought  to  the 
missionaries.  Upon  this,  many  families  fled,  in  the  night,  into  Lusatia, 
and  other  parts  of  Saxony,  in  1725,  sought  shelter  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  Senate  of  Gorlitz,  and  also  of  Count  Zinzendorf — leaving 
behind  them  their  effects  real  and  personal,  (the  roads  being  beset,  in 
day  time,  to  stop  all  emigrants.)  They  dwelt  unmolested  in  their 
"  late  sought  shelter"  about  eight  years ;  when,  this  protection  being 
withdrawn,  they  resolved  to  seek  a  permanent  establishment  in  Penn- 
sylvania. A  number  of  them,  in  1734,  emigrated  to  Altona,  a  consi- 
derable city  of  Denmark,  and  Holland,  thence  to  Pennsylvania,  as 
will  be  seen  from  the  sequel. 

The  last  mentioned  edict  was  not  put  in  its  fullest  rigour  by  the 
missionaries  till  after  the  death  of  Charles  VI.,  when  another  edict 
was  published  threatening  the  total  extermination  of  the  remaining 
Schwenkfelders,  from  which  they  were  unexpectedly  relieved  by 
Frederick,  the  king  of  Prussia,  making  a  conquest  of  all  Silesia,  who 
immediately  published  an  edict,  in  which  he  invited,  by  proclamation, 

43 


OGG 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


in  1742,  all  the  Schwcnkfcldcrs  to  return  to  Silesia,  who  had  emigrated, 
and  promised  them  their  estates,  with  toleration  and  protection  not 
only  in  Silesia,  but  in  ail  other  parts  of  his  dominions — but  none  of 
those  who  had  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania,  ever  returned.  Still  they 
kept  up  an  important  correspondence  with  European  friends,  near 
half  a  century,  up  to  the  time  of  the  French  Revolution. 

Having  obtained  permission  from  the  crow^n  of  England  to  emigrate 
to  Pennsylvania,  and  their  protection  in  Germany  being  withdrawn, 
they  left  Berthelsdorf  and  Gorlitz  in  April  1734,  for  Altona,  in  Den- 
mark, where  they  arrived  May  17th  ;  thence  they  sailed  for  America, 
and  after  a  tedious  and  long  voyage  they  arrived  at  Philadelphia  the 
22d  Sept.,  1734,  and  on  the  5th  of  October  of  the  same  year,  several 
other  families  arrived.  They  settled  principally  in  Montgomery, 
Berks,  Bucks  and  Lehigh  counties,  Pennsylvania,  where  their  grand- 
children ciiiefly  reside  at  present,  on  the  branches  of  the  Skippack 
and  Perkiomen  rivulets,  in  the  upper,  middle,  and  lower  end  of  Mont- 
gomery, lower  east  part  of  Berks,  and  south  corner  of  Lehigh. 

On  their  first  arrival  in  Pennsylvania  they  held  a  "festival  in  grate- 
ful memory  of  all  mercies  and  divine  favours,  manifested  toward  them 
by  the  Father  of  mercies  ;"  on  which  occasion,  Father  Senior  George 
Wise,  their  pastor,  conducted  the  solemnities.     This  commemorative 
festival  has  since  1734  been  annually  observed  by  their  descendants. 
Father  Wise  laboured  in  sacred  things  but  six  years  amongst  them 
in  Pennsylvania  ;  he  departed  this  life  in  1740.     His  successors  were 
the  Rev.  B.  Hoffman,  A.  Wagner,  G.  Wiegner,  Christopher  Schultz, 
sen.,  C.  Kriebel,  C.  Hoffman,  G.  Kriebel,  Mr.  Kriebel,  Mr.  Schultz, 
B.  Schultz,  A.  Schultz,  and  D,  Schultz,  assistants;  L  Shultz,  and  last, 
the  Rev.  C.  Shultz,  who  died  in  March,  1843,  aged  66  years.     The 
latter  was  the  grandson  of  the  Rev.  Christopher   Shultz,  sen.,  of 
Hereford,  who  was  distinguished  as  a  scholar,  and  writer;  he  was 
the  author  of  their  excellent  Catechism,  Compendium  of  Christian 
Doctrine  and  Faith,  and  Hymn  Book.     The  late  Rev.  C.  Schultz  was 
much  esteemed,  as  a  sound  divine,  and  a  man  of  undoubted  piety,  by 
all  surrounding  denominations.     And  on  account  of  his  devotedness 
and  his  eloquence,  he  was  repeatedly  called  by  the  Reformed,  Mora- 
vians, Mennonites,  and  others,  to  preach  to  them  the  gospel  of  ever- 
lasting salvation.    His  motto  was  "  Snii  Deo  Gloria,  et  Veritas  vincet" 
The  present  young  candidates  in  the  gospel  ministry  of  the  upper 
district,  in  Berks  county,  are  the  Rev.  Joshua  Schultz  and  William 
Schultz.     In  the  middle  and  lower  districts,  the  Rev.  B.  and  A.  Hueb- 
ncr,  and  Rev.  David  Kriebel  of  Worcester,  Montgomery  county. 


SCHWENKFELDERS.  gg? 

Their  pastors  are  chosen  by  casting  lots;  but  after  being  chosen 
great  attention  is  paid  to  their  education:  they  are  instructed  in  all 
the  necessary  branches  pertaining  to  the  gospel  ministry. 

They  number  at  present  about  three  hundred  families;  eight  hun- 
dred members;  have  five  churches  and  school-houses.  They  form  a 
respectable  part  of  the  German  community  of  the  counties  above 
named.  Some  of  them  pursue  agriculture,  some  manufactures,  others 
are  engaged  in  commercial  enterprise.  By  their  strict  church  disci- 
pline, they  keep  their  members  orderly,  and  pure  from  the  contami- 
nating influence  of  the  corruptions  so  prevalent.  They  are  a  moral 
people;  pious  and  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them.  They 
pay  great  attention  to  the  education,  the  religious  and  moral  training 
of  their  children.  Many  of  them  possess  a  respectable  knowledge  of 
the  learned  languages,  Latin,  &c.  There  is  scarce  a  family  among 
them  that  does  not  possess  a  well  selected  and  neatly  arranged  library, 
among  which  you  find  manuscript  copies  from  their  learned  fore- 
fathers of  the  size  of  Mell's,  or  Erasmus  Weichenhan's  Postill,  which 
they  hold  sacred  on  account  of  the  purity  of  doctrine  contained 
therein. 

In  order  fully  to  carry  out  their  excellent  arrangements,  an  election 
is  held  among  them  annually,  in  May,  either  for  elders,  or  trustees  of 
schools,  or  overseers  of  their  poor,  and  sometimes  other  officers. 
They  have  not  long  since  had  their  literary  and  charity  funds  incor- 
porated, entrusted  to  a  number  of  trustees  and  others,  constituting  a 
body  corporate.  Church  meetings  are  held,  when  young  and  old 
attend,  every  Sunday  forenoon,  once  in  the  upper,  and  once  in  the 
middle  or  lower  district;  and  every  other  Sunday  afternoon,  cate- 
chetical instruction  is  held,  indoctrinating  the  young  and  old  in  the 
truths  of  the  gospel.  Their  marriages  and  funerals  are  conducted  as 
becomes  Christians,  upon  strict  temperance  principles.  At  present, 
all  teaching  or  preaching  is  principally,  if  not  wholly,  conducted  in 
the  German  language. 

We  introduce  here  what  might,  perhaps,  have  been  more  appro- 
priately mentioned  before.  There  is  an  existing  ordinance  among  us 
not  common  with  other  Christian  denominations:  the  ordinance  re- 
spects infants.  As  soon  as  a  child  is  born,  a  preacher  or  minister  is 
called  in  to  pray  for  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  the  child,  admo- 
nishing the  parents  to  educate  their  tender  offspring ;  to  bring  them 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  according  to  the  will  of 
God.  Parents  generally  bring  their  little  ones  into  the  house  of  wor- 
ship, where  the  same  service  is  performed ;  praying,  and  singing 
some  appropriate  verses.  We  hold  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanses 
from  all  sin. 


SECOND    ADVENT    BELIEVERS. 


BY  N.  SOUTHARD, 

EDITOR  OF  THE  MIDNIGHT  CRV. 

The  belief  that  Christ's  personal  return  precedes  the  Millennium  has 
been  held  by  Christians  in  all  ages ;  but  it  has  been  accompanied  by 
a  belief  that  those  descendants  of  Abraham,  erroneously  called  Jews, 
would  be  either  gathered  to  Palestine  or  converted,  or  both,  before 
that  coming.  Within  the  last  fifty  years,  the  great  principle  that  the 
New  Testament,  is  an  infallible  key  to  the  Old,  has  led  to  the  hearty 
adoption  of  the  truth  that  "  he  is  not  a  Jew  who  is  one  outwardly," 
that  those  "  who  are  Christ's  are  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  accord- 
ing to  the  promise,"  inasmuch  as  "the  Gentiles  are  fellow-heirs,  and 
OF  THE  SAME  BODY,  and  partakcrs  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the 
gospel,"  and  that  those  are  truly  "  the  circumcision,  who  worship 
God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence 
in  the  flesh."  Hence,  those  who  have  "  confidence  in  the  flesh,"  and 
rest  their  hopes  in  a  lineal  descent  from  Abraham,  have  no  share  in  the 
promises  to  the  true  Israel,  but  "  all  Israel,  shall  be  saved." 

Among  the  rejecters  of  modern  Judaism  which  gives  the  promises 
to  those  who  say  they  are  the  seed  of  Abraham,  but  are  not  the  true 
seed,  William  Miller  is  prominent.  The  following  is  a  statement  of 
the  views  advocated  in  the  Second  Advent  publications. 

FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLES  ON  WHICH  THE  SECOND  ADVENT 
CAUSE  IS  BASED. 

1.  The  word  of  God  teaches  that  this  earth  is  to  be  refrenerated  in 
the  restitution  of  all  things,  and  restored  to  its  Eden  state  as  it  came 
from  the  hand  of  its  Maker  before  the  fall,  and  is  to  be  the  eternal 
abode  of  the  righteous  in  their  resurrection  state. 

2.  The  only  Millennium  found  in  the  word  of  God,  is  the  one  thousand 
years  which  are  to  intervene  between  the  first  and  second  resurrec- 
tions as  brought  to  view  in  the  20th  of  Revelations.  And  the  various 
portions  of  scripture  which  are  adduced  as  evidence  of  such  a  period 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  669 

in  time,  are  to  have  their  fulfilment  only  in  the  new  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness. 

3.  The  only  restoration  of  Israel  yet  future,  is  the  restoration  of 
the  saints  to  the  new  earth,  when  the  Lord  my  God  shall  come,  and 
all  his  saints  with  him. 

4.  The  signs  which  were  to  precede  the  coming  of  our  Saviour, 
have  all  been  given ;  and  the  prophecies  have  all  been  fulfilled  but 
those  which  relate  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  the  end  of  the  world,  and 
the  restitution  of  all  things. 

5.  There  are  none  of  the  prophetic  periods,  as  we  understand  them, 
extending  beyond  the  (Jewish)  year  1843,  (which  terminates  in  the 
spring  of  1844.) 

The  above  we  shall  ever  maintain  as  the  immutable  truths  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  therefore,  till  our  Lord  come,  we  shall  ever  look 
for  his  return  as  the  next  event  in  historical  prophecy. 

Those  who  hold  substantially  the  above  views,  are  found  in  the 
greatest  numbers  in  the  United  States,  but  the  doctrine  has  been  pro- 
mulgated in  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe.  Wm.  Miller  commenced 
lecturing  in  1831,  and  his  views  were  published  about  the  same  time, 
in  the  Vermont  Telegraph.  To  meet  the  calls  for  information,  he 
collected  these  articles  in  a  pamphlet,  which  he  distributed  gratui- 
tously. One  edition  of  his  lectures  was  published  in  1836.  Early  in 
1840,  Joshua  V.  Himes,  a  minister  in  the  Christian  connexion,  became 
a  believer  in  these  views,  and  commenced  the  Signs  of  the  Times, 
issuing  it  for  nearly  two  years  only  once  in  two  weeks ;  it  is  now 
weekly.  It  commenced  without  subscribers  or  funds,  but  gradually 
gained  friends.  Other  works  were  issued,  and  their  circulation  steadily 
increased.  Josiah  Litch,  a  member  of  the  New  England  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  had  in  1838,  published  a  book 
on  the  "  Probability  of  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ  about  the  year 
1843."  In  1842,  he  issued  "Prophetic  Expositions,"  in  two  volumes. 
The  Midnight  Cry  was  commenced  in  New  York,  in  Nov.  1842,  and 
continued  daily  for  twenty-six  numbers,  and  is  now  weekly.  It  has 
been  sent  to  every  post  office  in  the  United  States,  and  has  excited  an 
interest  in  the  Middle  and  Western  States,  like  that  which  the  Signs 
had  been  the  means  of  awakening  in  New  England.  Charles  Fitch, 
formerly  a  pastor  of  the  Free  Presbyterian  Church,  Newark,  N.  J., 
wrote  his  "  Reasons  for  believing  the  Second  Advent  of  Christ  in 
1843,"  when  he  was  at  Haverhill,  Mass.,  in  Nov.  1841.  A  paper 
called  "  The  Second  Advent  of  Christ"  was  commenced  by  him  at 
Cleveland,  about  the  close  of  1842.  George  Storrs  commenced 
preaching  the  Second  Advent  Faith,  in  the  summer  of  1842.     His 


G70 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


lectures  are  many  of  them  published  in  a  pamphlet  called  Bible 
Examiner.  Enoch  Jacobs,  a  Methodist  Protestant  preacher,  stationed 
at  Attorney  Street,  New  York,  advocated  the  Second  Advent  Faith 
in  the  New  York  Luminary,  in  1842.  He  has  continued  his  labours 
in  New  York,  and  at  Cincinnati,  where  he  is  continuing  the  Western 
Midnight  Cry,  a  weekly  paper,  commenced  by  George  Storrs.  The 
books  and  pamphlets  of  William  Miller,  Josiah  Litch,  G.  F.  Cox, 
Charles  Fitch,  George  Storrs,  L.  D.  Fleming,  S.  Bliss,  J.  B.  Cook,  F. 
G.  Brown,  N.  Hervey,  and  others,  are  embodied  in  forty  successive 
numbers  of  the  Second  Advent  Library.  The  writings  of  Lewis 
Hersey,  have  been  widely  circulated  in  newspaper  form.  Several 
millions  of  books,  papers,  and  tracts  have  been  issued.  Their  circu- 
lation has  been  chiefly  in  the  United  States  and  Canadas  ;  but  con- 
siderable quantities  have  been  sent  to  England.  The  Voice  of  Elijah, 
published  at  Montreal,  circulates  in  the  British  dominions  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic.  Tracts  have  been  translated  into  French  and  Ger- 
man. They  have  been  sent,  in  English,  to  all  the  missionary  stations 
known,  and  carried  by  whaling  vessels  to  the  remotest  parts.  Several 
hundreds  of  preachers  constantly  promulgate  these  views.  The 
number  of  believers  cannot  be  ascertained.  They  are  every  where 
a  minority.  If  the  world  generally  embraced  these  views  that  fact 
would  prove  them  false,  for  at  Christ's  second  coming,  it  shall  be  as 
it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah ;  and  Christ's  question,  "  When  the  Son  of 
man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth  ?"  clearly  implies  that 
true  faith  will  be  very  far  from  universal. 

SYNOPSIS    OF    MILLER'S    VIEWS. 

I.  I  believe  Jesus  Christ  will  com^gain  to  this  earth. 

Pi-onf. — John  xiv.  3 :  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I 
will  come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that  where  I  am, 
there  ye  may  be  also. 

Acts  i.  11  :  Which  also  said,  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye 
gazing  up  into  heaven  1  This  same  Jesus  which  is  taken  up  from 
you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner,  as  ye  have  seen  him 
go  into  heaven. 

1  Thess.  iv.  IG  :  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 
God  ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first. 

llev.  i.  7  :  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds;  and  every  eye  shall  see 
iiim,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him:  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth 
shall  wail  because  of  him.     Even  so,  Amen. 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  671 

II.  I  believe  he  w\\\  come  in  all  the  glory  of  his  Father. 

Proof. — Matthew  xvi.  27  :  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the 
glory  of  his  Father  with  his  angels ;  and  then  he  shall  reward  every 
man  according  to  his  works. 

Mark  viii.  38:  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and 
of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of  him  also 
shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father,  with  the  holy  angels. 

III.  I  believe  he  will  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven. 

Proof. — Matthew  xxiv.  30  :  And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  heaven;  and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth 
mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory. 

Mark  xiii.  26 :  And  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in 
the  clouds,  with  great  power  and  glory ;  xiv.  62 :  And  Jesus  said, 
*  *  *  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of 
power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven. 

Daniel  vii.  13:1  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the 
Son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  An- 
cient of  days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him. 

IV.  I  believe  he  will  then  receive  his  kingdom,  which  will  be 
eternal. 

Proof. — Daniel  vii.  14:  And  there  was  given  him  dominion,  and 
glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should 
serve  him :  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not 
pass  away,  and  his  kingdom,  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed. 

Luke  xix.  12,  15:  He  said  therefore,  A  certain  nobleman  went 
into  a  far  country,  to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  return. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  he  was  returned,  having  received  the 
kingdom,  then  he  commanded  those  servants  to  be  called  unto  him, 
to  whom  he  had  given  the  money,  that  he  might  know  how  much 
every  man  had  gained  by  trading. 

2  Tim.  iv.  1 :  I  charge  thee  therefore  before  God,  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing 
and  his  kingdom. 

V.  I  believe  the  saints  will  then  possess  the  kingdom  for  ever. 
Proo/.— Daniel  vii.  18,  22,  and  27  :  But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High 

shall  take  the  kingdom,  and  possess  the  kingdom  for  ever,  even  for 


G72 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


ever  and  ever.  T"^ntil  the  Ancient  of  days  came,  and  judgment  was 
given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High ;  and  the  time  came  that  the 
saints  possessed  the  kingdom.  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and 
the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given 
to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an 
everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him. 

INIatthew  xxv.  34 :  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right 
Jiand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

Luke  xii.  32;  xxii.  29:  Fear  not,  little  flock;  for  it  is  your  Fa- 
ther's good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom.  And  I  appoint  unto 
you  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto  me. 

1  Cor.  ix.  25  :  And  every  man  that  striveth  for  the  mastery  is  tem- 
perate in  all  things.  Now  they  do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown ; 
but  we,  an  incorruptible. 

2  Tim.  iv.  8 :  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  right- 
eousness, which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that 
day ;  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  ap- 
pearing. 

James  i.  12  :  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation ;  for  when 
he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord  hath 
promised  to  them  that  love  him. 

1  Peter  v.  4  :  And  when  the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall 
receive  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 

VI.  I  believe  at  Christ's  second  coming  the  body  of  every  departed 
saint  will  be  raised,  like  Christ's  glorious  body. 

Proof. — 1  Cor.  xv.  20,  23,  49 :  But  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them  that  slept.  But  every  man 
in  his  own  order ;  Christ  the  first  fruits ;  afterwards  they  that  are 
Christ's  at  his  coming.  And  as  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the 
earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly. 

1  John  iii.  2 :  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God ;  and  it  doth 
not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be ;  but  we  know  that,  when  he  shall 
appear,  we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is. 

VII.  I  believe  that  the  righteous  who  are  living  on  the  earth  when 
he  comes,  will  be  changed  from  mortal  to  immortal  bodies,  and  with 
them  who  are  raised  from  the  dead,  will  be  caught  up  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air,  and  so  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord. 

Proof.— \   Cor.  XV.  51-53  :  Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery  :  we 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  573 

shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump ;  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound, 
and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed. 
For  this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must 
put  on  immortality. 

Philip,  iii.  20,  21 :  For  our  conversation  is  in  heaven ;  from  whence 
also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  who  shall  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  ac- 
cording to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself. 

1  Thess.  iv.  14-17:  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose 
again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with 
him.  For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we 
which  are  alive,  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  shall  not 
prevent  them  which  are  asleep.  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with 
the  trump  of  God;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first:  then  we 
which  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them 
in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be 
with  the  Lord. 

VIII.  I  believe  the  saints  will  then  be  presented  to  God  blameless, 
without  spot  or  wrinkle,  in  love. 

Proof. — 1  Cor.  iv.  14:  Knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  the  Lord 
Jesus,  shall  raise  us  up  also  by  Jesus,  and  shall  present  us  with  you. 

Eph.  V.  27  :  That  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church, 
not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but  that  it  should  be 
holy  and  without  blemish. 

Col.  i.  22 :  In  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  present  you 
holy,  and  unblamable,  and  unreprovable  in  his  sight. 

Jude  24 :  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and 
to  present  you  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceed- 
ing joy. 

1  Thess.  iii.  13:  To  the  end  he  may  establish  your  hearts  unblam- 
able in  holiness  before  God,  even  our  Father,  at  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  saints. 

1  Cor.  i.  7,  8 :  So  that  ye  come  behind  in  no  gift ;  wailing  for  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  who  shall  also  confirm  you  unto 
the  end,  that  ye  may  be  blameless  in  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

IX.  I  believe  when  Christ  comes  the  second  time,  he  will  come  to 
finish  the  controversy  of  Zion,  to  deliver  his  children  from  all  bondage, 


074 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


to  conquer  their  last  enemy,  and  to  deliver  them  from  the  power  of 
the  tempter,  which  is  the  devil. 

Proof. — Deut.  XXV.  1  :  If  there  be  a  controversy  between  men,  and 
thcv  come  unto  judgment,  that  the  judges  may  judge  them  ;  then  they 
shall  justify  the  righteous,  and  condemn  the  wicked. 

Isa.  xxxiv.  8  ;  xl.  2,  5  ;  xli.  10  to  12 :  For  it  is  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
vengeance,  and  the  year  of  recompenses  for  the  controversy  of  Zion. 
Speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jerusalem,  and  cry  unto  her,  that  her  war- 
fare is  accomplished,  that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned:  for  she  hath  re- 
ceived of  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins.  And  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together;  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  Fear  thou  not;  for  I  am  w'ith 
thee :  be  not  dismayed ;  for  I  am  thy  God :  I  will  strengthen  thee ; 
yea,  I  will  help  thee ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of 
my  righteousness.  Behold,  all  they  that  were  incensed  against  thee 
shall  be  ashamed  and  confounded ;  they  shall  be  as  nothing ;  and 
they  that  strive  with  thee  shall  perish.  Thou  shalt  seek  them,  and 
shalt  not  find  them,  even  them  that  contended  with  tliee :  they  that 
war  against  thee  shall  be  as  nothing,  and  as  a  thing  of  nought. 

Rom.  viii.  21  to  23:  Because  the  creature  itself  also  shall  be  de- 
livered from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of 
the  children  of  God.  For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth, 
and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now ;  and  not  only  they,  but 
ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  we  our- 
selves groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the 
redemption  of  our  body. 

Heb.  ii.  13  to  15:  And  again,  I  will  put  my  trust  in  him.  And 
again,  Behold,  I,  and  the  children  which  God  hath  given  me.  Foras- 
much, then,  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also 
himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same ;  that  through  death  he  might 
destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ;  and  de- 
liver them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject 
to  bondage. 

1  Cor.  XV.  24,  20 :  So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  in- 
corruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on  immortality,  then  shall 
be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up 
in  victory.     The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death. 

Rev.  XX.  1  to  0 :  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven, 
having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand. 
And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  which  is  the  devil, 
and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a  thousand  years,  and  cast  him  into  the 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  675 

bottomless  pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he 
should  deceive  the  nations  no  more  till  the  thousand  years  should  be 
fulfilled ;  and  after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season.  And  I  saw 
thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them : 
and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of 
Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the 
beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their 
foreheads,  or  in  their  hands;  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ 
a  thousand  years.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed 
and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection;  on  such  the 
second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of 
Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years. 

X.  I  believe  that  when  Christ  comes  he  will  destroy  the  bodies  of 
the  living  wicked  by  fire,  as  those  of  the  old  world  were  destroyed 
by  water,  and  shut  up  their  souls  in  the  pit  of  wo,  until  their  resurrec- 
tion unto  damnation. 

Proof. — Ps.  \.  3;  xcvii.  3:  Our  God  shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep 
silence:  a  fire  shall  devour  before  him,  and  it  shall  be  very  tempes- 
tuous round  about  him.  A  fire  goeth  before  him,  and  burneth  up  his 
enemies  round  about. 

Isa.  Ixvi.  15,  16:  For  behold,  the  Lord  will  come  with  fire,  and 
with  his  chariots  like  a  whirlwind,  to  render  his  anger  with  fury,  and 
his  rebuke  with  flames  of  fire.  For  by  fire  and  by  his  sword  will 
the  Lord  plead  with  all  flesh ;  and  the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
many. 

Dan.  vii.  10 :  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before  him  : 
thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand  stood  before  him :  the  judgment  was  set,  and  the  books 
were  opened. 

Mai.  iv.  1  :  For  behold,  the  day  cometh,  that  shall  burn  as  an 
oven  ;  and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble  ; 
and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch. 

Matt.  iii.  12:  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly 
purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner ;  but  he  will 
burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire.  Ibid.  xiii.  41-42  ;  49-50  : 
The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather 
out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  thatofiend,  and  them  which  do  iniquity; 


676 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace  of  fire :  there  shall  be  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth.  So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world  ;  the  angels 
shall  come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  and  shall 
cast  them  into  the  furnace  of  fire :  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnash- 
ing of  teeth. 

1  Cor.  iii.  13:  Every  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest ;  for  the 
day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire  ;  and  the  fire 
shall  try  every  man's  work,  of  what  sort  it  is. 

1  Thess.  V.  2,  3 :  For  yourselves  know  perfectly,  that  the  day  of 
the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  For  when  they  shall  say, 
Peace  and  safety ;  then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon  them,  as 
travail  upon  a  woman  with  child  :  and  they  shall  not  escape. 

2  Thess.  i.  7-9 :  And  to  you  who  are  troubled,  rest  with  us ;  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels, 
in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and 
that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  who  shall  be 
punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  the  glory  of  his  power. 

1  Pet.  i.  7  :  That  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more  precious 
than  of  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with  fire,  might  be 
found  unto  praise,  and  honour,  and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

2  Pet.  iii.  7,  10 :  But  the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now,  by 
the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day 
of  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men.  But  the  day  of  the  Lord 
will  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night ;  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass 
away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat;  the  earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be  burned  up. 

Isa.  xxiv.  21,  22:  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the 
Lord  shall  punish  the  host  of  the  high  ones  that  are  on  high,  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  upon  the  earth.  And  they  shall  be  gathered 
together,  as  prisoners  are  gathered  in  the  pit,  and  shall  be  shut  up  in 
the  prison,  and  after  many  days  shall  they  be  visited. 

Jude  6,  7  ;  14,  15:  And  the  angels  which  kept  not  their  first  estate, 
but  left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath  reserved  in  everlasting  chains 
under  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.  Even  as  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities  about  them  in  like  manner,  giving  them- 
selves over  to  fornication,  and  going  after  strange  flesh,  are  set  forth 
for  an  example,  suflering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.  And  Enoch 
also,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  of  these,  saying,  Behold  the 
Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his  saints,  to  execute  judgment 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  577 

upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly  among  them  of  all 
their  ungodly  deeds,  which  they  have  ungodly  committed,  and  of  all 
their  hard  speeches  which  ungodly  sinners  have  spoken  against  him. 

Rev.  XX.  3,  13,  14,  15 :  And  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and 
shuAiim  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  na- 
tions no  more,  till  the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled  ;  and  after 
that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead 
•which  were  in  it ;  and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which 
were  in  them  ;  and  they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their 
works.  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  This  is 
the  second  death.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book 
of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire. 

John  V.  29  :  And  shall  come  forth;  they  that  have  done  good  unto 
the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  resur- 
rection of  damnation. 

Acts  xxiv.  15 :  And  have  hope  toward  God,  which  they  themselves 
also  allow,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the 
just  and  unjust. 

XI.  I  believe,  when  the  earth  is  cleansed  by  fire,  that  Christ  and 
his  saints  will  then  take  possession  of  the  earth,  and  dwell  therein  for 
ever.     Then  the  kingdom  will  be  given  to  the  saints. 

Proof.— Vs.  xxxvii.  9-11,  22,  28,  29,  34:  For  evil-doers  shall  be 
cut  off:  but  those  that  wait  upon  the  Lord,  they  shall  inherit  the 
earth.  For  yet  a  little  while,  and  the  wicked  shall  not  be  :  yea,  thou 
shalt  diligently  consider  his  place,  and  it  shall  not  be.  But  the  meek 
shall  inherit  the  earth  ;  and  shall  delight  themselves  in  the  abundance 
of  peace.  For  such  as  be  blessed  of  him  shall  inherit  the  earth ;  and 
they  that  be  cursed  of  him  shall  be  cut  off.  For  the  Lord  loveth 
judgment,  and  forsaketh  not  his  saints  ;  they  are  preserved  for  ever : 
but  the  seed  of  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off.  The  righteous  shall  in- 
herit the  land,  and  dwell  therein  for  ever.  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and 
keep  his  way,  and  he  shall  exalt  thee  to  inherit  the  land :  when  the 
wicked  are  cut  off,  thou  shalt  see  it. 

Prov.  ii.  21-22  ;  x.  30  :  For  the  upright  shall  dwell  in  the  land,  and 
the  perfect  shall  remain  in  it.  But  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off  from 
the  earth,  and  the  transgressors  shall  be  rooted  out  of  it.  The  righte- 
ous shall  never  be  removed :  but  the  wicked  shall  not  inhabit  the 
earth. 

Isa.  Ix.  21  :  Thy  people  also  shall  be  all  righteous:  they  shall  in- 
herit the  land  for  ever,  the  branch  of  my  planting,  the  work  of  my 
hands,  that  I  may  be  glorified. 


GT8 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


]\[a1t.  V.  5 :  Blessed  arc  the  meek :  for  ihey  shall  inherit  the  earth. 
Ilev.  V.  10:  And  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests: 
and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth. 

XII.  I  believe  the  time  is  appointed  of  God  when  these  things^all 
be  accomplished. 

Proof. — Acts  xvii.  31  :  Because  he  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the 
which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that  man  whom  he 
hath  ordained  :  whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in 
that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. 

Job  vii.  1  ;  xiv.  14:  Is  there  not  an  appointed  time  to  man  upon 
earth?  are  not  his  days  also  like  the  days  of  a  hireling?  If  a  man 
die,  shall  he  live  again?  all  the  days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I  wait, 
till  my  change  come. 

Ps.  Ixxxi.  3 :  Blow  up  the  trumpet  in  the  new  moon,  in  the  time 
appointed,  on  our  solemn  feast-day. 

Isa.  xL  2  :  Speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jerusalem,  and  cry  unto  her, 
that  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned  ;  for 
she  hath  received  of  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins.  (See 
margin.) 

Dan.  viii.  19 ;  x.  1  ;  xi.  35 :  And  he  said,  Behold,  I  will  make  thee 
know  what  shall  be  in  the  last  end  of  the  indignation ;  for  at  the  time 
appointed  the  end  shall  be.  In  the  third  year  of  Cyrus,  king  of  Persia, 
a  thin(T  was  revealed  unto  Daniel,  whose  name  was  called  Belteshaz- 
zar ;  and  the  thing  was  true,  but  the  time  appointed  was  long :  and 
he  understood  the  thing,  and  had  understanding  of  the  vision.  And 
some  of  them  of  understanding  shall  fall,  to  try  them,  and  to  purge, 
and  to  make  them  white,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end :  because  it  is 
yet  for  a  time  appointed. 

Hab.  ii.  3 :  For  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the 
end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ;  because  it 
will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry. 

Acts  xvii.  26 :  And  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men  for 
to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  determined  the  times 
before  appointed,  and  the  bounds  of  their  habitations.    (See  Gal.  iv.) 

XIII.  I  believe  God  has  revealed  the  time. 

Proof. — Isa.  xliv.  7,  8;  xlv.  20,  21 :  And  who,  as  I  shall  call,  and 
shall  declare  it,  and  set  it  in  order  for  me,  since  I  appointed  the  ancient 
people?  and  the  things  that  are  coming,  and  shall  come,  let  them  show 
unto  them.  Assemble  yoiu'selves  and  come ;  draw  near  together,  ye 
that  arc  escaped  of  the  nations ;  they  have  no  knowledge  that  set  up 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS,  679 

the  wood  of  their  graven  image,  and  pray  unto  a  god  that  cannot 
save.  Tell  ye,  and  bring  them  near  ;  yea,  and  let  them  take  counsel 
together:  who  hath  declared  this  from  ancient  time?  who  hath  told  it 
from  that  time  1  have  not  I  the  Lord  1  and  there  is  no  God  else  besides 
me ;  a  just  God  and  a  Saviour;  there  is  none  besides  me. 

Dan.  xii.  10:  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and  tried; 
but  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly  :  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  under- 
stand; but  the  wise  shall  understand. 

Amos  iii.  7  :  Surely  the  Lord  God  will  do  nothing,  but  he  revealeth 
his  secret  unto  his  servants  the  prophets. 

1  Thess.  V.  4:  But  ye,  brethren,  are  not  in  darkness,  that  that  day 
should  overtake  you  as  a  thief. 

XIV.  I  believe  many  who  are  professors  and  preachers  will  never 
believe  or  know  the  time  until  it  comes  upon  them. 

Proof. — Jer.  viii.  7 :  Yea,  the  stork  in  the  heaven  knoweth  her 
appointed  times ;  and  the  turtle,  and  the  crane,  and  swallow,  observe 
the  time  of  their  coming ;  but  my  people  know  not  the  judgment  of 
the  Lord. 

Matt.  xxiv.  50 :  The  lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in  a  day 
when  he  looketh  not  for  him,  and  in  an  hour  that  he  is  not  aware  of. 

Jer.  XXV.  34-37  :  Howl,  ye  shepherds,  and  cry;  and  wallow  your- 
selves in  the  ashes,  ye  principal  of  the  flock  :  for  the  days  of  your 
slaughter  and  of  your  dispersions  are  accomplished :  and  ye  shall  fall 
like  a  pleasant  vessel.  And  the  shepherds  shall  have  no  way  to  flee, 
nor  the  principal  of  the  flock  to  escape.  A  voice  of  the  cry  of  the 
shepherds,  and  an  howling  of  the  principal  of  the  flock,  shall  be  heard ; 
for  the  Lord  hath  spoiled  their  pasture.  And  the  peaceable  habita- 
tions are  cut  down  because  of  the  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord. 

XV.  I  believe  the  wise,  they  who  are  to  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament,  (Dan.  xii.  3,)  will  understand  the  time. 

Proof. — Eccl.  viii.  5 :  Whoso  keepeth  the  commandment  shall  feel 
no  evil  thing:  and  a  wise  man's  heart  discerneth  both  time  and  judg- 
ment. 

Dan.  xii.  10 :  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and  tried ; 
but  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly:  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  un- 
derstand ;  but  the  wise  shall  understand. 

Matt.  xxiv.  43-45  ;  xxv.  4,  6-10 :  But  know  this,  that  if  the  good 
man  of  the  house  had  known  in  what  watch  the  thief  would  come,  he 
would  have  watched,  and  not  have  suffered  his  house  to  be  broken 


080 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


up.  Therefore  be  ye  also  ready  :  for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not, 
the  Son  of  man  cometh.  Who  then  is  a  faithful  and  wise  servant, 
whom  his  lord  hath  made  ruler  over  his  household,  to  give  them  meat, 
in  due  season  1  But  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their  lamps. 
And  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry  made,  Behold,  the  Bridegroom 
cometh;  go  ye  out  to  meet  him.  Then  all  those  virgins  arose,  and 
trimmed  their  lamps.  And  the  foolish  said  unto  the  wise.  Give  us  of 
your  oil :  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out.  But  the  wise  answered,  saying, 
Not  so ;  lest  there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you ;  but  go  ye  rather 
to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves.  And  while  they  went  to 
buy,  the  Bridegroom  came ;  and  they  that  were  ready,  went  in  with 
him  to  the  marriage :  and  the  door  was  shut. 

1  Thess.  V.  4 :  But  ye,  brethren,  are  not  in  darkness,  that  that  day 
should  overtake  you  as  a  thief. 

I  Pet.  i.  9-13 :  Receiving  the  end  of  your  faith,  even  the  salvation 
of  your  souls.  Of  which  salvation  the  prophets  have  inquired  and 
searched  diligently,  who  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come 
unto  you.  Searching  what,  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  beforehand 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.  Unto  whom 
it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto  us  they  did  minister 
the  things  which  are  now  reported  unto  you,  by  them  that  have 
preached  the  gospel  unto  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven ;  which  things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into.  Wherefore  gird 
up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace 
that  is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

XVI.  I  believe  the  time  can  be  known  by  all  who  desire  to  under- 
stand and  to  be  ready  for  his  coming.  And  I  am  fully  convinced 
that  some  time  between  March  21st,  1843,  and  March  21st,  1844, 
according  to  the  Jewish  mode  of  computation  of  time,  Christ  will 
come,  and  bring  all  his  saints  with  him ;  and  that  then  he  will  re- 
ward every  man  as  his  works  shall  be. 

Proof. — Matt.  xvi.  27 :  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the 
glory  of  his  Father,  with  his  angels ;  and  then  he  shall  reward  every 
man  according  to  his  works. 

Rev.  xxii.  12  :  And  behold,  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward  is  with 
me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  works  shall  be. 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  ggj 


TIME  PROVED  IN   FIFTEEN   DIFFERENT   WAYS, 

I.  I  prove  it  by  the  time  given  by  Moses,  in  the  26th  chapter  of  Leviti- 
cus, being  seven  times  that  the  people  of  God  are  to  be  in  bondage  to  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world ;  or  in  Babylon,  literal  and  mystical ;  which 
seven  times  cannot  be  understood  less  than  seven  times  300  revolutions 
of  the  earth  in  its  orbit,  making  2520  years.  I  believe  this  began  ac- 
cording to  Jeremiah  xv.  4,  "  And  I  will  cause  them  to  be  removed  into 
all  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  because  of  Manasseh,  the  son  of  Hezekiah, 
king  of  Judah,  for  that  which  he  did  in  Jerusalem,"  and  Isa.  vii.  8, "  For 
the  head  of  Syria  is  Damascus,  and  the  head  of  Damascus  is  Resin:  and 
within  threescore  and  five  years  shall  Ephraim  be  broken,  that  it  be  not 
a  people," — when  Manasseh  was  carried  captive  to  Babylon,  and 
Israel  was  no  more  a  nation, — see  chronology,  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  9, 
"  So  Manasseh  made  Judah  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  to  err,  and 
to  do  worse  than  the  heathen,  whom  the  Lord  had  destroyed  before 
the  children  of  Israel,"— the  677th  year  B.  C.  Then  take  677  out  of 
2520,  leaves  A.  D.  1843,  when  the  punishment  of  the  people  of  God 
will  end.     (See  Miller's  Lectures,  p.  251.) 

II.  It  is  proved  typically  by  the  year  of  release.  See  Deut.  xv.  1, 
2:  "At  the  end  of  every  seven  years  thou  shalt  make  a  release;  and 
this  is  the  manner  of  the  release;  every  creditor  that  lendeth  aught 
unto  his  neig^our  shall  release  it;  he  shall  not  exact  it  of  his  neigh- 
bour or  of  his  brother,  because  it  is  called  the  Lord's  release."  Also 
Jer.  xxiv.  14:  "At  the  end  of  seven  years  let  ye  go  every  man  his 
brother  a  Hebrew,  which  hath  been  sold  unto  thee,  and  when  he  hath 
served  thee  six  years,  thou  shalt  let  him  go  free  from  thee;  but  your 
fathers  hearkened  not  unto  me,  neither  inclined  their  ear."  We  are, 
by  this  type,  taught  that  the  people  of  God  will  be  delivered  from 
their  servitude  and  bondage,  when  they  have  served  their  7  prophetic 
years.  7  times  360  years  is  2520.  Beginning  with  the  captivity  of 
Israel  and  the  king  of  Judah,  Manasseh,  677  B.  C,  must  end  in  A.  D. 
1843,  when  the  children  of  God  will  be  released  from  all  bondage  and 
slavery.     (See  Second  Advent  Library,  No.  14.) 

III.  It  is  also  proved  by  the  seven  years'  war  of  Zion  with  her 
enemies,  given  to  us  in  Ezekiel  xxxix.  9,  10:  "And  they  that  dwell 
in  the  cities  of  Israel  shall  go  forth,  and  shall  set  on  fire  and  burn  the 
weapons,  both  the  shields  and  bucklers,  the  bows  and  the  arrows,  and 
the  handstaves,  and  the  spears,  and  they  shall  burn  them  with  fire 
seven  years :  so  that  they  shall  take  no  wood  out  of  the  field,  neither 
cut  down  any  out  of  the  forests ;  for  they  shall  burn  the  weapons  with 

44 


G82 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


fire ;  and  they  shall  spoil  those  that  spoiled  them,  and  rob  those  that 
robbed  them,  saith  the  Lord  God."  The  children  of  God  will  be 
contending  with  their  enemies,  spoiling  those  that  spoiled  them,  and 
robbing  those  that  robbed  them,  7  years,  prophetic,  which  is  2520 
common  years.  Beginning  as  before,  when  Babylon  began  to  spoil 
and  rob  them,  and  when  they  by  the  fire  of  the  truth  began  to  burn 
up  the  weapons  of  their  enemies,  in  this  moral  warfare ;  this  will  end 
in  1843.     (See  Miller's  Life  and  Views,  p.  G9.) 

IV.  It  is  proved,  also,  by  the  sign  of  the  Sabbath.  Exod.  xxxi. 
13-17:  "  Speak  thou  also  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  saying.  Verily 
my  Sabbaths  ye  shall  keep :  for  it  is  a  sign  between  me  and  you 
throughout  your  generations:  that  ye  may  know  that  I  am  the  Lord 
that  doth  sanctify  you.  Ye  shall  keep  the  Sabbath  therefore :  for  it 
is  holy  unto  you.  Every  one  that  defileth  it  shall  surely  be  put  to 
death ;  for  whosoever  doeth  any  work  therein,  that  soul  shall  be  cut 
off  from  among  his  people.  Six  days  may  twork  be  done,  but  in  the 
seventh  is  the  Sabbath  of  rest,  holy  to  the  Lord:  whosoever  doeth 
any  work  in  the  Sabbath-day  he  shall  surely  be  put  to  death.  Where- 
fore the  children  of  Israel  shall  keep  the  Sabbath,  to  observe  the  Sab- 
bath throughout  their  generations,  for  a  perpetual  covenant.  It  is  a 
sign  between  me  and  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever :  for  in  six  days 
the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  on  the  seventh  day  he  rested 
and  was  refreshed."  Heb.  iv.  4,  9-1 1  :  "  For  he  spake  in  a  certain 
place  of  the  seventh  day  on  this  wise:  And  God  did  r^  the  seventh 
day  from  all  his  works."  "  There  remaineth  therefore  a  rest  to  the 
people  of  God.  For  he  that  is  entered  into  his  rest,  he  also  hath 
ceased  from  his  own  works,  as  God  did  from  his.  Let  us  labour 
therefore  to  enter  into  that  rest,  lest  any  man  fall  after  the  same  ex- 
ample of  unbelief." 

As  God  was  six  days  creating  the  old  heavens  and  earth,  and 
rested  on  the  seventh :  so  it  is  a  sign  that  Christ  will  also  labour  six 
days  in  creating  the  new  heavens  and  earth,  and  rest  on  the  seventh. 
How  long  is  a  day  w  ith  the  Lord  ?  Peter  tells  us  in  his  2  Epistle  iii. 
8:," But,  beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day  is 
with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day." 
If,  then,  a  thousand  years  is  a  day  with  the  Lord,  how  long  has  Christ 
been  to  work  creating  the  new  ?  I  answer,  if  we  will  allow  the  Bible 
to  make  us  a  chronology,  we  shall  find  this  year,  1843,  the  6000 
years  from  Adam's  fall  will  be  finished.  Then  the  antitypical  Sab- 
bath of  a  1000  years  will  commence.  Rev.  xx.  G:  "Blessed  and 
holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection :  on  such  the  se- 
cond death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  393 

Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years."  (See  Life  and 
Views,  p.  157.) 

V.  Again,  we  can  prove  it  by  the  typical  jubilee.  Levit.  xxv.  8- 
13 :  "  And  thou  shalt  number  seven  Sabbaths  of  years  unto  thee,  seven 
times  seven  years ;  and  the  space  of  the  seven  Sabbaths  of  years 
shall  be  unto  thee  forty  and  nine  years.  Then  shalt  thou  cause  the 
trumpet  of  the  jubilee  to  sound,  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  seventh  month, 
in  the  day  of  atonement  shall  ye  make  the  trumpet  sound  throughout 
all  your  land.  And  ye  shall  hallow  the  fiftieth  year,  and  proclaim 
liberty  throughout  all  the  land,  unto  all  the  inhabitants  thereof:  it 
shall  be  a  jubilee  unto  you ;  and  ye  shall  return  every  man  unto  his 
possession,  and  ye  shall  return  every  man  unto  his  family.  A  jubilee 
shall  that  fiftieth  year  be  unto  you ;  ye  shall  not  sow,  neither  reap 
that  which  groweth  of  itself  in  it,  nor  gather  the  grapes  in  it  of  thy 
vine  undressed.  For  it  is  the  jubilee;  it  shall  be  holy  unto  you,  ye 
shall  eat  the  increase  thereof  out  of  the  field.  In  the  year  of  this 
jubilee,  ye  shall  return  every  man  unto  his  possession."  Now,  if  we 
can  show  any  rule  whereby  we  can  find  the  antitype,  we  can  tell 
when  the  people  of  God  will  come  into  the  inheritance  of  the  pur- 
chased possession,  and  the  redemption  of  their  bodies,  and  the  trump 
of  jubilee  will  proclaim  liberty,  a  glorious  one,  through  all  the  land. 
In  order  to  do  this  we  must  take  notice  of  the  order  of  the  Sabbaths. 
"  Seven  Sabbaths  shall  be  complete."  There  are  seven  kinds  of  Sab- 
baths, which  all  have  seven  for  a  given  number. 

The  Jews  kept  but  six  Sabbaths ;  if  they  had  kept  the  seventh  they 
would  have  been  made  perfect  without  us  ;  but  they  broke  the  seventh. 
"  Therefore  there  remains  a  keeping  of  the  Sabbath  to  the  people  of 
God."     The  Jewish  Sabbaths  were : 

1.  The  7th  day.     Exod.  xxxi.  15. 

2.  The  50th  day.     Levit.  xxiii.  15,  16. 

3.  The  7th  week.     Deut.  xvi.  9. 

4.  The  7th  month.     Levit.  xxiii.  24,  25. 

5.  The  7th  year.     Levit.  xxv.  3,  4. 

6.  The  7  times  7  years  and  50th  year  Jubilee. 

7.  The  7  times  7  Jubilees  and  50th  Jubilee  will  bring  us  to  a  com- 
plete or  perfect  Sabbath, — the  great  Jubilee  of  Jubilees.  Thus  7 
times  7,  50  years  is  49  times  50  =  2450  years. 

It  is  very  evident  no  year  of  release  or  Jubilee  was  ever  kept  after 
the  reign  of  Josiah,  the  last  king  of  Jerusalem  that  obeyed  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord,  or  kept  his  statutes.  This  king's  reign  ended 
B.  C.  607.  See  2  Kings  23d  chapter,  2  Chron.  35  and  36  chapters, 
and  Jeremiah  22d  chapter.     After  which  the  Jews  never  kept,  neither 


084 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


could  they  keep,  a  year  of  release,  or  Jubilee ;  for  neither  their  kings, 
their  nobles,  their  people,  or  their  lands  could  have  been  redeemed 
after  this.  Jer.  xliv.  20-23.  Here  ended  the  Jewish  Jubilees,  when 
they  had  not  kept  more  than  21  Jubilees,  lacking  28  of  coming  to  the 
great  Jubilee. 

And  now  the  land  was  to  lay  desolate,  while  the  people  of  God 
were  in  their  enemies'  land.  Levit.  xxvi.  34.  How  long  is  a  Jubilee 
of  Jubilees 'f  Ans.  49  times  50  years  =  24.50  years.  When  did 
these  years  begin  ?  Ans.  When  the  Jews  ceased  the  keeping  of  the 
Sabbaths  and  Jubilees,  at  the  close  of  Josiah's  reign,  B.  C.  607.  Take 
607  from  2450,  it  leaves  A.  D.  1843 ;  when  the  Jubilee  of  Jubilees 
will  come.     (See  Sec.  Adv.  Lib.,  No.  14.) 

VI.  I  prove  it  by  Hosea  vi.  1-3:  "Come,  and  let  us  return  unto 
the  Lord ;  for  he  hath  torn,  and  he  will  heal  us ;  he  hath  smitten,  and 
he  will  bind  us  up.     After  two  days  will  he  revive  us:  in  the  third 
day  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight.     Then  shall 
we  know,  if  we  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord  ;  his  going  forth  is  pre- 
pared as  the  morning;  and  he  shall  come  unto  us  as  the  rain,  as  the 
latter  and  former  rain  unto  the  earth."     This  prophecy  is  the  two 
days  of  the  Roman  kingdom,  in  its  Imperial,  Kingly,  and  Papal  form, 
with  its  great  iron  teeth,  tearing  and  persecuting  the  people  of  God ; 
the  third  day  is  the  same  as  Rev.  xx.  0  :  "  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that 
hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection :  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no 
power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign 
with  him  a  thousand  years;"  when  the  people  of  God  will  live  in  his 
sight,  "  live  and  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years."   If,  then,  the  third 
day  is  a  thousand  years,  then  the  two  days   are  of  equal  length. 
When  did  the  two  days  begin  ?     Ans.  When  the  Jews  made  a  league 
with  the  Romans.     See  Hosea  v.  13:  "  When  Ephraim  saw  his  sick- 
ness, and  Judah  saw  his  wound,  then  went  Ephraim  to  the  Assyrian, 
and  sent  to  king  Jareb :  yet  could  he  not  heal  you,  nor  cure  you  of 
your  wound."     Dan.  xi.  23  :  "  And  after  the  league  made  with  him, 
he  shall  work  deceitfully ;  for  he  shall  come  up,  and  shall  become 
strong  with  a  small  people."     1  Maccabees,  8th  and  9th  chapters. 
This  league  was  confirmed  and  ratified,  and  the  Grecian  kingdom 
ceased  to  rule  over  God's  people  B.  C.  158  years.     Then  add  158  to 
1842,  and  we  have  2000  years,  or  two  days  ;  as  Peter  says,  2  Peter 
iii.  8  :  "  But,  beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day 
is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one 
day."    And  1843  is  the  first  year  in  the  third  thousand  years,  or  third 
day  of  the  Lord.     The  world  has  stood  since  the  fall  of  man  2000 
years  under  the  Patriarchs ;  2000  years  under  the  Assyrian,  Baby- 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  685 

Ionian,  Medo-Persian,  and  Grecian;  and  2000  years  under  Rome 
Pagan,  Papal  and  Kingly.     (See  Sec.  Adv.  Lib.  No.  3,  p.  45.) 

VII.  I  can  prove  it  by  the  length  of  the  vision  which  Daniel  had, 
(viii.  1-14,)  of  the  ram,  he-goat,  and  little  horn,  which  Daniel  v^'as 
informed  was  2300  days  long.  Dan.  viii.  13, 14  :  "  Then  I  heard  one 
saint  speaking,  and  another  saint  said  unto  that  certain  saint  which 
spake.  How  long  shall  be  the  vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice, 
and  the  transgression  of  desolation,  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and 
the  host  to  be  trodden  under  foot.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Unto  two 
thousand  and  three  hundred  days ;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be 
cleansed."  And  from  which  the  70  weeks  were  cut  off,  and  fulfilled, 
the  year  of  Christ's  death.  Dan.  ix.  20-27.  Then  70  weeks  of  years 
being  cut  off  from  2300  days,  makes  these  days  years ;  and  490  years 
being  fulfilled  in  A.  D.  33,  leaves  1810  years  to  the  fulfilment  of  the 
vision,  which  added  to  33  makes  1843,  when  the  sanctuary  will  be 
cleansed,  and  the  people  of  God  justified.  (See  Miller^s  Lectures, 
p.  73.) 

VIII.  It  can  be  proved  by  Daniel  xii.  6,  7  :  "  And  one  said  to  the 

man  clothed  in  linen,  which  was  upon  the  waters  of  the  river.  How 

long  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these  wonders?  And  I  heard  the  man 

clothed  in  linen,  which  was  upon  the  waters  of  the  river,  when  he 

held  up  his  right  hand  and  his  left  hand  unto  heaven,  and  swear  by 

him  that  liveth  for  ever,  that  it  shall  be  for  a  time,  times,  and  a  half; 

and  when  he  shall  have  accomplished  to  scatter  the  power  of  the 

holy  people,  all  these  things  shall  be  finished."  The  question  is  asked, 

How  long  to  the  end  of  these  wonders  1     These  wonders  are  to  the 

resurrection.     See  2d  and  3d  verses  :  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep 

in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 

some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.     And  they  that  be  wise, 

shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn 

many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."     The  answer 

is  given  by  the  angel,  who  informs  Daniel  it  shall  be  for  a  time,  times, 

and  a  half,  and  when  he  shall  have  accomplished  to  scatter  the  power 

of  the  holy  people,  all  will  be  finished.     Eze.  xii.  10-15:  "Say  unto 

them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God :  This  burden  concerneth  the  prince 

in  Jerusalem,  and  all  the  house  of  Israel  that  are  among  them.     Say, 

I  am  your  sign:  like  as  I  have  done,  so  shall  it  be  done  unto  them: 

they  shall  remove  and  go  into  captivity.  ••And  the  prince  that  is 

among  them  shall  bear  upon  his  shoulders  in  the  twilight,  and  shall 

go  forth  :  they  shall  dig  through  the  wall  to  carry  out  thereby :  he 

shall  cover  his  face,  that  he  see  not  the  ground  with  his  eyes.     My 

net  also  will  I  spread  upon  him,  and  he  shall  be  taken  in  my  snare: 


686 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


and  I  will  bring  him  to  Babylon,  to  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans,  yet 
shall  he  not  sec  it,  though  he  shall  die  there.  And  I  will  scatter 
toward  every  wind  all  that  are  about  him  to  help  him,  and  all  his 
bands;  and  I  will  draw  out  the  sword  after  them.  And  they  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  shall  scatter  them  among  the  na- 
tions, and  disperse  them  in  the  countries."  Jer.  xv.  4  :  "  And  I  will 
cause  them  to  be  removed  into  all  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  because  of 
Manasseh  the  son  of  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah,  for  that  which  he  did 
in  .Jerusalem."  This  scattering  begun,  when  Israel  was  scattered  by 
Esarhaddon,  and  when  the  king  of  Judah,  Manasseh,  was  carried  to 
Babylon,  B.  C.  677.  Thus  they  continued  to  be  a  people  scattered, 
by  the  kings  of  the  earth,  until  they  fled  into  the  wilderness  in  A.  D. 
538,  which  makes  1215  years.  There  they  remained  in  the  wilder- 
ness a  time,  times,  and  a  half — which  began  A.  D.  538,  and  continued 
until  A.  D.  1798.  The  kings  of  the  earth  then  had  power,  and  the 
time,  times,  and  a  half  of  the  scattering  of  the  holy  pebple  is  filled  up 
by  45  years,  being  the  remainder  of  the  1215,  making  in  all  1260 
years,  under  the  nations  or  kings,  and  ending  in  the  year  1843, — 
which  is  the  fulness  of  times.  Eph.  i.  7,  10:  "  Having  made  known 
unto  us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which 
he  hath  purposed  in  himself:  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 
times  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth ;  even  in  him  :" — when  the 
people  of  God,  both  among  Jews  and  Gentiles,  will  no  more  be  scat- 
tered, but  gathered  in  one  body  in  Christ.  (See  Sec.  Adv.  Lib.  No. 
6,  p.  45.) 

IX.  It  can  also  be  proved  by  Daniel  xii.  11-13:  "And  from  the 
time  that  the  daily  sacrifice  shall  be  taken  away,  and  the  abomination 
that  maketh  desolate  set  up,  there  shall  be  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  ninety  days.  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thou- 
sand three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days.  But  go  thou  thy  way 
till  the  end  be :  for  thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of 
the  days." 

The  number  1335  days,  from  the  taking  away  of  Rome  Pagan, 
A.  D.  508,  to  set  up  Rome  Papal,  and  the  reign  of  Papacy,  is  1290 
days,  which  was  exactly  fulfilled  in  1290  years,  being  fulfilled  in 
1798.  This  proves  the  1335  days  to  be  years,  and  that  Daniel  will 
stand  in  his  lot  in  A.  Dt  1843.  For  proof  texts,  see  Dan.  xi.  31  : 
"  And  arms  shall  stand  on  his  part,  and  they  shall  pollute  the  sanc- 
tuary of  strength,  and  shall  take  away  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  they 
shall  place  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate."  2Thess.  ii.  0-8 : 
"  And  now  ye  know  what  withholdeth  that  he  might  be  revealed  in 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  687 

his  time.  For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work :  only  he 
who  now  letteth  will  let,  until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way.  And  then 
shall  that  Wicked  be  revealed,  whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with 
the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his 
coming."  Job  xix.  25  :  "  For  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and 
that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth."  (See  Miller's 
Lectures,  p.  100.) 

X.  It  can  also  be  proved  by  the  words  of  Christ,  Luke  xiii.  32 : 
'*  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  and  tell  that  fox.  Behold,  I  cast  out 
devils,  and  I  do  cures  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  I  shall 
be  perfected."  These  two  days,  in  which  Christ  casts  out  devils  and 
does  cures,  are  the  same  as  Hosea's  two  days,  at  the  end  of  which, 
the  devil  will  be  chained,  and  cast  out  of  the  earth  into  the  pit,  and 
shut  up.  This  will  take  2000  years  of  the  Roman  power.  Rev.  xii. 
9 :  "  And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent,  called  the 
devil,  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world  :  he  was  cast  out 
into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him."  And  then  the 
people  of  God  wi^  be  perfected.  Rev.  xx.  9  :  "  Blessed  and  holy  is 
he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection :  on  such  the  second  death 
hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and 
shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years." 

This  time  began  with  the  "great  dragon,"  Rev.  xii.  3 :  "And 
there  appeared  another  wonder  in  heaven ;  and  behold,  a  great  red 
dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon 
his  heads.  And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven, 
and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth :  and  the  dragon  stood  before  the 
woman  which  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  devour  her  child  as 
soon  as  it  was  born." 

This  government  will  draw  after  him  one  third  part  of  the  time, 
which  wicked  men  have  power  in  the  earth,  viz.,  6000  years;  and 
the  7000th,  the  year  Christ  will  take  possession  and  reign  with  his 
saints,  in  perfect  bliss. 

This  dragon  power  began  its  power  over  the  saints  when  the 
league  was  made  with  him,  B.  C.  158, — and  will  end  in  1842.  Then 
the  third  day  will  begin  1843.     (See  Sec.  Ad.  Lib.  No.  3,  page  61.) 

XI.  The  trumpets  are  also  a  revelation  of  time.  See  Rev.  ix.  5 : 
"  And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they  should  not  kill  them,  but  that 
they  should  be  tormented  five  months :  and  their  torment  was  as  the 
torment  of  a  scorpion,  when  he  striketh  a  man."  These  five  months 
began  when  the  Turks  made  incursions  into  the  Greek  territories, 
according  to  Gibbon,  in  the  year  1299,  on  the  27th  day  of  July.  5 
months  is  150  years,  5x30=150.     This  trumpet  ended  1449.     And 


G88 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


the  sixth  trumpet  began  to  sound,  and  was  to  sound  391  years  and 
15  days,  as  in  Rev.  ix.  15 :  "  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which 
were  prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a  year,  for 
to  slay  the  third  part  of  men;"  and  ended  1840,  on  the  1 1th  of  August. 
Then  the  seventh  trumpet  begins,  and  ends  with  the  fulness  of  times. 
Rev.  X.  5,  7  :  "  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea  and 
upon  the  earth,  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that 
liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  who  created  heaven,  and  the  things  that 
therein  are,  and  the  earth  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  sea, 
and  the  things  which  are  therein,  that  there  should  be  time  no  longer: 
but  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when  he  shall  begin 
to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  as  he  hath  declared 
to  his  servants  the  prophets."  And  synchronizes  with  Daniel  xii.  7. 
See  section  7,  where  it  is  shown  to  end  in  the  year  1843.  (See  Mil- 
ler''s  Lectures,  p.  190.) 

XII.  It  can  be  proved  by  the  two  witnesses  being  clothed  in  sack- 
cloth 1260  years.  See  Rev.  xi.  3  :  "  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my 
two  witnesses,  and  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousandg  two  hundred  and 
threescore  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth."  This  time  began  with  Pa- 
pacy, 538,  and  ended  in  1798,  during  which  time  the  Bible  was  sup- 
pressed from  the  laity,  in  all  the  countries  where  Papacy  hgd  power, 
until  the  laws  of  the  Papal  hierarchy  were  abolished  and  free  tolera- 
tion was  granted  to  the  Papal  States  in  1798.  Then  the  remainder 
harmonizes  with  the  trumpets :  see  Rev.  xi,  14,  15 :  "  The  second 
wo  is  past ;  and  behold  the  third  wo  cometh  quickly.  And  the  seventh 
angel  sounded ;  and  tJiere  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and 
of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever."  And  terminates 
with  A,  D.  1843.     (See  Miller's  Lectures,  p.  190.) 

XIII.  It  can  be  proved  by  Rev.  xii.  6,  14  :  "  And  the  woman  fled 
into  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that 
they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore 
days.  And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle, 
that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place,  where  she  is 
nourished  for  a  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the 
serpent."  It  is  evident  that  the  Church  is  not  now  in  the  wilderness, 
for  if  so,  she  must  have  been  there  in  the  apostles'  days,  for  she  enjoys 
more  liberty  now  among  the  nations,  than  in  any  previous  time  since 
th«  gospel  was  preached  ;  and  it  is  very  evident,  for  ages  past,  the 
irne  Church  has  been  an  outlaw  among  the  kingdoms  which  arose 
out  of  the  Roman  Empire.  The  Church  was  driven  into  the  wilder- 
ness, where  they  were  given  into  the  power  of  the  Pope, — Daniel  vii. 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  ggg 

25  :  "  And  he  shall  speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High,  and  shall 
wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  think  to  change  times  and 
laws :  and  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hand  until  a  tinne  and  times 
and  the  dividing  of  time," — in  the  year  A.D.  538;  and  was  in  the 
wilderness  r<J60  years,  until  1798,  when  free  toleration  was  granted 
in  the  kingdoms  in  the  Papal  territory.  This  also  harmonizes  with 
the  wiinesst'.s  and  the  trumpet.  Compare  Rev.  xi.  15,  "  And  the 
seventh  angel  sounded ;  and  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven  say- 
ing, The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever,"  with 
Rev.  xii.  10,  "  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is 
come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the 
power  of  his  Christ :  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down 
which  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night."  (See  Millefs 
Lectures,  p.  20.) 

XIV.  It  is  proved  by  Rev.  xiii.  5  :  "  And  there  was  given  unto  him 
a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies ;  and  power  was 
given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two  months."  This  time  began 
at  the  same  time  as  the  preceding,  when  power  was  given  to  the 
Pope  by  Justinian,  A.  D.  538,  and  lasted  until  the  Pope  was  carried 
into  captivity,  and  his  power  abolished,  in  the  year  1798.  See  10th 
verse:  "  He  that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall  go  into  captivity:  he  that 
killeth  with  the  sword,  must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Here  is  the 
patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints."  This  beast  is  the  same  as  the 
little  horn  in  Daniel  7th,  and  synchronizes  with  Daniel's  "  abomination 
that  maketh  desolate,"  or  "  that  astonish eth,"  (see  marginal  reading.) 
Compare  Daniel  xi.  31,  and  xii.  11,  with  Rev.  xiii.  3-8;  and  of  course 
his  power  is  abolished  with  the  end  of  his  "  setting  up,"  and  the  1290 
years.  Then  Daniel  xii.  12, — "  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh 
to  the  thousand  three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days,"  carries  us 
to  the  year  1843.     (See  Miller's  Lectures,  p.  77.) 

XV.  It  can  be  proved  by  the  numbers  in  Rev.  xiii.  18:  "Here  is  wis- 
dom. Let  him  that  hath  understanding  count  the  number  of  the  beast: 
for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man  ;  and  his  number  is  six  hundred  three- 
score and  six,"  connected  with  Daniel  xii.  12,  as  before  quoted.  This 
text  shows  the  number  of  years  that  Rome  would  exist  under  the 
blasphemous  head  of  Paganism,  after  it  was  connected  with  the  peo- 
ple of  God  by  league;  beginning  B.  C.  158,  add  666  years,  will  bring 
us  to  A.D.  508,  when  the  daily  sacrifice  was  taken  away.  Then  add, 
Daniel  xii.  12,  the  1335  to  508,  makes  the  year  1843.  When  the 
beast  and  his  image  will  be  tormented  in  the  presence  of  the  holy 
angels,  and  the  Lamb.     See  Rev.  xiv.  9-12 :  "  And  the  third  angel 


690 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


followed  them,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  If  any  man  worship  the 
beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his 
hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is 
poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation ;  and  he 
shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of  the  holy 
angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  theLamb :  and  the  smoke  of  their  tor- 
ment ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever :  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor 
night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whosoever  receiveth 
the  mark  of  his  name.  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints  :  here  are 
they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 
(See  Miller^s  Lectures,  p.  76.) 

These  several  ways  of  prophetic  chronology  prove  the  end  in  1843. 
Now  what  is  there  in  all  this  reckoning  of  time,  that  should  entitle  one 
to  such  vile  abuse  and  slander,  as  I  have  received  from  the  pulpit  and 
press,  from  editors  and  priests,  from  the  infidel  and  blasphemer,  from 
the  drunkard  and  gambler  ?  These  have  all  made  friends  with  each 
other,  for  the  sole  purpose  of.  vilifying  and  saying  hard  things  against 
me  for  presenting  my  honest  conviction  of  these  things.  If  men  are 
satisfied  that  these  things  are  not  true,  why  are  they  so  violent  and 
denunciatory  against  me  ?  What  can  I  do  ?  I  can  neither  make  it 
true  nor  false.  Why  do  professed  ministers  show  such  anger  and 
malice  ?  Why  call  me  a  prophet,  in  such  sneering  terms,  from  Dr. 
Brownlee  down  to  John  Dowling,  A.  M.  pastor,  &c.  &c.  &c.  ?  I 
have  only  shown  to  the  world  my  opinion  on  those  passages :  they 
have  done  the  same.  I  have  shown  my  faith  by  my  works:  they  can 
do  likewise  if  they  please.  Let  every  one  be  fully  persuaded  in  his 
own  mind,  and  so  let  them  speak. 

But  these  men  not  only  show  much  anger,  but  misrepresent  my 
words  and  views.  Is  truth  of  such  a  texture,  as  to  need  lies  to  sup- 
port it  ?  If  they  have  no  better  foundation  for  their  religion,  than 
they  have  manifested  in  their  debates  on  this  subject,  I  should  think 
they  might  be  sentimentally  opposed  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  upon 
the  very  same  principle  as  the  infidel  or  drunkard  would  oppose, — 
Not  ready. 

1  would  advise  all  to  cease  their  revilings,  take  this  little  tract,  read, 
and  compare  scripture  with  scripture,  prophecy  with  history,  and  see 
if  there  is  not  a  strong  probability  that  I  am  correct ;  and  if  there  is 
even  one  to  ten,  that  it  is  so,  then  it  is  all-important  we  attend  to  the 
interest  of  our  souls  and  eternity.  You  ought  to  spurn  from  you 
those  who  say  there  is  no  danger ;  you  ought  in  justice  to  your  own 
soul,  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  men  who  are  flattering  you  with  "  peace 
and  safety." 


SECOND  ADVENT  BELIEVERS.  ggj 

Who  will  this  day  overtake  as  a  thief?  Surely  not  those  who  are 
looking  for  it.  1  Thess.  v.  4 ;  Heb.  ix.  28.  Who  will  be  destroyed 
when  it  comes?  Those  who  are  overtaken  as  a  thief.  1  Thess.  v. 3; 
Matt.  xxiv.  50 ;  Rev.  xvi.  15.  You  ask,  will  all  who  do  not  look  for 
him,  perish  in  the  day  of  his  coming?  I  answer,  it  would  seem  so, 
by  many  texts  of  scripture.  Yet  I  am  not  their  judge.  God  only 
knows  what  will  become  of  them.  They  that  were  ready  went  in 
with  him,  and  the  door  was  shut. 

William  Miller. 


UNITED   BEETHEEN  IN  CUEIST. 


BY  THE  REV.  WILLIAM  HANBY, 

CIRCLEVILLE,  OHIO. 


This  denomination  took  its  rise  in  the  United  States,  about  the  year 
1755,  and  is  distinguished  from  the  Old  United  Brethren  or  Moravian 
Church,  by  the  additional  phras*  of  "  In  Christ." 

In  1752,  William  OtteA)ein,  a  distinguished  German  divine,  came 
to  America,  being  at  that  time  a  minister  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church ;  he  soon  became  convinced,  after  his  arrival  in  this  country, 
of  the  necessity  of  a  deeper  work  of  grace  being  wrought  on  his  heart 
than  he  had  ever,  as  yet,  received.  He  accordingly  rested  not,  day 
nor  night,  until  he  found  the  Lord  precious  to  his  soul,  in  the  full  and 
free  pardon  of  all  his  sins.  He  immediately  commenced  preaching 
the  doctrines  of  a  spiritual  and  holy  life.  After  having  been  perse- 
cuted for  some  years,  for  preaching  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation, 
he  virtually  withdrew  from  his  mother  church,  and  commenced 
labouring  for  the  conversion  of  souls  in  connexion  with  two  German 
divines  by  the  name  of  Beohm  and  Geeting,  who  had  also  deeply  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  Reformation.  In  1771,  Messrs.  Asbury  and 
Wright,  came  over  from  England,  under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  J. 
Wesley,  and  commenced  as  co-workers  with  these  German  brethren  ; 
and  so  united  were  they  at  that  time,  in  their  labours  of  love,  that  one 
branch  was  called  "  Methodist,"  and  the  other  "  German  Methodist;" 
though  the  German  brethren,  at  that  time  anticipated  an  organization 
of  their  own.  In  1784,  at  the  request  of  the  Rev.  F.  Asbury,  William 
Otterbein,  assisted  Dr.  Coke,  in  his  (Asbury's)  ordination,  who  was 
the  first  bishop  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America. 

The  number  of  German  Brethren  increased  rapidly,  and  numerous 
societies  were  formed,  and  the  gracious  work  spread  through  the 
states  of  Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  Great  meetings 
were  appointed  annually,  and  on  these  occasions  Otterbein  would  lay 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST.  g93 

before  the  Brethren,  the  importance  of  the  ministry,  and  the  necessity 
of  their  utmost  endeavours  to  save  souls. 

At  one  of  these  meetings,  it  was  resolved  that  a  conference  should 
be  held,  in  order  to  take  into  consideration,  how,  and  in  what  manner 
they  might  be  most  useful. 

The  first  conference  was  accordingly  held  in  the  city  of  Baltimore, 
Md.,  in  1789.     The  following  preachers  were  present: 

William  Otterbein,  Martin  Beohm,  George  A.  Geeting,  Christian 
Newcomer,  Adam  Lohman,  John  Ernst,  Henry  Weidner. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  number  of  members  continued  to  increase, 
and  the  preachers  were  obliged  to  appoint  an  annual  conference,  in 
order  to  unite  themselves  more  closely,  and  labour  more  successfully 
in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord ;  for  some  were  Presbyterians  or  German 
Reformed,  some  were  Lutherans,  others  Mennonites,  and  some  few 
Methodists.  They  accordingly  appointed  an  annual  conference, 
which  convened  in  Maryland,  in  ISOO.  They  there  united  themselves 
into  a  society  which  bears  the  name  of  "  United  Brethren  in  Christ," 
and  elected  William  Otterbein  and  Martin  Beohm,  as  superintendents 
or  bishops ;  and  agreed  that  each  should  act  according  to  his  own 
convictions  as  to  the  mode  of  baptism.  The  rapid  increase  of  mem- 
bers and  ministers  was  such,  that  the  want  of  some  general  regula- 
tions, by  which  all  should  be  governed,  was  deeply  felt,  for,  as  yet, 
they  had  no  Discipline.  It  was  resolved  that  a  General  Conference 
should  be  held  to  accomplish  that  object,  in  a  manner  not  derogatory 
to  the  word  of  God.  The  members  of  this  conference  were  to  be 
elected  from  among  the  preachers,  by  a  vote  of  the  members  through- 
out the  whole  society  in  general. 

The  conference  was  accordingly  held  in  1815,  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
Pennsylvania,  and  after  mature  deliberation,  a  Discipline  was  presented 
containing  the  doctrines  and  rules  for  the  government  of  the  church. 

As  William  Otterbein  was  the  principal  instrument  under  God,  in 
founding  the  Brethren  Church,  a  few  remarks  in  reference  to  this  good 
man,  may  not  be  out  of  place  here.  He  was  born  in  Nassau  Dilling- 
burg,  Germany,  on  the  6th  day  of  March,  1726,  and  died  November 
17th,  1813,  in  the  88th  year  of  his  age.  He  resided  26  years  in  Ger- 
many, and  61  years  in  America;  all  of  which  latter  term  he  laboured 
in  the  ministry.  He  was  considered  a  ripe  scholar  in  Latin,  Greek, 
Hebrew,  Philosophy  and  Divinity.  The  following  is  a  specimen  of 
the  exalted  views  entertained  by  Bishop  Asbury,  of  this  divine :  "  Is 
father  Otterbein  dead  1  Great  and  good  man  of  God  !  An  honour 
to  his  church  and  country  ;  one  of  the  greatest  scholars  and  divines 
that  ever  came  to  America,  or  born  in  it.     Alas,  the  chiefs  of  the 


694 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Germans  are  gone  to  their  rest  and  reward — taken  from  the  evil  to 
come."     {Asburys  Letter,  under  date  of  Nov.  1813.) 

The  same  reverend  gentleman,  in  preaching  the  funeral  sermon  of 
Martin  Beohm,  in  the  same  year,  speaks  thus  of  Otterbein:  "Pre- 
eminent among  these,  is  William  Otterbein,  who  assisted  in  the  ordi- 
nation of  your  speaker,  to  the  superintendency  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  William  Otterbein  was  regularly  ordained  to  the 
ministry  in  the  German  Presbyterian  Church.  He  is  one  of  the  best 
scholars  and  greatest  divines  in  America.  Why  then  is  he  not  where 
he  began?"  (alluding  to  his  having  to  leave  his  old  church  because  of 
persecution.)  "  Alas  for  us,"  says  the  bishop,  "  the  zealous  are  ne- 
cessarily so,  those  whose  cry  has  been, '  Put  me  into  the  -priesVs  office, 
that  I  may  eat  a  morsel. of  bread  /'  Osterwald  has  observed,  •  Hell  is 
full  of  the  skulls  of  unfaithful  ministers T  Such  was  not  Beohm,  such 
is  not  Otterbein ;  and  now,  his  sun  of  life  is  setting  in  brightness ; 
behold,  the  saint  of  God  leaning  upon  his  staff  waiting  for  the  chariots 
of  Israel." 

DOCTRINES. 

The  doctrines  of  the  Brethren  Church,  may  be  summed  up  in  the 
following  items : 

1st.  They  believe  in  the  only  true  God,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost;  that  these  three  are  one,  the  Father  in  the  Son,  the  Son  in  the 
Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  equal  in  essence  or  being  with  both. 
That  this  triune  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  all  that 
in  them  is,  visible  as  well  as  invisible,  and  sustains,  governs  and  sup- 
ports the  same. 

2d.  They  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  is  very  God  and  man; 
that  he  became  incarnate  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  Virgin  Mary,  and 
was  born  of  her ;  that  he  is  the  Saviour  and  Mediator  of  the  whole 
human  race,  if  they  with  full  faith  accept  the  grace  proffered  in  Jesus. 
That  this  Jesus  suffered  and  di«d  on  the  cross  for  us;  was  buried  and 
rose  again  on  the  third  day,  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  on  the 
right  hand  of  God  to  intercede  for  us,  and  that  he  shall  come  again 
at  the  last  day  to  judge  the  quick  and  dead. 

3d.  They  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  he  is  equal  in  being  with 
the  Father  and  Son ;  and  that  he  comforts  the  faithful,  and  guides 
them  into  all  truth. 

4th.  They  believe  in  a  Holy  Christian  Church,  the  communion  of 
saints,  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  life  everlasting. 

5th.  They  believe  that  the  Holy  Bible,  Old  and  New  Testaments, 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST.  595 

is  the  word  of  God ;  that  it  contains  the  only  true  way  to  our  salva- 
tion ;  that  every  true  Christian  is  bound  to  receive  it  with  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  the  only  rule  and  guide ;  that  without  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  true  repentance,  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  following  after 
Christ,  no  one  can  be  a  true  Christian. 

Cth.  They  believe  that  the  fall  in  Adam  and  redemption  through 
Jesus  Christ,  shall  be  preached  throughout  the  world. 

7th.  They  believe  also,  that  the  ordinances,  namely :  baptism  and 
the  remembrance  of  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  are  to  be  in 
use,  and  practised  by  all  Christian  societies,  but  the  manner  of  which 
ought  always  to  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  every  individual.  The 
example  of  washing  the  saints'  feet  is  left  to  the  judgment  of  all  to 
practise  or  not. 

GOVERNMENT. 

As  brevity  is  desired,  a  few  extracts,  in  substance,  from  the  Con- 
stitution and  General  Rules  of  the  Church,  will  be  sufficient  for  present 
purposes. 

1st.  All  ecclesiastical  power,  to  make  or  repeal  any  rule  of  disci- 
pline, is  vested  in  a  General  Conference,  which  shall  consist  of  elders 
elected  by  the  lay  members  of  the  whole  church. 

2d.  General  Conferences  shall  be  held  every  four  years,  the  bishops 
to  be  considered  members  and  presiding  officers. 

3d.  The  General  Conference  shall  at  every  session  elect  one  or 
more  bishops,  who  shall  serve  as  such  for  four  years  only,  unless  re- 
elected. 

4th.  No  rule  shall  be  passed  at  any  time,  to  change  the  Confession 
of  Faith  as  it  now  stands,  or  do  away  the  itinerant  plan. 

5th.  No  rule  shall  be  adopted  that  will  deprive  local  preachers  of 
membership  in  annual  conferences. 

6th.  Free-Masonry,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  is  totally  prohibited 
and  in  no  way  tolerated  in  the  Brethren  Church. 

7th.  All  slavery,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  is  prohibited.  Should 
any  be  found  in  our  church,  who  hold  slaves,  they  cannot  continue 
as  members,  unless  they  do  personally  manumit  or  set  free  such 
slaves. 

8th.  The  vending  or  distillatign  of  ardent  spirits  is  prohibited  in  our 
church,  for  medical  and  mechanical  purposes  excepted ;  should  any 
members  be  found  dealing  in  the  unholy  traffic,  they  must  desist  or 
cease  to  be  members. 


090 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CONFERENCES. 


The  Brethren  Cliurch  have  three  orders  of  Conferences,  to  wit : 
quarterly,  annual,  and  general.  A  quarterly  conference  meets  every 
three  months ;  and  is  composed  of  all  the  class-leaders,  stewards,  ex- 
horters,  local  and  travelling  preachers  within  the  bounds  of  a  circuit 
or  station,  with  the  presiding  elder  at  the  head,  as  president. 

Annual  conferences  meet  annually,  and  are  composed  of  all  the 
preachers  within  the  specified  bounds  thereof,  with  the  bishops  as 
presiding  officers.  At  annual  conferences,  the  labours  and  moral  de- 
portment of  all  the  preachers  are  examined,  the  boundaries  of  circuits 
and  stations  defined,  applications  to  the  ministry  received  or  rejected, 
presiding  elders  elected,  preachers  stationed,  and  elders  ordained.* 

General  Conference  is  the  highest  tribunal  in  the  church,  is  the  law- 
making department  for  the  whole  body,  and  is  composed  of  elders 
elected  by  the  laity  of  the  church.  Each  annual  conference  district 
is  allowed  to  send  three  delegates  to  General  Conference. 

MINISTERS. 

The  Brethren  Church  recognises  but  one  order  in  the  ministry, 
only  that  of  ordained  elders,  who,  by  virtue  of  their  ordination,  admi- 
nister the  ordinances  of  God's  house,  and  solemnize  the  rites  of 
matrimony. 

OFFICERS. 

Numerous  offices  are  recognised  in  the  church,  such  as  class-lead- 
ers, stewards,  preachers-in-charge,  presiding  elders,  and  bishops. 

It  is  the  duty  of  leaders  to  attend  strictly  to  the  classes  assigned 
them,  and  meet  them  once  a  week  for  prayer  or  class  meeting,  and 
to  admonish  their  members  to  lead  a  holy  Ufe. 

The  duty  of  stewards  is  to  attend  to  the  pecuniary  wants  of  the 
ministers. 

A  preacher-in-charge,  supposes  two  preachers  to  be  on  one  circuit, 
and  that  he  has  the  oversight,  and  it  is  his  duty  to  attend  to  the  general 
regulations  of  his  circuit. 

A  presiding  elder  is  an  officer  elected  by  the  annual  conference 
from  among  the  ordained  elders,  and-  it  is  his  duty  to  travel  over  a 
specified  number  of  circuits,  and  hold,  as  president,  quarterly  con- 
All  candidates  for  the  ministry,  after  having  received  license  to  preach,  must  stand  a 
probation  of  tlireo  years,  before  they  can  be  ordained  as  ciders. 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST.  ggy 

ference  meetings,  four  on  each  circuit  a  year,  and  see  that  all  the 
labourers  under  his  charge,  discharge  their  duty  faithfully. 

Bishops  are  general  superintendents  of  the  whole  church,  and  pre- 
side at  all  annual  and  general  conferences. 


STATISTICS. 

At  the  present  time,  the  statistics  of  the  church  stand,  as  nigh  as 
can  be  estimated,  as  follows,  viz. : 

Bishops,        -             -             -             -            -  3 

Annual  Conferences,       -             -           .  -  9 

Circuits,       -            .            .            .            .  120 

Churches,           -             -             -             -  1,800 

Preachers,    -----  500 

Members,            -             .             .             .  65,000 

Eight  Home  Missionary  Societies,  and  one  for  the  benefit  of  the 
foreign  field ;  though  but  little  has  been  done,  as  yet,  for  foreign 
missions. 

There  are  two  church  periodicals,  one  German,  and  the  other 
English.  The  German  is  printed  in  Baltimore,  Maryland  ;  the  Eng- 
lish, in  Circleville,  Ohio. 

Though  the  Brethren  Church  is  as  old  as  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  yet  it  is  comparatively  small,  owing  to  the  fact,  that  until 
within  the  last  twenty  years,  its  religious  exercises  have  all  been  con- 
ducted in  the  German  language  exclusively,  or  nearly  so.  Within 
the  last  twenty  years  the  church  has  more  than  doubled  its  numbers. 

REMARKS. 

It  will  be  perceived  from  the  foregoing,  that  the  government  of  the 
church  is  founded  upon  republican  principles ;  that  an  equal  balance 
of  power  is  secured  between  the  ministry  and  the  laity.  That  there 
is  a  regular  gradation  from  the  lowest  officer  to  the  highest ;  and  that 
all  the  rulers  are  constituted  by  the  ruled,  and  by  them  can  be  re- 
moved at  pleasure.  The  subjects  of  the  ecclesiastical  law  make 
their  law,  and  can  alter  or  amend  the  same  as  seemeth  good  to  them. 

Perhaps  no  greater  evil  has  ever  existed  in  the  Christian  Church, 
than  that  of  an  undue  power  assumed  and  exercised  by  the  ministry, 
and  no  evil  should  be  more  strongly  guarded  against.  Preachers  are 
men,  in  some  respects  like  all  other  men,  and,  while  an  earth,  have 
not  ascended  up  on  high  ;  and  consequently  should  have  some  restraint 

45 


096 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


thrown  around  them,  as  well  as  others.  The  church  that  invests  in 
the  hands  of  the  clergy  (be  their  apparent  prosperity  what  it  may) 
the  rif'ht  to  make  all  law,  and  execute  the  same  uncontrolled,  is  in 
danf^er  of  that  degrading  monarchy,  which  has  characterized  Papal 
Rome  for  ages  past. 

The  particular  doctrines  which  characterize  the  preaching  of  the 
Brethren,  are :  salvation  through  faith  in  the  merits  of  a  Saviour,  by 
a  true  repentance  and  forgiveness  of  sins ;  holiness  of  heart,  life  and 
conversation. 


APPENDIX. 


BY    THE    REV.    H.    G.    S  P  0  Y  T  H. 


The  United  Brethren  in  Christ  originated  from  William  Ottcrbein, 
who  was  born  and  brought  up  by  eminently  pious  parents,  who  afibrd- 
ed  him  a  classical  education — embracing  a  full  study  in  divinity  in  Heil- 
bron  Europa ;  where,  as  well  as  in  this  his  adopted  country,  he  stood 
deservedly  high  as  a  scholar  and  a  divine,  of  an  unsullied  reputation 
and  an  able  expounder  of  the  word  of  God.  He  was  solemnly  or- 
dained and  set  apart  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  in  the  German 
Reformed  Church.  In  the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  duties,  and  in 
search  of  that  truth  which  God  requires  in  the  inward  parts,  he  found 
the  pearl  of  great  price,  and  obtained  the  pentecostal  blessing,  which 
was  soon  after  he  had  entered  the  sacred  office  in  Lancaster,  Penn- 
sylvania. He  entertained  a  holy  and  exalted  view  of  the  magnitude 
of  the  ministration  of  peace,  and  thought  it  no  light  thing  to  be  a 
spiritual  guide.  His  zeal  in  the  church  was  great,  and  his  manner 
of  preaching  was  eloquent,  persuasive  and  clear.  Without  restraint 
he  sought  to  carry  the  truth  to  the  sinner's  heart.  Many  of  his 
hearers  became  deeply  affected,  while  others  were  filled  with  divine 
consolation.  This  slate  of  things  led  him  to  hold  special  meetings 
for  prayer,  to  afford  him  an  opportunity  to  converse  with  all  the 
serious  persons,  particularly  on  the  state  of  their  minds,  so  he  might 
exhort,  comfort,  or  admonish  each,  individually,  as  the  case  might  be. 
Through  William  Otterbein  prayer  meetings  were  once  more  re- 
vived; for  be  it  remembered,  the  name  as  well  as  the  holdins;  of  a 
prayer  meeting  was  a  something  unknown  at  that  dark  day.     Thus 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST.  599 

ihe  reformation  commenced,  and  with  it  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ.  But  this  reformation  of  primitive  Chris- 
tianity brought  ahke  with  it  its  opposition  from  within  and  without 
the  church.  Here  and  there  pulpits  were  denied  and  church  doors 
closed  against  the  so-called  new  doctrine — the  doctrine  of  repentance 
and  the  new  birth ;  and  the  prayer  meetings  were,  if  not  violently 
yet  sharply  opposed  by  men  professing  godliness.  Attending  a  prayer 
meeting  was  the  signal  of  reproach  and  church  censure. 

Otterbein  thought  that  the  people  of  God  were  not  confined  to  any 
particular  community;  and  although  there  were  a  division  of  churches 
— separated  from  each  other,  rather  by  tradition  and  non-essential 
forms  than  otherwise — yet  he  believed  that  the  love  of  God,  shed 
abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  same  wherever  it 
governs  the  affections,  and  it  alone  forms  the  true  bond  of  Christian 
fellowship ;  also  freely  admitting  that  there  are  many  such,  who, 
standing  within  the  pales  of  different  denominations,  will  nevertheless 
hold  themselves  spiritually  joined  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  love,  to  all 
who  are  partakers  with  them  in  the  like  precious  faith ;  and  that  they, 
irrespective  of  forms  or  party  name,  should  and  may  freely  meet  to- 
gether around  the  sacramental  table  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  This 
again  was  resisted  as  by  common  consent  by  the  different  Christian 
churches  and  sects,  as  an  innovation  in  the  established  order  and 
usage  of  the  time. 

His  position  was  now  peculiarly  trying,  and  his  conflict  severe  ; 
but  he  stood,  prophet-like,  nothing  doubting,  although  single  and  alone, 
with  a  firm  resolve  to  follow  the  direction  of  Heaven — complying, 
with  a  willing  mind,  to  its  high  demands — committing  himself  to  the 
divine  protection.  He  was  not,  however,  suffered  long  to  stand  alone. 
The  Lord  was  pleased  to  call  Martin  Beohm,  George  A.  Geeting, 
Christopher  Grosh,  Christian  Newcomer,  Andrew  Zeller,  George 
Pfrimer,  John  Neidig,  Joseph  Huffman,  Jacob  Bowlus,  and  others. 
The  purity  and  simplicity  with  which  these  men  preached  the  word 
of  God,  the  fervency  of  spirit  that  animated  them  in  exhorting  the 
people  every  where  to  repent,  the  love  and  meekness  which  charac- 
terized their  social  intercourse  with  their  fellow-men,  won  for  them 
the  esteem  and  friendship  of  many ;  and  thus  an  effectual  door  was 
opened  unto  them  for  the  preaching  and  defence  of  the  gospel,  which 
no  man  as  yet  has  been  able  to  shut ;  and  we  may  truly  say,  not  by 
might  but  by  my  spirit,  said  the  Lord.  Very  many  indeed  were 
made  the  happy  subjects  of  the  converting  grace  of  God. 

The  number  daily  increasing,  the  people  assembled  themseh^es  for 
the  solemn  worship  of  the  Almighty,  wherever  they  could,  in  private 


70© 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


houses,  in  barns  and  groves,  in  order  to  afford  the  preachers,  as  well 
as  the  Brethren  generally,  an  opportunity  to  meet;  and  they  were  then 
to  be  found  over  the  states  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  what  was 
then  called  New  Virginia.  Big  meetings  were  resolved  on  ;  the  first 
was  held  in  Lancaster  county,  Pa.  Here  perhaps  for  the  first,  and 
for  many  long  years,  an  assembly  of  Christians  met  together  from  far 
and  near, — Lutherans,  German  Reformed,  Mennonites,  Dunkers,  and 
others,  coming  as  with  one  accord  and  with  one  mind.  Many  of  the 
Brethren  were  thus  for  the  first  time,  happily  brought  together ;  and 
as  the  meeting  progressed  it  increased  in  interest.  Br.  Beohm  being 
of  small  stature,  wearing  his  beard  long,  dressed  in  the  true  costume 
of  a  Mennonite;  Wm.  Otterbein  being  a  large  man,  showing  a  promi- 
nent forehead,  on  which  one  might  see  the  seal  of  the  Lord  impressed ; 
when  Beohm  had  just  closed  a  discourse,  but  before  he  had  time  to 
take  his  seat,  Otterbein  rose  up,  folding  Beohm  in  his  arms  saying, 
"  We  are  brethren."  At  this  sight  some  praised  God  aloud,  but  most 
of  the  congregation  gave  place  to  their  feelings  by  a  flood  of  tears. 
This  meeting,  and  the  peculiar  circumstances  attending  it,  under  the 
harmonizing  influence  of  the  divine  Spirit,  in  uniting  a  people  of  such 
various  pre-existing  orders,  now  again  free  from  party  strife  and 
feeling,  under  the  great  Head  of  the  Church,  gave  rise  to  the  name 
of  "  United  Brethren  in  Christ."  A  name  which  the  church,  some 
time  after  thought  proper  to  adopt. 

The  dawn  and  rise  of  the  Brethren  as  a  people,  as  to  time,  would 
take  us  back  to  A.  D.  1758. 

In  the  main,  it  was  not  a  secession  from,  or  a  disaffection  to  any 
particular  church,  but  an  ingathering  of  precious  blood-bought  souls. 
Nor  was  it  the  offering  of  another  gospel  or  doctrine,  than  that  of  re- 
conciliation, repentance,  and  the  remission  of  sins — Now  while  you 
hear  his  voice,  the  preachy  cried.  Yet  all  this  was  accounted 
strange.  William  Otterbein,  Martin  Beohm,  and  all  others  with 
them,  were  given  to  understand  that  a  persisting  in  such  a  course  of 
teaching  and  preaching  would  and  must  produce  a  separation  :  they 
would  and  must  be  cast  out. 

Otterbein  dearly  loved  the  church  in  which  he  had  been  brought 
up  and  ordained  a  minister,  and  remained  in  it  as  long  as  a  prospect 
remained  of  benefiting  it ;  but  the  hope  eventually  vanished.  He  had 
nothing  to  retract  or  to  recall  of  what  he  had  done,  and  what  he  was 
still  doing  as  a  faithful  servant  of  his  Lord ;  but  the  synod  of  which 
he  had  been  a  member  thought  otherwise,  and  the  connexion  between 
them  was  many  years  previous  to  his  removal  from  earth  fully  dis- 
sdved.     The  synod  and  church  parted  with  him  apparently  with  little 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST.  70 1 

sorrow  or  regret.  But  not  so  with  Otterbein ;  the  dissolving  of  ties 
and  relations  so  sacred  and  dear,  and  next  to  God  and  a  good  con- 
science, had  possessed  his  affections  and  his  heart,  filled  his  soul  with 
anguish  and  a  weight  of  sorrow,  that  at  times  seemed  to  know  no 
bounds ;  tears  would  fill  his  eyes,  and  in  big  drops  run  down  his 
cheeks,  and  then  again  as  if  he  would  lay  hold  of  heaven,  he  would 
exclaim,  "  O  how  can  I  give  thee  up !"  In  these  hours  of  distress 
his  best  friends  dared  not  attempt  to  comfort  him.  His  closet  exer- 
cises on  the  same  could  be  known  only  to  God  alone.  No  concep- 
tion can  now  be  formed  of  what  he  suffered  in  mind  for  some  years 
after  this  sad  event.  But  as  his  was  the  night  of  sorrow,  his  also, 
was  the  joy  of  the  morning.  The  Lord  knows  how  to  send  comfort 
to  his  chosen  ones.  In  one  of  those  seasons  of  bereavement  and  wo, 
the  Bible  opened  for  the  morning  lesson  on  the  49th  chapter  of  the 
Prophet  Isaiah,  beginning  "  Listen,  O  isles,  unto  me,  and  hearken  ye 
people,  from  far ;  the  Lord  hath  called  me  from  the  womb  ;  from 
the  bowels  of  my  mother  hath  he  made  mention  of  my  name.  And 
he  hath  made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp  sword ;  in  the  shadow  of  his 
hand  hath  he  hid  me,  and  made  me  a  polished  shaft ;  in  his  quiver 
hath  he  hid  me ;  and  said  unto  me.  Thou  art  my  servant,"  &c. 
The  word  and  work  run,  thousands  were  blessed,  and  God  was  glori- 
fied. But  the  writer  is  admonished  under  existing  circumstances  to 
observe  brevity,  and  must  make  one  long  stride. 

The  time  came  when  he  was  no  longer  able  to  travel,  and  leave 
Baltimore,  and  take  up  his  accustomed  route  to  attend  big  meetings  ; 
but  from  the  infirmities  of  his  body  his  mind  seemed  to  gather  strength, 
in  pleading  with  God  the  more  for  the  prosperity  of  Zion.  The  deepest 
thought  that  for  the  last  year  of  his  life  occupied  his  mind,  was, 
"  Shall  the  work  stand  and  endure  the  fiery  test  ?  And  will  it  ulti- 
mately prosper  in  righteousness  after  my  departure?"  A  short  time 
previous  to  his  end,  he  sent  for  Brothers  Newcomer  and  Bowlus,  that 
he  might  see  them  once  more,  and  in  conversation  with  them  as  to 
the  past  and  present  state  of  religion  and  the  church,  he  remarked, 
"  The  Lord  has  been  pleased  graciously  to  satisfy  me  fully  that  the 
work  will  abide." 

His  benevolence  knew  no  bounds.  All  he  received,  and  all  he 
had,  he  gave  av^^ay  in  charities.  The  writer  cannot  conclude  this 
short  and  imperfect  narration  better  than  with  the  tribute  paid  Otter- 
bein by  the  late  Bishop  Asbury;  who  said  of  him  "He  was  a  good 
man  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  demise  of  Otterbein,  Beohm,  and  Geeting,  as  to  time,  is:  Martin 
Beohm  was  permitted  to  preach  to  within  a  short  time  of  his  death. 


702  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST. 

His  last  illness  was  short;  he,  feeling  his  end  was  nigh,  raised  himself 
up  in  bed,  sang  a  verse,  committing  his  spirit  unto  God  in  solemn 
prayer,  praising  God  with  a  loud  voice,  expired,  March  23d,  1812,  in 
the  eighty-seventh  year  of  his  age,  having  preached  fifty  years. 
George  A.  Geeting  quickly  followed  Beohm,  which  was  on  the  28th 
of  June,  same  year,  1812.  His  illness  was  of  but  one  night  and  a  day, 
without  much  pain.  Being  sensible  that  his  hour  had  come,  he  desired 
to  be  helped  out  of  bed,  which  being  done,  he  lined  a  verse  and  sang 
it  with  a  clear  voice,  knelt  down  by  the  bedside,  and  offered  up  his 
last  prayer  on  earth ;  and  in  the  full  triumph  of  faith  bid  the  world 
adieu,  having  preached  forty  years.  Wm.  Otterbein,  as  he  was  first, 
was  also  last  of  the  three ;  for  the  year  1813  closed  the  labours  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  this  holy  man  of  God,  full  of  years,  of  hope, 
and  a  glorious  immortality.     Soli  Deo  gloria. 


UNITARIAN   CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


BY   THE    REV.  ALVAN    LAMSON, 

DEDHAM,  MASS. 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    ENSUING    ARTICLE. 

1 .  Doctrines  of  Unitarians. — Great  distinguishing  features  of  Unitarianism — Diversity 
of  opinion  among  Unitarians — Views  generally  received  among  them — Character  of  God 
— Gospel  of  Jesus  originated  in  his  mercy — Unitarian  views  of  his  justice — Jesus  Christ 
— Unitarians  believe  him  to  be  a  distinct  being  from  the  Father,  and  inferior  to  him — The 
sort  of  evidence  on  which  they  rely  for  proving  this — Assert  the  incredibility  of  the 
Trinity — Their  view  of  the  teachings  of  the  scripture  relating  to  the  Son — The  inference 
they  make  from  the  conduct  of  the  disciples  and  others — Their  views  of  Trinitarian  proof 
texts — Of  the  concessions  of  Trinitarian  Christians — Unitarians  do  not  address  Christ 
directly  in  prayer — Reasons  for  not  doing  it — Question  of  his  nature — How  regarded  by 
Unitarians — His  character  and  offices — True  ground  of  reverence  for  Jesus,  according  to 
Unitarians — Unitarian  views  of  the  divinity  of  Christ — Their  views  of  the  Atonement — 
They  do  not,  they  contend,  destroy  the  hope  of  the  sinner,  nor  rob  the  Cross  of  its  power 
— Unitarian  views  of  the  Holy  Spirit — Of  the  terms  of  salvation — Of  the  new  birth — How 
Unitarians  speak  of  reverence  for  huma^i  nature — Need  of  help — Retribution  for  sin  and 
holiness — Of  the  Bible — Their  reply  to  the  charge  of  unduly  exalting  human  reason. 

2.  History. — Unitarians  do  not  profess  to  hold  any  new  doctrine — What  they  affirm, 
that  they  are  able  to  prove  of  the  Unitarianism  of  the  ancient  Church — Reference  to  mo- 
dern Unitarianism  in  Europe — American  Unitarianism — Its  date — Its  progress,  to  the 
commencement  of  the  present  century — Its  state  during  the  first  fifteen  years  of  this  cen- 
tury— 1H15  an  epoch  in  its  history — First  controversy — Its  origin  and  results — Second 
controversy — First  separation  between  orthodox  and  Unitarian  Congregationalists. 

3.  Statistics. —  Number  of  societies  and  churches — Other  Unitarians  besides  Congrega- 
tionalists— Unitarian  periodicals — American  Unitarian  Association — Present  condition 
and  prospects  of  Unitarianism. 

The  brevity  we  must  study  in  this  article  v^^ill  not  allow  us  to  give 
any  thing  more  than  a  very  meagre  sketch  of  the  views  held  by  Uni- 
tarian Congregationalists  of  the  United  States,  and  add  a  few  facts 
concerning  the  history  and  reception  of  these  views,  and  the  general 
statistics  of  the  denomination- 


704  HISTORY  OF  THE 

DOCTRINES. 

Unitarianism  takes  its  name  from  its  distinguishing  tenet,  the  strict 
personal  unity  of  God,  which  Unitarians  hold  in  opposition  to  the 
doctrine  which  teaches  that  God  exists  in  three  persons.  Unitarians 
maintain  that  God  is  one  mind,  one  person,  one  undivided  being ;  that 
the  Father  alone  is  entitled  to  be  called  God  in  the  highest  sense ;  that 
he  alone  possesses  the  attributes  of  infinite,  underived  divinity,  and  is 
the  only  proper  object  of  supreme  worship  and  love.  They  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  a  distinct  being  from  him,  and  possesses  only  de- 
rived attributes;  that  he  is  not  the  supreme  God  himself,  but  his  Son, 
and  the  mediator  through  whom  he  has  chosen  to  impart  the  richest 
blessings  of  his  love  to  a  sinning  world. 

This  must  be  called  the  great  leading  doctrine,  the  distinguishing, 
and,  properly  speaking,  the  only  distinguishing  feature  of  Unitarianism. 
Unitarians  hold  the  supremacy  of  the  Father,  and  the  inferior  and 
derived  nature  of  the  Son.  This  is  their  sole  discriminating  article 
of  faith. 

On  several  other  points  they  difler  among  themselves.  Professing 
little  reverence  for  human  creeds,  having  no  common  standard  but 
the  Bible,  and  allowing,  in  the  fullest  extent,  freedom  of  thought  and 
the  liberty  of  every  Christian  to  interpret  the  records  of  divine  reve- 
lation for  himself,  they  look  for  diversity  of  opinion  as  the  necessary 
result.  They  see  not,  they  say,  how  this  is  to  be  avoided  without  a 
violation  of  the  grand  Protestant  principle  of  individual  faith  and 
liberty.     They  claim  to  be  thorough  and  consistent  Protestants. 

There  are  certain  general  views,  however,  in  which  they  are  mostly 
agreed,  as  flowing  from  the  great  discriminating  article  of  faith  above 
mentioned,  or  intimately  connected  with  it,  or  which  they  feel  com- 
pelled to  adopt  on  a  diligent  examination  of  the  sacred  volume.  Of 
the  more  important  of  these  views,  as  they  are  commonly  received 
by  Unitarian  Congregationalists  of  the  United  States,  some  account 
may  be  here  expected.  To  do  full  justice  to  the  subject,  however, 
would  require  far  more  space  than  it  would  be  proper  for  this  article 
to  occupy. 

We  begin  with  the  character  of  God.  Unitarians,  as  we  said,  hold 
to  his  strict  personal  unity ;  they  are  accustomed,  too,  to  dwell  with 
peculiar  emphasis  on  his  moral  perfections,  and  especially  his  paternal 
love  and  mercy.  They  believe  that  he  yearns,  with  a  father's  ten- 
derness and  pity,  towards  the  whole  oflspring  of  Adam.  They  believe 
that  he  earnestly  desires  their  repentance  and  holiness;  that  his  infi- 
nite, overflowing  love,  led  him,  miraculously,  to  raise  up  and   send 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATIONALISTS.  795 

Jesus  to  be  their  spiritual  deliverer,  to  purify  their  souls  from  sin,  to 
restore  them  to  communion  with  himself,  and  fit  them  for  pardon  and 
everlasting  life  in  his  presence ;  in  a  word,  to  reconcile  man  to  God, 
and  earth  to  heaven. 

They  believe  that  the  gospel  of  Jesus  originated  in  the  exhaustless 
and  unbought  love  of  the  Father;  that  it  is  intended  to  operate  on 
man,  and  not  on  God ;  that  the  only  obstacle  which  exists,  or  which 
ever  has  existed  on  the  part  of  God,  to  the  forgiveness  of  the  sinner, 
is  found  in  the  heart  of  the  sinner  himself;  that  the  life,  teachings, 
and  resurrection  of  Jesus,  become  an  instrument  of  pardon,  as  they 
are  the  appointed  means  of  turning  man  from  sin  to  holiness,  of 
breathing  into  his  soul  new  moral  and  spiritual  life,  and  elevating  it 
to  a  union  with  the  Father.  They  believe  that  the  cross  of  Christ 
was  not  needed  to  render  God  merciful ;  that  Jesus  suffered,  not  as  a 
victim  of  God's  wrath,  or  to  satisfy  his  justice ;  they  think  that  this 
view  obscures  the  glory  of  the  divine  character,  is  repugnant  to  God's 
equity,  veils  his  loveliest  attributes,  and  is  injurious  to  a  spirit  of  filial 
trusting  piety.  Thus  all  in  their  view,  is  to  be  referred  primarily  to 
the  boundless  and  unpurchased  love  of  the  Father,  whose  wisdom 
chose  this  method  of  bringing  man  within  reach  of  his  pardoning 
mercy,  by  redeeming  him  from  the  power  of  sin,  and  establishing  in 
his  heart  his  kingdom  of  righteousness  and  peace. 

We  now  proceed  to  speak  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  before  said,  Uni- 
tarians believe  him  to  be  a  distinct  being  from  God  and  subordinate 
to  him.  The  following  may  serve  as  a  specimen  of  the  process  of 
thought,  views,  and  impressions  through  which  they  arrive  at  this 
conclusion.  We  beg  leave  to  state  them,  not  for  the  purpose  of  argu- 
ment, for  we  have  no  wish  here  to  enter  into  any  defence  of  Unitarian 
sentiments,  but  simply  that  our  views  may  be  understood,  and  the 
more  especially,  as  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  they  are  often 
misapprehended.  No  more  of  argument  will  be  introduced,  and  no 
more  of  the  history  of  ancient  and  foreign  Unitarianism,  than  appears 
necessary  to  put  the  reader  in  complete  possession  of  the  sentiments 
and  position  of  the  sect  as  it  exists  in  this  country. 

Unitarians  do  not  rely  exclusively,  or  chiefly,  on  what  they  conceive 
to  be  the  intrinsic  incredibility  of  the  doctrine  to  which  they  stand 
opposed.  They  take  the  Bible  in  their  hands,  as  they  say,  and  sitting 
down  to  read  it,  as  plain  unlettered  Christians,  and  with  prayer  for 
divine  illumination,  they  find  that  the  general  tenor  of  its  language 
either  distinctly  asserts  or  necessarily  implies  the  supremacy  of  the 
Father,  and  teaches  the  inferior  and  derived  nature  of  the  Son.  In 
proof  of  this,  they  appeal  to  such  passages  as  the  following  :  "  This  is 


706  HISTORY  OF  THE 

life  eternal,  ihat  tlicy  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Clirist  whom  thou  hast  sent."  (John  xvii.  3.)  "  For  there  is  one  God 
and  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus."  (1 
Tim.  ii.  5.)  "  My  Father  is  greater  than  I."  (John  xiv.  28.)  "  My 
doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me."  (Ibid.  vii.  16.)  "  I  speak 
not  of  myself."  (Ibid.  xiv.  10.)  "  I  can  of  my  own  self  do  nothing." 
(Ibid.  V.  30.)  •'  The  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me  he  doeth  the  works." 
(Ibid.  xiv.  10.)  *'God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  ye  crucified, 
both  Lord  and  Christ."  (Acts  ii.  36.)  "  Him  hath  God  exalted  with 
his  right  hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour."  (Ibid.  v.  31.) 

They  appeal  to  such  passages,  and  generally  to  all  those  in  which 
Jesus  Christ  is  called,  not  God  himself,  but  the  Son  of  God;  in  which 
he  is  spoken  of  as  sent,  and  the  Father  as  sending,  appointing  him  a 
kingdom,  "  giving"  him  authority,  giving  him  to  be  head  over  all 
things  to  the  Church.  Such  passages,  they  contend,  show  derived 
power  and  authority.  Again,  when  the  Son  is  represented  as  praying 
to  the  Father,  and  the  Father  as  hearing  and  granting  his  prayer, 
how,  ask  they,  can  the  plain  serious  reader,  resist  the  conviction,  that 
he  who  prays  is  a  different  being  from  him  to  whom  he  prays  ?  Does 
a  being  pray  to  himself? 

Unitarians  urge,  that  passages  like  those  above  referred  to,  occur- 
ring promiscuously,  are  fair  specimens  of  the  language  in  which  Jesus 
is  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament ;  that  such  is  the  common  language 
of  the  Bible,  and  that  it  is  wholly  irreconcilable  with  the  idea  that 
Jesus  was  regarded  by  those  with  whom  he  lived  and  conversed,  as 
the  infinite  and  supreme  God,  or  that  the  Bible  was  meant  to  teach 
any  such  doctrine.  They  do  not  find,  they  say,  that  the  deportment 
of  the  disciples  and  the  multitudes  towards  Jesus,  the  questions  they 
asked  him,  and  the  character  of  their  intercourse  with  him,  injlicated 
any  such  belief  on  their  part,  or  any  supposition  that  he  was  the 
infinite  Jehovah.  We  meet,  say  they,  with  no  marks  of  that  surprise 
and  astonishment  which  they  must  have  expressed  on  being  first  made 
acquainted  with  the  doctrine, — on  being  told  that  he  who  stood  before 
them,  who  ate  and  drank  with  them,  who  slept  and  waked,  who  was 
capable  of  fatigue  and  sensible  to  pain,  was  in  truth,  the  Infinite  and 
Immutable  One,  the  Preserver  and  Governor  of  nature. 

They  contend  that  the  passages  generally  adduced  to  prove  the 
supreme  deity  of  Jesus  Christ,  fail  of  their  object;  that  without 
violence  they  will  receive  a  difierent  construction ;  that  such  construc- 
tion is  often  absolutely  required  by  the  language  itself,  or  the  con- 
nexion in  which  it  stands ;  that  most  of  those  passages,  if  carefully 
examined,  far  from  disproving,  clearly  show  the  distinct  nature  and 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATIONALISTS.  7O7 

inferiority  of  the  Son.  They  notice  the  fact  as  a  remarkable  one, 
that  of  all  the  proof  texts,  as  they  are  called,  of  the  Trinity,  there  is 
not  one  on  which,  at  one  time  or  another,  eminent  Trinitarian  critics 
have  not  put  a  Unitarian  construction,  and  thus  they  agree  that  Uni- 
tarianism  may  be  proved  from  the  concessions  of  Trinitarians  them- 
selves. 

To  the  doctrine  of  three  persons  in  one  God,  Unitarians  object 
again,  its  intrinsic  incredibility.  They  say,  that  they  cannot  receive 
the  doctrine,  because  in  asserting  that  there  are  three  persons  in  the 
Divinity,  it  teaches,  according  to  any  conception  they  can  form  of  the 
subject,  that  there  are  three  beings,  three  minds,  three  conscious 
agents,  and  thus  it  makes  three  Gods,  and  to  assert  that  these  three 
are  one,  is  a  contradiction. 

So  too  with  regard  to  the  Saviour, — to  affirm  that  the  same  being 
is  both  finite  and  infinite,  man  and  God,  they  say  appears  to  them  to 
be  a  contradiction  and  an  absurdity.  If  Jesus  Christ  possessed  two 
natures,  two  wills,  two  minds,  a  finite  and  an  infinite,  they  maintain 
that  he  must  be  two  persons,  two  beings. 

Unitarians  of  the  present  day,  as  far  as  we  know,  do  not  think  it 
lawful  directly  to  address  Christ  in  prayer. 

They  think  that  his  own  example,  the  direction  he  gave  to  his  dis- 
ciples— "  When  ye  pray,  say,  Our  Father," — and  such  expressions 
as  the  following,  "  In  that  day,"  that  is,  when  I  am  withdrawn  from 
you  into  heaven,  "ye  shall  ask  me  nothing;  verily,  verily  I  say  unto 
you,  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name  he  will  give  it 
you,"  not  only  authorize,  but  absolutely  require  prayer  to  be  addressed 
directly  to  the  Father.  To  prove  that  the  ancient  Christians  were 
accustomed  thus  to  address  their  prayers,  they  allege  the  authority  of 
Origen,  who  lived  in  the  former  part  of  the  third  century,  and  was 
eminent  for  piety  and  talents,  and  in  learning  surpassed  all  the  Chris- 
tians of  his  day.  "  If  we  understand  what  prayer  is,"  says  Origen, 
"  it  will  appear  that  it  is  never  to  be  offered  to  any  originated  being, 
not  to  Christ  himself,  but  only  to  the  God  and  Father  of  all ;  to  whom 
our  Saviour  himself  prayed  and  taught  us  to  pray." 

In  regard  to  the  metaphysical  nature  and  rank  of  the  Son,  and 
the  time  at  which  his  existence  commenced.  Unitarians  undoubtedly 
differ  in  opinion.  Some  hold  his  pre-existence,  and  others  suppose 
that  his  existence  commenced  at  the  time  of  his  entrance  into  the 
world. 

The  question  of  his  nature  they  do  not  consider  as  important.  Some 
take  this  view.  They  think  that  the  testimony  of  the  apostles,  the 
original  witnesses  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  our  knowledge  of 


708  IIISTORV  OF  THE 

him,  bears  only  on  his  birth,  miracles,  teachings,  life,  death,  resurrec- 
tion and  ascension,  that  is,  on  his  character  and  offices,  and  that  be- 
yond these  we  need  not  go ;  that  these  are  all  which  it  is  important 
that  we  should  know  or  believe ;  that  the  rest  is  speculation,  hypothesis, 
with  which,  as  practical  Christians,  we  have  no  concern ;  that  our 
comfort,  our  hope,  our  security  of  pardon  Snd  eternal  life  depend  not 
upon  our  knowledge  or  belief  in  it. 

At  the  same  time  all  entertain  exalted  views  of  his  character  and 
offices.  In  a  reverence  for  these  they  profess  to  yield  to  no  class  of 
Christians.  The  divinity  which  others  ascribe  to  his  person,  they 
think  may  with  more  propriety  be  referred  to  these.  "  We  believe 
firmly,"  says  one  of  the  most  eminent  writers  in  the  sect,  "  in  the 
divinity  of  Christ's  mission^and  office,  that  he  spoke  with  divine 
authority,  and  was  a  bright  image  of  the  divine  perfections. 

"  We  believe  that  God  dwelt  in  him,  manifested  himself  through  him, 
taught  men  by  him,  and  communicated  to  him  his  Spirit  without 
measure. 

"We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  most  glorious  display,  ex- 
pression, and  representative  of  God  to  mankind,  so  that  through  seeing 
and  knowing  him,  we  see  and  know  the  invisible  Father;  so  that 
•when  Christ  came,  God  visited  the  world  and  dwelt  with  men  more 
conspicuously  than  at  any  former  period.  In  Christ's  words  we  hear 
God  speaking;  in  his  miracles  we  behold  God  acting;  in  his  character 
and  life,  we  see  an  unsullied  image  of  God's  purity  and  love.  We 
believe,  then,  in  the  divinity  of  Christ,  as  this  term  is  often  and 
properly  used." 

Unitarians  do  not.  think  that  they  detract  from  the  true  glory  of 
the  Son.  They  regard  him  as  one  with  God  in  affection,  will,  and 
purpose.  This  union,  they  think,  is  explained  by  the  words  of  the 
Saviour  himself :  "Be  ye  also  one,"  says  he  to  his  disciples,  "even 
as  I  and  my  Father  are  one ;"  one  not  in  nature,  but  in  purpose,  affec- 
tion and  act.  Through  him  Christians  are  brought  near  to  the  Father, 
and  their  hearts  are  penetrated  with  divine  love.  By  union  with  him 
as  the  true  vine,  they  are  nurtured  in  the  spiritual  life.  In  his  teach- 
ings they  find  revelations  of  holy  truth.  They  ascribe  peculiar  power 
and  significance  to  his  cross.  To  that  emblem  of  self-sacrificing  love, 
they  teem  with  emotions  which  language  is  too  poor  to  express. 

The  cross  is  connected  in  the  minds  of  Christians  with  the  atone- 
ment. On  this  subject  Unitarians  feel  constrained  to  differ  from  many 
of  their  fellow  Christians.  Unitarians  do  not  reject  the  atonement  in 
what  they  believe  to  be  the  scriptural  meaning  of  the  term.  While 
they  gratefully  acknowledge  the  mediation  of  Christ,  and  believe  that 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATIONAUSTS.  709 

through  the  channel  of  his  gospel  are  conveyed  to  them  the  most 
precious  blessings  of  a  Father's  mercy,  they  object  strongly  to  the 
views  frequently  expressed,  of  the  connexion  of  the  death  of  Christ 
with  the  forgiveness  of  sin.  They  do  not  believe  that  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  were  penal — designed  to  satisfy  a  principle  of  stern  justice ; 
for  justice,  say  they,  does  not  inflict  suffering  on  the  innocent  in  order 
to  pardon  the  guilty;  and  besides,  they  believe  that  God's  justice  is  in 
perfect  harmony  with  his  mercy;  that  to  separate  them,  even  in  thought, 
is  greatly  to  dishonour  him.  They  believe  that  however  the  cross 
stands  connected  with  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  that  connexion,  as  be- 
fore said,  is  to  be  explained  by  the  effects  wrought  on  man  and  not 
on  God. 

They  believe  that  in  thus  teaching  they  do  not  rob  the  cross  of  its 
power,  nor  take  away  from  the  sinner  ground  of  hope.  To  the  ob- 
jection that  sin  requires  an  infinite  atonement,  and  that  none  but  an 
infinite  being  can  make  that  atonement,  they  reply  by  saying,  that 
they  find  in  their  Bibles  not  one  word  of  this  infinite  atonement,  and 
besides,  that  no  act  of  a  finite  being,  a  frail,  sinning  child  of  dust,  can 
possess  a  character  of  infinity,  or  merit  an  infinite  punishment ;  that 
it  is  an  abuse  of  language  so  to  speak  ;  and  further,  that  if  an  infinite 
sufferer  were  necessary  to  make  due  atonement  for  sin,  no  such  atone- 
ment could  ever  be  made,  for  infinite  cannot  suffer ;  that  God  is  un- 
changeable, and  it  is  both  absurd  and  impious  to  ascribe  suffering  to 
him  ;  God  cannot  die  ;  and  admitting  Jesus  to  have  been  God  as  well 
as  man,  only  his  human  nature  suffered ;  that  there  was  no  infinite 
sufferer  in  the  case ;  that  thus  the  theory  of  the  infinite  atonement 
proves  a  fallacy,  and  the  whole  fabric  falls  to  the  ground.  Still  is 
not  the  sinner  left  without  hope,  because  he  leans  on  the  original  and 
unchanging  love  and  compassion  of  the  Father,  to  whom  as  the 
prime  fountain  we  trace  back  all  gospel  means  and  influences,  and 
who  is  ever  ready  to  pardon  those,  who  through  Christ  and  his  cross 
are  brought  ta  repentance  for  sin  and  holiness  of  heart  and  life. 

Further,  the  Unitarians  reply,  that  whatever  mysterious  offices  the 
cross  of  Christ  may  be  supposed  to  possess,  beyond  its  natural  power 
to  affect  the  heart,  it  must  owe  that  efficacy  wholly  to  the  divine  ap- 
pointment, and  thus  the  nature  and  rank  of  the  instrument  become  of 
no  importance,  since  the  omnipotence  of  God  can  endow  the  weakest 
instrument  with  power  to  produce  any  effect  he  designs  to  accom- 
plish by  it. 

They  quote  Bishop  Watson,  a  Trinitarian  writer,  as  saying  that 
"  all  depends  on  the  appointment  of  God ;"  that  it  will  not  do  for  us 
to  question  the  propriety  of  any  "  means  his  goodness  has  appointed, 
merely  because  we  cannot  see  how  it  is  fitted  to  attain  the  end ;"  that 


710 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


neither  the  Arian  nor  the  Humanitarian  hypothesis  necessarily  pre- 
cludes "  atonement  by  the  death  of  Jesus."  (Charge  deUvered  in 
1795.) 

Bv  the  Holy  Spirit,  Unitarians  suppose  is  meant  not  a  persor^  but 
an  influence;  and  hence  it  is  spoken  of  as  "poured  out,"  "given," 
and  we  read  of  the  "  anointing"  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  phrases,  which 
they  contend,  preclude  the  idea  of  a  person.  It  was  given  miracu- 
lously to  the  first  disciples,  and  gently  as  the  gathering  dews  of  even- 
ing distils  upon  the  heart  of  the  followers  of  Jesus  in  all  ages,  helping 
their  infirmity,  ministering  to  their  renewal,  and  ever  strengthening 
and  comforting  them.  It  is  given  in  answer  to  prayer,  as  Christ  said: 
"  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  chil- 
dren ;  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  ?"    (Luke  xi.  13.) 

Unitarians  believe  that  salvation  through  the  gospel  is  ofiered  to 
all,  on  such  terms  as  all,  by  God's  help,  which  he  will  never  withhold 
from  any  who  earnestly  strive  to  know  and  do  his  will,  and  lead  a 
pure,  humble,  and  benevolent  life,  have  power  to  accept. 

They  reject  the  doctrine  of  native  total  depravity ;  but  they  assert 
that  man  is  born  weak,  and  in  possession  of  appetites  and  propensi- 
ties, by  the  abuse  of  which  all  become  actual  sinners ;  and  they  be- 
lieve in  the  necessity  of  what  is  figuratively  expressed  by  the  "  new 
birth,"  that  is,  the  becoming  spiritual  and  holy,  being  led  by  that 
spirit  of  truth  and  love  which  Jesus  came  to  introduce  into  the  souls 
of  his  followers.  This  change  is  significantly  called  the  coming  of 
the  kingdom  in  the  heart,  without  which,  as  they  teach,  the  pardon 
of  sin,  were  it  possible,  would  confer  no  happiness,  and  the  songs  of 
Paradise  would  fall  with  harsh  dissonance  on  the  ear. 

Unitarians  sometimes  speak  of  reverence  for  human  nature — of 
reverence  for  the  soul.  They  reverence  it  as  God's  work,  formed  for 
undying  growth  and  improvement.  They  believe  that  it  possesses 
powers  capable  of  receiving  the  highest  truths.  They  believe  that 
God,  in  various  ways,  makes  revelations  of  truth  and  duty  to  the 
human  soul ;  that  in  various  ways  he  quickens  it ;  kindles  in  it  holy 
thoughts  and  aspirations,  and  inspires  it  by  his  life-giving  presence. 
They  believe  that  however  darkened  and  degraded,  it  is  capable  of 
being  regenerated,  renewed,  by  the  means  and  influences  which  he 
provides.  They  believe  that  it  is  not  so  darkened  by  the  fall  but  that 
some  good,  some  power,  some  capacity  of  spiritual  life,  is  left  in  it. 
But  they  acknowledge  that  it  has  need  of  help  ;  that  it  has  need  to  be 
breathed  upon  by  the  divine  Spirit.  They  believe  that  there  is  no- 
thing in  their  peculiar  mode  of  viewing  Christianity  which  encourages 
proscription;    encourages  pride   and  self-exaltation.     They   believe 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATIONALISTS.  7II 

that  the  heart  which  knows  itself  will  be  ever  humble.  They  believe 
that  they  must  perpetually  look  to  God  for  help.  They  teach  the  ne- 
cessity of  prayer,  and  a  diligent  use  of  the  means  of  devout  culture; 
they  do  not  thus  teach  reverence  for  human  nature  in  any  such  sense, 
they  think,  as  would  countenance  the  idea  that  man  is  sufficient  to 
save  himself  without  God  :  they  pray  to  him  for  illumination,  pray 
that  he  will  more  and  more  communicate  of  himself  to  their  souls. 
They  teach  the  blighting  consequences  of  sin.  They  believe  that  in 
the  universe  which  God  has  formed,  this  is  the  only  essential  and 
lasting  evil ;  and  that  to  rescue  the  human  soul  from  its  power,  to  win 
it  back  to  the  love  of  God,  of  truth  and  right,  and. to  obedience,  to  a 
principle  of  enlarged  benevolence  which  embraces  every  fellow-being 
as  a  brother,  is  the  noblest  work  which  religion  can  achieve,  and 
worth  all  the  blood  and  tears  which  were  poured  out  by  Jesus  in  his 
days  of  humiliation. 

While  they  earnestly  inculcate  the  necessity  of  a  holy  heart  and  a 
pure  and  benevolent  life,  they  deny  that  man  is  to  be  saved  by  his 
own  merit,  or  works,  except  as  a  condition  to  which  the  mercy  of 
God  has  been  pleased  to  annex  the  gift  of  everlasting  life  and  felicity. 
Unitarian  Congregationalists  believe  firmly  in  a  future  retribution  for 
sin  and  holiness. 

There  is  nothing  peculiar  in  the  sentiments  which,  as  a  body,  they 
entertain  of  the  Bible.  They  regard  the  sacred  books  of  it  as  con- 
taining words  of  a  divine  revelation  miraculously  made  to  the  world. 
They  receive  it  as  their  standard,  their  rule  of  faith  and  life,  inter- 
preting it  as  they  think  consistency  and  the  principles  of  sound  and 
approved  criticism  demand.  They  make  use  of  the  common,  or 
King  James'  version,  as  it  is  called,  but  like  all  well-informed  Chris- 
tians, they  think  that  a  reverence  for  truth  and  a  desire  to  ascertain' 
the  wilf  of  God,  justify  and  require  them,  wherever  there  is  any  doubt 
about  the  meaning,  to  appeal  to  the  original,  or  to  compare  other 
versions.  In  doing  this,  they  say,  that  they  do  not  fear  that  they 
shall  be  condemned  by  any  intelligent  Christian. 

In  proof  of  their  reverence  for  the  Bible,  they  appeal  to  the  cir- 
cumstance that  several  of  the  ablest  defenders  of  Christianity  against 
the  attacks  of  infidels,  have  been  Unitarians,  a  fact,  say  they,  which 
they  are  confident  no  one  acquainted  with  the  theological  literature 
of  modern  ages  will  call  in  question. 

To  the  charge  that  they  unduly  exalt  human  reason,  Unitarian 
Christians  reply  by  saying,  that  the  Bible  is  addressed  to  us  as  rea- 
sonable beings,  that  reverence  for  its  records,  and  respect  for  the  na- 
tures which  God  has  bestowed  on  us,  and  which  Christ  came  to  save, 


712 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


make  it  our  duty  to  use  our  understanding  and  the  best  lights  which 
are  allbrded  us,  for  ascertaining  its  meaning ;  that  God  cannot  con- 
tradict in  one  way  what  he  records  in  another ;  that  his  word  and 
works  must  utter  a  consistent  language ;  that  if  the  Bible  be  iiis  gift, 
it  cannot  be  at  war  with  nature  and  human  reason;  that  if  we  dis- 
card reason  in  its  interpretation,  there  is  no  absurdity  we  may  not 
deduce  from  it ;  that  we  cannot  do  it  greater  dishonour  than  to  admit 
that  it  will  not  stand  the  scrutiny  of  reason ;  that  if  our  faculties  are 
not  worthy  of  trust,  if  they  are  so  distempered  by  the  fall,  that  we 
can  no  longer  repose  any  confidence  in  their  veracity :  then  revela- 
tion itself  cannot  benefit  us,  for  we  have  no  reason  left  of  judging  of 
its  evidences  or  import,  and  are  reduced  at  once  to  a  state  of  utter 
scepticism. 

Such,  omitting  minor  differences,  are  the  leading  views  of  the  Uni- 
tarian Congregationalists  of  the  United  States.  They  do  not  claim 
to  hold  all  these  views  as  peculiar  to  themselves.  Several  of  them 
they  share  in  common  with  other  classes  of  Christians,  or  with  indi- 
viduals of  other  denominations. 

HISTORY. 

Of  the  history  and  statistics  of  Unitarians  in  the  United  States,  we 
have  left  ourselves  little  room  to  speak.  The  Unitarians  of  these 
days  do  not  profess  to  hold  any  new  doctrines.  They  speak  of  its 
antiquity  and  revival. 

The  history  of  ancient  Unitarianism,  I  must  pass  over,  both  as 
foreign  to  the  object  of  this  sketch,  and  a  subject  which  would  re- 
quire more  space  than  is  assigned  for  our  whole  article.  I  will  only 
state  in  a  single  paragraph  what  modern  Unitarians  contend  that  they 
are  able  to  prove  in  regard  to  the  early  prevalence  of  the  doctrine. 
They  begin  by  stating  that  the  Jews  before  the  time  of  the  Saviour, 
were  strictly  Unitarian ;  that  it  is  a  fact  as  well  ascertained  as  any 
fact  can  be,  that  the  Jewish  Christians  of  the  early  ages  were  so  also; 
being  believers  in  the  simple  humanity  of  Jesus;  that  several  of  the 
early  fathers  recognise  this  fact ;  and  that  this  belief  was  not  origi- 
nally deemed  heretical.  They  contend  and  profess  to  show,  that  all 
the  fathers  for  more  than  three  hundred  years  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Christian  era,  never  fail  of  ascribing  supremacy  to  the 
Father,  and  held  the  strict  and  proper  inferiority  of  the  Son ;  that 
they  made  him  a  distinct  being  from  the  Father,  though  many  of 
them  assigned  him  from  all  eternity  a  sort  of  metaphysical,  or  poten- 
tial, existence  in  the  Father  as  an  attribute,  that  is,  his  wisdom  or 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATIONALISTS.  7I3 

reason,  which  attribute  took  a  separate  personal  existence  a  little 
before  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  became  an  agent  of  the  Father 
in  its  formation.  In  this  they  differ  from  the  Arians,  who  taught  that 
he  was  created  out  of  nothing.  Unitarians  affirm,  that  the  germ  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  first  traced  in*  the  learned  Platonizing 
converts,  who  brought  it  with  them  from  the  school  of  human  philo- 
sophy ;  they  say  that  its  origin  is  thus  in  their  view  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained ;  they  contend  that  it  was  of  gradual  formation,  and  that  they 
can  trace  its  growth  from  age  to  age,  till  it  acquired  something  like 
its  present  form  about  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century.  These  views 
they  think  have  been  well  established  in  modern  writings,  both  in  this 
country  and  in  England. 

We  now  come  to  modern  Unitarianism.  The  history  of  this,  too, 
in  foreign  countries,  we  must  dismiss  in  some  half  a  dozen  or  a  dozen 
sentences,  stating  merely  a  few  general  facts. 

We  discover  traces  of  anti-trinitarian  sentiments,  in  the  early  days 
of  the  Reformation  under  Luther,  and  Unitarianism  was  openly 
avowed  and  defended  by  Cellarius,  a  learned  man,  a  native  of  Stutt- 
gard,  born  in  1499,  and  for  some  time  united  in  warm  friendship  with 
Luther  and  Melancthon.  Several  of  the  learned  contemporaries  of 
Luther,  in  Germany  and  Switzerland,  embraced  the  same  sentiments. 
Servetus,  a  native  of  Aragon,  was  burned  as  a  heretic  for  his  Uni- 
tarianism, at  Geneva,  in  15.53.  About  the  same  time  a  society  of 
Unitarians  in  Italy  was  broken  up  and  dispersed  by  the  Inquisition. 
A  retreat  was  afterwards  opened  to  them  in  Poland;  they  had  a 
college  at  Racow,  numbering  at  one  time  more  than  a  thousand 
students ;  they  had  churches  in  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  their 
sentiments  were  embraced  by  many  of  the  chief  nobility.  There  they 
flourished  many  years,  and  left  behind  them  many  monuments  of  their 
learning  and  zeal.  They  were  banished  from  the  kingdom  in  1660. 
Some  went  to  England  ;  some  to  different  parts  of  Germany ;  and 
some  to  Transylvania,  where  they  still  exist  as  a  distinct  sect.  Hol- 
land still  contains  a  considerable  number,  and  most  of  the  pastors  of 
Germany  hold  Unitarian  sentiments. 

In  England,  they  are  traced  back  to  the  early  pail  ol  the  sixteenth 
century  ;  but  there  as  elsewhere,  they  were  subject  to  severe  persecu- 
tion for  their  opinions,  and  some  of  them  sealed  their  faith  with  their 
blood.  The  doctrine,  however,  was  not  suppiessed,  and  English 
Unitarianism  numbers  a  long  line  of  learned  men,  the  ornaments  of 
their  age  and  of  humanity.  Among  them  we  find  the  names  of 
Emlyn,  Whiston,  Dr.  Samuel  Clark,  Lardner,  Price,  Priestley,  Lind- 
sey,  Aikin,  Jebb,  Rees,  and  many  others,  besides  the  three  greater 

46 


714  HISTORY  OF  THE 

lights,  Locke,  Newton,  and  the  poet  Milton.  Unitarian  sentiments 
are  now  extensively  diffused  among  the  Presbyterians  of  England, 
and  in  the  north  of  Ireland ;  and  Unitarian  houses  of  worship  exist  in 
different  places  in  Scotland.  The  last  report  of  the  American  Uni- 
tarian Association  (May -1842)  states  the  number  of  Unitarian  con- 
gregations in  England  at  about  300 ;  in  Ireland,  at  39 ;  in  Scotland, 
at  12.  Of  those  who  have  renounced  the  Church  of  Rome  in  Holland, 
Switzerland,  France  and  Germany,  the  same  document  affirms,  that 
not  less  than  one  half  hold  the  Unitarian  faith. 

American  Unitarianism  dates  back,  at  least,  to  the  middle  of  the 
last  century.  In  a  letter  to  Dr.  Moore,  dated  May  15th,  1815,  the 
older  President  Adams  says,  in  reply  to  a  statement  that  Unitarianism 
was  then  only  thirty  years  old  in  New  England,  "  I  can  testify  as  a 
witness  to  its  old  age."  He  goes  back  sixty-five  years,  and  names  some 
clergymen,  and  among  others  Dr.  Mayhew  of  Boston,  and  Gay  of 
Hingham,  who  were  Unitarians.  "  Among  the  laity,"  he  adds,  "  how 
many  could  I  name,  lawyers,  physicians,  tradesmen,  farmers  !"  There 
was,  however,  little  open  avowal  of  Unitarianism  at  this  period,  nor 
until  after  the  American  Revolution ;  nor  were  there  many  congrega- 
tions professedly  Unitarian  until  after  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century,  though  as  early  as  1756,  Emlyn's  Inquiry  into  the 
Scripture  Account  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  republished  in  Boston,  and 
extensively  read. 

In  1785,  the  society  worshipping  at  King's  Chapel,  Boston,  adopted 
an  amended  liturgy,  from  which  Trinitarian  sentiments  were  excluded. 
Between  that  period  and  the  end  of  the  century.  Unitarian  sentiments 
manifested  themselves  to  a  small  extent  in  Maine,  and  Mr.  Bently 
openly  preached  them  in  Salem,  Massachusetts.  The  same  senti- 
ments were  preached  in  the  southern  parts  of  the  state,  in  Plymouth 
and  Barnstable  counties,  in  the  latter  of  which  there  were  many 
Unitarians.  In  the  western  part  of  Massachusetts,  in  Connecticut, 
Rhode  Island,  and  New  Hampshire,  Unitarianism  had  made  but  little 
progress.  Out  of  New  England,  few  if  any  traces  of  it  were  visible, 
except  at  Northumberland  and  Philadelphia,  where  Dr.  Priestley  had 
made  some  converts. 

Thus  closed  the  eighteenth  century.  But  though,  as  before  re- 
marked, there  was  at  this  time  but  little  open  profession  of  Unitari- 
anism, the  general  tone  of  thinking  and  feeling  in  Boston  and  the 
vicinit)',  was  decidedly  Unitarian,  or,  at  least,  the  current  was  strongly 
setting  that  way. 

During  the  first  fifteen  years  of  the  present  century,  controversy  on 
the  subject  was  seldom  or  never  introduced  into  the  pulpit,  but  Uni- 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATION ALISTS.  7I5 

tarianism  was  making  silent  progress.  Many  having  ceased  to  hear 
the  opposite  sentiments  inculcated,  embraced  it,  often  without  any 
distinct  consciousness  of  the  fact.  The  term  Unitarianism  was  then 
seldom  heard  in  New  England,  those  since  called  Unitarians  being 
then  denominated  Liberal  Christians.  The  appointment  of  one  of 
them  to  the  divinity  professorship  at  Cambridge,  in  1805,  was  the 
occasion  of  some  controversy. 

The  year  1815  formed  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  American  Uni- 
tarianism. The  circumstances  were  briefly  these :  Mr.  Belsham,  in 
his  Memoirs  of  Lindsey,  published  in  London  in  1812,  had  introduced 
a  chapter  on  American  Unitarianism,  or  as  it  was  expressed,  on  the 
"  Progress  and  Present  State  of  the  Unitarian  Churches  in  America." 
This  was  republished  in  Boston  in  1815,  with  a  Preface  by  the  Ame- 
rican editor,  the  object  of  the  republication  being  to  sound  the  alarm 
against  Unitarianism  on  this  side  the  Atlantic.  The  pamphlet  was 
immediately  reviewed  in  the  Panoplist,  an  Orthodox  publication  of 
the  day.  The  two  publications  caused  great  excitement.  The 
Panoplist  especially,  was  complained  of  by  Unitarians,  as  greatly 
misrepresenting  their  sentiments,  and  containing  many  injurious 
aspersions  on  their  character. 

A  controversy  ensued,  Dr.  Channing  leading  the  way,  in  a  letter 
addressed  to  the  Rev.  S.  C.  Thacher,  in  which  he  charges  the  Pano- 
plist with  the  attempt  to  fasten  on  the  Unitarians  of  this  country  all 
the  odium  of  Mr.  Belsham's  peculiar  views,  and  replies  to  what  he 
conceived  to  be  other  misrepresentations  of  the  reviewer,  particularly 
to  the  accusation  of  hypocritical  concealment,  brought  against  the 
Unitarians.  Several  pamphlets  were  written  in  this  controversy  by 
Dr.  Channing,  Dr.  Samuel  Worcester,  of  Salem,  and  some  others, 
mostly  in  1815. 

The  tendency  of  this  controversy  was  to  draw  a  sharp  and  distinct 
line  between  the  parties.  The  Panoplist  had  urged  on  the  Orthodox 
the  necessity  of  a  separation  "  in  worship  and  communion  from  Uni- 
tarians." From  that  time  the  exchange  of  pulpits  betw^een  the  clergy- 
men of  orthodox  and  liberal  denominations,  in  a  great  measure,  ceased, 
though  all  were  not  prepared  for  this  decided  step.  Many  congre- 
gations were  much  divided  in  opinion ;  a  separation  was  viewed  by 
many  as  a  great  evil ;  many  were  strongly  opposed  to  it,  but  it  now 
became  inevitable. 

The  Unitarian  controversy,  strictly  so  called,  brought  up  the  ques- 
tion of  the  rights  of  churches  and  parishes,  respectively,  in  the  settle- 
ment  of  a   minister.     Before  the  excitement   on   this   subject   had 


716 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


subsided,  another  controversy  arose,  occasioned  by  Dr.  Channing's 
sermon,  preached  at  Baltimore,  at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Sparks. 

This  controversy  embraced  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  and  the 
doctrines  of  Calvinism  generally,  all  of  which  were  subjected  to  a 
very  thorough  discussion.  Professor  Stuart,  of  Andover,  appeared 
in  defence  of  the  Trinity,  and  Mr.  Andrews  Norton  in  opposition  to 
it,  in  an  article  in  the  Christian  Examiner,  subsequently  enlarged  and 
published  in  a  separate  volume,  under  the  title,  "  A  Statement  of  Rea- 
sons for  not  believing  the  Doctrine  of  Trinitarians,  concerning  the 
Nature  of  God,  and  the  Person  of  Christ."  Dr.  Woods,  of  Andover, 
defended  the  doctrines  of  Calvinism,  and  Dr.  Ware,  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, replied.  There  were  several  replications  and  rejoinders  on 
both  sides.  A  discussion  was  at  the  same  time  going  on  between 
Mr.  Sparks,  of  Baltimore,  and  Dr.  Miller,  of  Princeton. 

By  the  time  this  controversy  subsided,  the  Orthodox  and  Unitarian 
Congregationalists  were  found  to  constitute  two  distinct  bodies.  The 
ministers  of  both  divisions,  however,  in  Massachusetts,  still  annually 
met  in  convention  as  Congregationalists,  a  name  which  belongs 
equally  to  both,  but  have,  elsewhere,  little  religious  fellowship  or  com- 
munion. 

Such  is  the  origin  and  history,  so  far  as  they  can  be  given  here,  of 
the  American  Unitarians,  viewed  as  constituting  a  distinct  class  or 
denomination  of  Christians.  They  are  mostly  the  descendants  of  the 
old  Congregationalists  of  New  England,  and  are  still  Congregation- 
alists, the  forms  of  which  they  value  for  what  they  regard  as  their 
scriptural  simplicity,  as  well  as  from  many  ancestral  associations. 

STATISTICS. 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  number  of  Unitarians  in  the  United 
States ;  and  of  their  character  for  intelligence,  piety,  and  benevolence, 
it  does  not  become  us,  in  the  present  article,  to  speak.  When  they 
have  no  separate  place  of  worship,  they  continue  in  many  instances 
united  in  worship  with  orthodox  societies.  From  the  Fifteenth  Re- 
port of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  American  Unitarian  Associa- 
tion (May,  1840),  it  appears  that  the  number  of  religious  societies 
and  churches  professedly  Unitarian,  in  Massachusetts,  was  then  150; 
in  Maine,  15  ;  in  New  Hampshire,  19  ;  and  out  of  New  England,  36. 
The  number  has  since  increased,  and  is  now  estimated  in  all  about 
300.  These  are  Congregational  Unitarians,  to  whom  this  article  re- 
fers.   The  same  document  assigns  to  the  denomination  called  Chris- 


UNITARIAN  CONGREGATION ALISTS.  7I7 

tians,  (who  are  also  Unitarians),  in  1833,  700  ministers,  1000 
churches;  from  75,000  to  100,000  communicants,  and  from  250,000 
to  300,000  worshippers.  Besides  the  Congregational  Unitarians,  it  is 
computed  that  there  are  now  in  the  United  States,  about  2,000  congre- 
gations of  Unitarians,  chiefly  of  the  sect  called  Christians,  Univer- 
salists,  and  Friends  or  Quakers. 

Among  the  periodicals  which  utter  Unitarian  sentiments,  at  the 
present  time,  are  the  Christian  Register,  a  weekly  paper,  commenced 
in  Boston,  in  1822 ;  the  Monthly  Miscellany  of  Religion  and  Letters,  a 
monthly  publication  in  Boston,  commenced  in  1829;  and  the  Christian 
Examiner.  The  latter  was  originally  issued  under  the  name  of  the 
Christian  Disciple,  a  monthly  publication,  commenced  at  Boston  in 
1813,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  late  Dr.  Noah  Worcester.  It 
continued  under  his  charge  until  1819,  when  a  new  series  was  com- 
menced under  different  editors.  This  series  terminated  with  the  fifth 
volume,  at  the  end  of  1823.  The  work  then  took  the  name  of  the 
Christian  Examiner,  which  is  still  continued,  a  number  being  issued 
every  two  months,  the  34th  volume  being  now  in  the  course  of  publica- 
tion. This  work,  which  combines  literature  with  theology,  has  always 
sustained  a  high  reputation  for  learning  and  ability, — nearly  all  the 
more  eminent  Unitarians  of  the  day  having  been,  at  different  times, 
numbered  among  its  contributors. 

The  American  Unitarian  Association  was  founded  in  Boston,  in 
1825.  An  extensive  correspondence  is  carried  on,  and  other  business 
transacted  by  the  general  secretary  of  the  Association ;  and  there  are 
now  several  auxiliaries  in  different  parts  of  the  United  States. 

The  Association  holds  its  annual  meetings  at  Boston,  in  May  of 
each  year,  at  which  the  report  of  the  secretary  is  read,  after  which 
various  topics  are  discussed  in  speeches  or  addresses.  The  Associa- 
tion, through  its  Executive  Committee,  issues  tracts  monthly,  of  which 
the  10th  volume  is  now  in  the  course  of  publication. 

It  furnishes  temporary  aid  to  small  and  destitute  societies,  and  does 
something  for  domestic  missions,  particularly  in  the  Western  States. 
There  is  also  a  Book  and  Pamphlet  Society,  not  under  the  control  of 
the  Association,  but  which  co-operates,  in  some  measure,  with  it,  and 
distributes  a  large  number  of  books  and  tracts. 

The  last  annual  report  of  the  Association  speaks  of  the  condition 
and  prospects  of  the  denomination,  as  in  a  high  degree  encouraging. 
Societies,  it  affirms,  are  multiplying  in  New  England,  and  in  various 
parts  of  the  South  and  West.  If  the  spirit  of  active  controversy  in 
the  sect  is  passing  away,  as  some  think,  the  importance  of  a  living. 


718 


HISTORY  OF  THE  UiMTARIAN  CONGREGATIONAUSTS. 


practical  faith,  and  an  earnest  piety,  was  never  more  deeply  felt. 
The  present  year,  active  efforts  have  been  made,  and  not  wholly  in 
vain,  to  raise  funds  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  denomination,  especially 
to  educate  young  men  for  the  ministry,  to  assist  destitute  societies, 
and  support  missionaries ;  in  different  ways  to  promote  the  cause  of 
spiritual  Christianity,  and  aid  in  building  up  the  kingdom  of  the  Re- 
deemer in  the  world. 


UNIVERSALISTS. 


BY  THE  REV.  A.  B.  GROSH. 

UTICA,  N.  y. 


Such  is  the  general  and  approved  name  of  that  denomination  of 
Christians,  which  is  distinguished  for  believing  that  God  will  finally 
save  all  mankind  from  sin  and  death,  and  make  all  intelligences  holy 
and  happy  by  andthrough  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour 
of  the  world.  Anciently,  believers  in  this  sentiment  were  called  by 
its  opposers,  "  Merciful  Doctors  ;"  and  at  a  later  day,  "  Hell-redemp- 
tionists"  and  "  Restorationers  ;"  and  within  a  few  years  past,  eflforls 
have  been  made  to  create  a  distinction  among  them,  by  classing  them 
as  "  Restorationists"  and  "Ultra-Universalists;" — but  the  denomination 
itself,  though  composed  of  all  classes  thus  attempted  to  be  distin- 
guished and  divided  off,  claims  for  itself  the  sole  name  of  Universal- 
iST,  and  disclaims  any  other  distinctive  title  by  which  to  be  desig- 
nated. The  great  general  sentiment  of  the  final,  universal  salvation 
of  all  moral  beings  from  sin  and  death,  in  which  this  denomination  is 
united,  and  by  which  it  is  distinguished,  is  termed  Universalism  ;  or, 
sometimes,  by  way  of  varying  the  phraseology,  "  the  Abrahamic 
faith ;"  because  it  is  the  gospel  that  was  declared  to  Abraham — or, 
sometimes,  "  the  Restitution,"  or,  "  the  Restitution  of  all  things,"  &c. 
But  that  the  reader  may  have  as  full  information  of  this  denomination 
and  its  faith,  as  the  limits  of  this  work  will  permit,  I  will  state — First, 
the  history  of  the  sentiment  peculiar  to  it.  Second,  the  rise,  progress, 
present  condition,  and  prospects  of  the  denomination  in  its  collective 
capacity.  Third,  a  brief  summary  of  the  general  views  held  by  Uni- 
versalists,  and  the  principal  scriptures  on  which  they  rely  for  support. 

I.  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  SENTIMENT,  OR  DOCTRINE,  OF 
•UNIVERSAL  SALVATION  FROM  SIN. 

The  first  intimation  of  God's  purpose  to  destroy  the  cause  of  moral 
evil,  and  restore  man  to  purity  and  happiness,  is  contained  in  the  pro- 


720 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


mise,  that  the  serpent,  (which  represents  the  origin  and  cause  of  sin,) 
after  bruising  man's  heel,  (a  curable  injury  of  tiie  most  inferior  por- 
tion of  humanity,)  should  have  its  head  bruised  by  the  woman's  Seed. 
(Genesis  iii.  15.)  A  bruise  of  the  head  is  death  to  the  serpent,  (and 
to  what  that  reptile  represents  ;)  and  the  destruction  being  effected  by 
the  Seed  of  the  woman,  shows  man's  final  and  complete  deliverance 
from,  and  triumph  over,  all  evil.  In  accordance  with  the  idea  con- 
veyed by  representing  man's  heel  only,  as  being  buruised,  is  the  limi- 
tation of  the  punishment  divinely  pronounced  on  the  first  pair  of 
transgressors,  to  the  duration  of  their  earthly  lives — (Genesis  iii.  17, 
19) — and  the  total  absence  of  every  thing  like  even  a  hint,  that  God 
would  punish  Cain,  or  Lamech,  or  the  antediluvians,  with  an  infinite 
or  endless  penalty — and  the  institution  of  temporal  punishment  only, 
in  the  law  given  by  Moses.  And  the  intimation  of  the  final,  total 
destruction  of  the  very  cause  of  moral  evil,  and  of  all  its  works  or 
effects,  (or  all  sin.)  is  further  explained  and  confirmed  by  later  and 
more  conclusive  testimony,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  Jesus  would 
destroy  death  and  the  devil,  the  devil  and  all  his  works ;  and  that  the 
grave  {Hades,  or  Hell)  and  its  victory,  and  death  and  its  sting,  (which 
is  sin,)  would  exist  no  more  after  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  (See 
Heb.  ii.  14;  1  John  iii.  8;  and  1  Cor.  xv.  54-57.) 

This  brief  intimation  of  the  ultimate  destruction  of  evil,  and  man's 
salvation  therefrom,  grew  into  that  divine  promise  to  Abraham  and 
his  descendants,  which  the  apostle  Paul  expressly  calls  "  the  gospel," 
viz.,  that  in  Abraham  and  his  seed,  (which  seed  is  Jesus  Christ,) 
"  shall  all  the  families,"  "  all  the  nations,"  and  "  all  kindreds  of  the 
earth  be  blessed" — by  being  "  turned  away  every  one  from  iniquity," 
and  by  being  "  justified  (i.  e.  made  just)  by  faith."  (Compare  Genesis 
xii.  3,  xviii.  18,  xxii.  18,  and  xxvi.  4,  with  Acts  iii.  25,  26,  and 
Galatians  iii.  8.)  Christ  being  a  spiritual  Prince,  and  a  spiritual  Sa- 
viour only,  and  this  gospel  being  a  spiritual  promise  ;  of  course  the 
blessings  promised  to  all,  in  Christ,  will  be  spiritual  also,  and  not 
merely  temporal.  For  all  that  are  blessed  in  Christ,  are  to  be  new 
creatures.  (2  Cor.  v.  17.)  Accordingly  we  find  this  solemn,  oath-con- 
firmed promise  of  God — this  "  gospel  preached  befoi'e  due  time  to 
Abraham"-^made  the  basis  and  subject  of  almost  every  prophecy 
relating  to  the  ultimate  prevalence,  and  universal,  endless  triumph  of 
God's  moral  dominion  under  the  mediatorial  reign  of  Jesus  Christ. 

But  if  we  would  obtain  a  more  perfect  understanding  of  those  pro- 
phetic promises,  we  must  examine  them  in  connexion  with  the  expo- 
sitions given  of  their  meaning,  by  the  Saviour  and  his  apostles,  in  the 
New  Testament.     One  or  two  examples  are  all  that  can  be  given 


UNI  VERSA  LISTS.  721 

here.  The  subjugation  of  all  things  to  the  dominion  of  man,  (Ps.  viii. 
5,  6,)  is  expressly  applied  to  the  spiritual  subjugation  of  all  souls  to 
Jesus,  by  the  writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  who  declares  it  a 
universal  subjection  ;  ("  for  in  that  he  put  all  in  subjection  under  him, 
he  left  nothing  that  is  not  put  under  him  ;")  and  that  it  is  not  the  pre- 
sent physical  or  external  subjection,  but  the  prospectivly  final,  spiritual 
and  internal  subjection  that  is  meant — "for  we  see  not  yet  all  things 
put  under  him,"  &c.  (Heb.  ii.  8,  9.)  And  in  1  Cor.  xv.  24-28,  this 
subjection  is  represented  as  taking  place  after  all  opposing  powers  are 
put  down,  and  the  last  enemy  is  destroyed — and  it  is  connected  with 
the  subjection  of  all  alike  unto  Jesus,  and  of  Jesus  unto  God,  and  is 
declared  to  be,  that  God  may  be  all  that  is  in  all ; — thus  most  emphati- 
cally and  conclusively  showing  that  nothing  but  a  thorough,  spiritual 
subjection  of  the  whole  soul  to  God  can  be  intended.  And  that  it  is 
to  be  strictly  universal,  is  evident,  also,  from  the  27th  verse,  where 
God  is  expressly  named  as  the  only  being  in  the  universe  who  will 
not  be  subjected  to  the  moral  dominion  of  Jesus — thus  agreeing  with 
the  testimony  of  Hebrews  ii.  8,  before  quoted.  Again  :  the  promise 
of  universal  blessedness  in  the  gospel,  under  the  figure  of  a  feast  for 
all  people,  made  on  Mount  Zion,  and  the  swallowing  up  of  death  in 
victory,  recorded  in  Isaiah  xxv.  6-8,  is  very  positively  applied  by  the 
Apostle  Paul  to  the  resurrection  of  all  men  to  immortality — thus  show- 
ing its  universality,  its  spirituality,  and  its  endlessness.  (See  1  Cor. 
XV.  54.)  And  again  :  in  Isaiah  Iv.  10,  11,  God  gives  a  pledge  that 
his  word  will  more  certainly  accomplish  all  it  is  sent  to  perform,  than 
will  his  natural  agents  perform  their  mission.  In  Isa.  xlv.  22-24,  he 
informs  us  that  the  mission  of  his  word  is,  to  make  every  knee  bow, 
and  every  tongue  swear  allegiance,  and  surely  say*  that  in  the  Lord 
each  one  has  righteousness  and  strength.  The  apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, in  speaking  of  the  flesh-embodied  Word  of  God,  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth, in  a  very  emphatic  manner  confirmed  the  absolute  universality 
of  this  promise,  by  declaring  that  it  included  all  in  heaven,  and  in 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  in  its  promise  of  final  salvation,  by  gather- 
ing them  into  Christ.  (See  Phil  ii.  9-11.)  This  acknowledgment  of 
Jesus,  as  universal  Lord  or  owner,  is  to  be  made  by  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit — (1  Cor.  xii.  3  ;  and  Rom.  xiv.  8,  9,  compared  with 
John  vi.  37-39,  and  Phil.  iii.  21) — and  is  called  reconciliation,  with- 
out which,  indeed,  it  could  not  be  a  true  spiritual  subjection  and  alle- 
giance. (Col  i.  19,  20  ;  and  Eph.  i.  8-10.) 

*  The  word  "  one'''  being  in  italics,  was  supplied  by  the  translators,  and  is  no  part  of 
the  original  scripture. 


722  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Thus  have  we  very  briefly  traced  the  rise  and  gradual  develope- 
ment  of  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation,  from  its  first  intimation 
down  to  its  full  and  clear  exposition ; — thus  proving  that  it  is,  indeed, 
"  the  restitution  of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouths 
of  all  his  holy  prophets,  since  the  world  began" — (Acts  iii.  21) — and 
the  gospel  which  God  "  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his 
Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things."  This  gospel  of  the 
great  salvation,  so  abundantly  testified  to  by  the  apostles  of  the  Sa- 
viour, was  undoubtedly  the  faith  of  the  primitive  churches.  True, 
other  matters  more  directly  engaged  the  preaching  and  controversies 
of  the  early  teachers  ;  for  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  denied  that  Jesus 
was  a  divinely  commissioned  teacher,  and  that  he  rose  from  the  dead 
after  his  crucifixion  and  burial — and  many  also  denied  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  in  general.  But  it  is  a  fact  clearly  stated  on  the 
page  of  ecclesiastical  history,  and  proved  by  the  writings  of  the  early 
Fathers  themselves,  that  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation  was  held, 
without  any  directly  counter  sentiment  being  taught,  until  the  days  of 
TertuUian,  in  A.  D.  ^04;  and  that  Tertullian  himself  was  the  first 
Christian  waiter  now^  known,  who  asserted  the  doctrine  of  the  abso- 
lute  eternity  of  hell-torments,  or,  that  the  punishment  of  the  wicked 
and  the  happiness  of  the  saints  were  equal  in  duration.  Nor  was 
there  any  opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation,  until  long 
after  the  days  of  Origen,  (about  A.  D.  394,) — nor  was  it  ever  declared 
a  heresy  by  the  Church  in  general,  until  as  late  as  the  year  553,  when 
the  fifth  General  Council  thus  declared  it  false.  But  that  the  reader 
may  have  names  and  dates,  we  will  here  name  a  few  of  the  most 
eminent  Fathers,  with  the  date  of  their  greatest  fame,  who  openly 
avowed  and  publicly  taught  the  doctrine  of  Universalism. 

A.  D.  140,  the  authors  of  the  Sibylline  Oracles;  190,  Clement,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Catechetical  School  at  Alexandria,  the  most  learned  and 
illustrious  man  before  Origen;  185,  Origen,  the  light  of  the  Church  in  his 
day,  whose  reputation  for  learning  and  sanctity  gave  rise  to  many  fol- 
lowers, and  finally  a  great  party,  in  the  Christian  Church,  the  most  of 
whom  (if  not  all)  were  decided  believers  and  advocates  of  Univer- 
salism. Among  these  we  will  merely  name,  (for  we  have  no  room 
for  remarks,)  Marccllus,  Bishop  of  Ancyra,  and  Titus,  Bishop  of 
Bostra  ;  A,  D.  3G0,  Gregory,  Bishop  of  Nyssa,  and  Gregory  Nazian- 
zen.  Archbishop  of  Constantinople ;  380,  Theodore,  Bishop  of  Mop- 
suestia,  and  Fabius  Manus  Victorinus  ;  A.  D.  :i!'0,  the  Origenists,  the 
Gnostics,  and  the  Manicheans  generally  held  it  about  this  time,  and 
many  eminent  fathers  whom  we  have  not  room  to  particularize. 
Those  we  have  named  quoted  the  same  texts,  and  used  many  of  the 


UNIVERSALISTS. 


723 


arguments  in  proof  of  the  doctrine,  that  are  now  urged  by  Uni- 
versalists.  And  it  is  a  remark-worthy  fact,  that  the  Greek  Fa- 
thers who  wrote  against  endless  misery,  and  in  favour  of  Univer- 
salism,  nevertheless  used  the  Greek  word  aion  and  its  derivatives, 
(rendered  ever,  for  ever,  everlasting,  and  eternal,  in  our  common 
English  version  of  the  Bible,)  to  express  the  duration  of  punishment, 
which  they  stated  to  be  limited — thus  proving  that  the  ancient  mean- 
ing of  these  words  was  not  endless  duration  when  applied  to  sin  and 
suffering.  For  instances,  with  reference  to  author  and  page,  see  the 
"  Ancient  History  of  Universalism,  by  the  Rev.  H.  Ballou  2d"  from 
which  the  foregoing  very  condensed  statement  is  extracted. 

After  existing  unmolested,  in  fact,  after  being  the  prevailing  senti- 
ment of  the  Christian  Church,  for  nearly  500  years — especially  of 
that  portion  of  the  Church  nearest  Judea,  and  therefore  most  under 
the  influence  imparted  by  the  personal  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus, — 
Universalism  was  at  last  put  down,  as  its  Great  Teacher  had  been 
before  it,  by  human  force  and  authority.  From  the  fifth  General 
Council,  in  A.  D.  553,  we  may  trace  the  rapi  I  decline  of  pure  Chris- 
tianity. During  all  the  dark  ages  of  rapine,  blood  and  cruelty,  Uni- 
versalism was  unknown  in  theory  as  it  was  in  practice ;  and  the 
doctrine  of  ceaseless  sin  and  suffering  prevailed  without  a  rival.  But 
no  sooner  was  the  Reformation  commenced,  and  arts  and  learninsr 
began  to  revive,  and  the  scriptures  to  be  read  and  obeyed,  than  Uni- 
versalism again  found  advocates,  and  began  to  spread  in  Christen- 
dom. The  Anabaptists  of  Germany  and  of  England  openly  embraced 
it — many  eminent  men  of  worth,  talents  and  learning,  embraced  and 
defended  it — and  it  formed  the  hope  and  solace  of  hundreds  of  pious 
men  and  women  of  various  denominations.  Among  many  others 
who  embraced  and  taught  Universalism,  we  have  room  only  to  name 
Winstanley,  Earbury,  Coppin;  Samuel  Richardson,  author  of  "  Eter- 
nal Hell  Torments  Overthrown  ;"  Jeremy  White,  Chaplain  to  Crom- 
well, jind  author  of  "  The  Restoration  of  all  Things ;"  Dr.  Henry 
More,  Archbishop  Tillotson,  Dr.  Thomas  Burnet,  Wm.  Whiston,  Sir 
Isaac  Newton,  Dr.  George  Cheyne,  Chevalier  Ramsay,  John  Wm. 
Petersen,  Neil  Douglass,  James  Purves,  Dr.  Hartley,  author  of  "  Ob- 
servations on  Man ;"  Bishop  Newton,  Sir  George  Stonehouse,  Rev. 
R.  Barbauld,  and  his  wife,  Anna  Letitia  Barbauld,  the  authoress ; 
many  of  the  General  Baptists,  in  England ;  the  English  Unitarians, 
almost  universally — especially  Drs.  Priestley,  Lindsey,  Belsham,  and 
others — and  many  eminent  men  in  Holland,  France,  and  Germany. 
In  the  latter  named  country,  the  sentiment  has  spread  most  generally, 
and  is  now  held  by  a  vast  majority  of  both  the  evangelical  and  the 


724  HISTORY  OF  THE 

rationalist  Christians:  so  much  so,  that  Professor  Scars  has  styled  it 
"  the  orthodoxy  of  Germany ;"  and  Mr.  Dwight  declares  that  there 
are  few  eminent  theologians  in  that  country  but  what  believe  it.  In 
the  United  States  the  sentiment  is  held,  with  more  or  less  publicity, 
among  sects  whose  public  profession  of  faith  is  at  least  not  favourable 
to  it :  as  among  the  Moravians,  the  German  Baptists  of  several  kinds, 
a  portion  of  the  Unitarians,  a  few  Protestant  Methodists,  and  even 
among  the  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians,  according  to  Pro- 
fessor Stuart's  statement.  And  it  will  undoubtedly  continue  to  spread 
silently  and  unseen,  among  the  more  benevolent  and  affectionate  por- 
tions of  all  sects,  as  rapidly  as  true  scriptural  knowledge  enlightens 
their  minds ;  until  their  prayers  for  the  salvation  of  the  lost  shall  find 
an  answ^ering  support  in  their  hopes  and  their  faith,  and  the  modern, 
like  the  primitive  Church,  shall  hold  in  its  purity  the  doctrine  of  uni- 
versal salvation  from  sin  and  suffering. 

II.  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSALIST   DENOMINATION,  AND 
ITS  PRESENT  CONDITION  AND  PROSPECTS. 

As  a  denomination,  Universalists  began  their  organization  in  Eng- 
land, about  1750,  under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  John  Kelly,  who 
gathered  the  first  church  of  believers  in  that  sentiment,  in  the  city  of 
London.  Mr.  Kelly,  and  his  congregations  generally,  held  to  a  mo- 
dified form  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity;  this  has  given  a  character 
accordingly  to  Universalism  in  Great  Britain,  which  it  does  not  pos- 
sess in  the  United  States.  The  Unitarians  of  Great  Britain  being 
very  generally  Universalists,  also,  in  sentiment  and  preaching,  all 
who  embrace  Universalism  in  connexion  with  the  doctrine  of  the 
divine  unity,  join  the  Unitarians  ;  and  hence  it  is,  that  the  denomina- 
iion  does  not  increase 'as  rapidly  in  Great  Britain  as  it  does  in  this 
country,  though  the  doctrine  is  spreading  there  very  extensively,  and 
also  on  the  Continent. 

Universalism  was  introduced  into  the  United  States  as  a  distinc- 
tive doctrine,  by  John  Murray.  Mr.  Murray  had  been  converted 
from  Methodism  by  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Kelly,  and  emigrated  to 
this  country  in  1770,  and  soon  after  commenced  preaching  his  pecu- 
liar views  in  various  places  in  Nevi'  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  New  York, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Massachusetts,  and  thus  became  the  principal 
founder  of  the  denomination.  For  a  very  interesting  biography  of 
Mr.  Murray,  we  refer  the  reader  to  his  Life ;  and  for  a  fuller  history 
of  the  sentiment  and  denomination  generally,  and  especially  of  Uni- 
versalism in  America,  than  mv  limits  will  allow  me  to  furnish,  I  refer 


UNIVERSALISTS.  725 

the  reader  to  the  "  Modern  History  of  Universalism,  by  Rev.  Thomas 
Whittemore."  This,  with  the  "  Ancient  History  of  UniversaUsm," 
before  referred  to,  will  give  a  continuous  history  of  the  doctrine,  from 
the  days  of  the  apostles  down  to  A.  U.  1830. 

In  the  United  States,  to  which  we  now  confine  our  very  brief 
sketch,  Universalism  had  been  occasionally  advocated,  from  pulpit 
and  press,  before  the  arrival  of  Murray.  Dr.  George  De  Bonneville, 
of  Germantown,  Pa.,  a  learned  and  pious  man,  was  a  believer,  and 
probably  published  the  edition  of  Siegvolk's  "  Everlasting  Gospel,"  a 
Universalist  work  which  appeared  there  in  1753.  The  Rev.  Richard 
Clarke,  an  Episcopalian,  openly  proclaimed  it  while  Rector  of  St. 
Philip's  Church,  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  from  1754  to  1759.  Dr.  Jona- 
than Mayhew,  CongregationaHst,  of  Boston,  preached  and  published 
a  sermon  in  its  favour  in  1762.  Besides,  the  Tunkers  (or  German 
Baptists),  and  Mennonists  generally,  and  some  among  the  Moravians, 
(including  Count  Zinzendorf,  who  visited  this  country,)  held  it, 
though  it  is  believed  they  did  not  often  publicly  preach  it.  But  Mr. 
Murray  was  the  first  to  whose  preaching  the  formation  of  the  deno- 
mination can  be  traced.  After  itinerating  several  years,  he  located 
in  Gloucester,  Massachusetts,  where  the  first  Universalist  society  in 
this  country  was  organized  in  1779;  and  the  first  meeting-house,  ex- 
cepting Potter's,  in  New  Jersey,  was  erected  there  by  the  same,  in 
1780.  Shortly  previous  to  this,  other  preachers  of  the  doctrine  arose 
in  various  parts  of  New  England,  among  whom  were  Adam  Streeter, 
Caleb  Rich,  and  Thomas  Barnes — and  organized  a  few  societies  as 
early  as  1780.  Elhanan  Winchester,  celebrated  as  a  preacher  among 
the  Calvinistic  Baptists,  and,  next  to  Murray,  the  most  eflicient  early 
preacher  of  Universalism,  was  converted  at  Philadelphia,  in  1781. 
The  most  of  these  early  preachers,  thus  almost  simultaneously  raised 
up  of  God,  probably  diflfered  considerably  from  Mr.  Murray,  and  from 
each  other,  on  various  doctrinal  points,  while  they  held  fellowship  with 
each  other  as  believers  in  the  common  salvation ;  and  thus  was  pro- 
bably laid  the  foundation  of  that  heavenly  liberality  of  feeling  among 
UniversaHsts  in  this  country,  which  led  them  to  tolerate  a  diversity 
of  religious  opinions  in  their  denomination,  almost  as  great  as  can  be 
found  in  all  the  opposing  sects  united;  and  causes  them  to  hold  fellow- 
ship as  Christians,  with  all  who  bear  that  name  and  sustain  that 
character;  and  as  UniversaHsts,  all  Christians  who  believe  in  uni- 
versal salvation  from  sin  and  death. 

From  this  feeble  commencement  we  date  the  rise  of  the  Univer- 
salist denomination  on  this  continent.  Simultaneous  with  it,  perse- 
cutions dark  and  fierce  were  waged  against  it  by  the  religious  world. 


7.26  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Legal  prosecutions  were  commenced  against  our  members  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  New  Hampshire,  to  compel  them  to  support  the  esta- 
blished sects,  and  to  render  illegal  the  ministerial  acts  of  our  preachers, 
as  marriage,  &c.  For  several  years  they  were  thus  persecuted,  in- 
sulted, and  subjected  to  vexatious  and  expensive  lawsuits,  and  denied 
the  Christian  name  and  sympathies,  until  they  were  compelled,  in 
self-defence,  to  assume  a  denominational  name  and  form,  and  at  last 
even  to  publish  to  the  world  a  written  Profession  of  Faith :  not  to 
trammel  the  minds  or  bind  the  consciences  of  their  members,  but  to 
comply  with  a  legal  requisition,  and  inform  the  world  what  they  did 
believe  and  practise  as  a  Christian  people.  The  first  meeting  of  dele- 
gates (from  probably  less  than  ten  societies)  for  this  purpose,  was  held 
in  Oxford,  Massachusetts,  September  14th,  1785.  They  took  the 
name  of  "  Independent  Christian  Universalists."  Their  societies 
were  to  be  styled,  "  The  Independent  Christian  Society  in ,  com- 
monly called  Universalists.'^  They  united  in  a  "  Charter  of  Com- 
pact," from  which  we  make  the  following  brief  extract,  as  expressing 
the  views  and  feelings  of  the  denomination  to  this  day. 

"As  Christians,  we  acknowledge  no  master  but  Christ  Jesus ;  and 
as  disciples,  we  profess  to  follow  no  guide  in  spiritual  matters,  but 
his  word  and  spirit;  as  dwellers  in  this  world,  we  hold  ourselves 
bound  to  yield  obedience  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  God's  sake, 
and  we  will  be  obedient  subjects  to  the  powers  that  are  ordained  of 
God  in  all  civil  cases ;  but  as  subjects  of  that  King  whose  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world,  we  cannot  acknowledge  the  right  of  any  human 
authority  to  make  laws  for  the  regulation  of  our  consciences  in  spi- 
ritual matters.  Thus,  as  a  true  independent  Church  of  Christ,  look- 
ing unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith,  we  mutually  agree 
to  walk  together  in  Christian  fellowship,  building  up  each  other  in 
our  most  holy  faith,  rejoicing  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has 
made  us  free,  and  determining  by  his  grace  no  more  to  be  entangled 
by  any  yoke  of  bondage." 

On  this  broad  foundation  (Jesus  Christ  being  the  chief  corner-stone) 
of  freedom  of  opinion  and  conscience — this  liberality  and  toleration  of 
widely  differing  views  and  practices  in  non-essentials — and  this  world- 
wide, heavenly  charity  to  the  brotherhood,  and  to  all  mankind^ — the 
denomination  was  then  based :  on  that  foundation  it  has  thus  far  been 
builded  up  a  holy  temple  to  the  Lord ;  and  on  that  foundation  of 
Christian  liberty,  love,  and  truth,  may  it  ever  continue,  until  every 
soul  God  has  created  is  brought  into  it  as  a  lively  spiritual  stone  of 
the  universal  building. 

"The  General  Convention  of  the  New  England  States  and  others," 
•which  was  recommended  by  the  meeting  of  delegates  abov(5  noticed. 


UNIVERSALISTS.  727 

held  its  first  session  in  Boston,  in  1786,  and  met  annually  thereafter. 
In  1833  it  was  changed  into  the  present  *'  United  States'  Convention," 
with  advisory  powers  only,  and  constituted  by  a  delegation  of  four 
ministers  and  six  laymen,  from  each  state  convention  in  its  fellowship. 
Rev.  Hosea  Ballou  (yet  living  in  a  green  old  age,  and  actively  en- 
gaged in  preaching  and  writing  in  defence  of  the  Restitution)  was 
converted  from  the  Baptists  in  1791.  His  "  Treatise  on  the  Atone- 
ment," published  in  1805,  was  probably  the  first  book  ever  published 
in  this  country  that  advocated  the  strict  unity  of  God,  and  other  views 
accordant  therewith.  That  and  his  other  writings,  and  his  constant 
pulpit  labours,  probably  have  changed  the  theological  views  of  the 
public,  and  moulded  those  of  his  own  denomination  into  a  consistent 
system  to  a  greater  extent  than  those  of  any  other  man  of  this  age,  and 
in  this  country.  In  1803,  as  before  stated,  the  General  Convention, 
during  its  session  in  Winchester,  N.  H.,  was  compelled  to  frame  and 
publish  the  following  Profession  of  Faith.  It  is  the  only  one  that  has 
ever  been  adopted  and  published  by  that  body. 

■"  I.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
taments contain  a  revelation  of  the  character  and  will  of  God,  and  of 
the  duty,  interest,  and  final  destination  of  mankind. 

"  II.  We  believe  there  is  one  God,  whose  nature  is  love ;  revealed 
in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  one  Holy  Spirit  of  Grace,  who  will  finally 
restore  the  whole  family  of  mankind  to  holiness  and  happiness. 

"  III.  We  believe  that  holiness  and  true  happiness  are  inseparably 
connected ;  and  that  believers  ought  to  maintain  order,  and  practise 
good  works,  for  these  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men." 

In  the  unity  of  this  General  Profession  of  Faith,  the  entire  denomi- 
nation remained  without  any  disturbance,  until  in  1827;  when  an 
eflTort  commenced  to  create  a  division  on  the  grounds  of  limited 
punishment  after  death,  and  no  punishment  after  death.  It  finally  re- 
sulted in  a  partial  division  of  a  few  brethren  in  Massachusetts,  who  held 
to  punishment  after  death,  from  the  main  body,  and  the  formation  by 
them  of  "the  Massachusetts  Association  of  Restorationists."  But  the 
great  body  of  brethren  agreeing  with  these  few  in  sentiment,  refusing 
to  separate  from  the  denomination,  and  the  few  who  did  secede  being 
nearly  all  gradually  absorbed  into  the  Christian  (or  Freewill  Baptist) 
and  Unitarian  denominations,  or  coming  back  to  the  main  body,  the 
Restorationist  Association  became  extinct,  and  the  division  has  ceased, 
except  in  the  case  of  two  or  three  preachers,  and  probably  as  many 
societies,  which  yet  retain  their  distinctive  existence  in  Massachusetts 
alone.  Besides  these,  there  are  one  or  two  societies  in  the  United  States, 
and  perhaps  as  many  preachers,  who  refused  to  place  themselves  un- 


728 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


dcr  the  jurisdiction  of  the  ecclesiastical  bodies  of  the  denomination, 
yet  profess  a  full  and  hearty  fellowship  for  our  faith  and  general 
principles. 

Leaving  the  history  of  the  denomination,  we  give  the  following 
statistics,  to  show  within  a  small  space  the  progress,  past  gain,  and 
present  condition  of  the  denomination  in  several  of  the  principal 
States  of  the  Union,  and  in  the  United  States  and  Territories,  and 
British  Provinces. 

Mime. — First  society  organized  in  1799,  first  association  in  1800, 
first  meeting  house  erected  in  1804,  State  Convention  organized  in 
1828.  It  has  now  1  State  Convention,  1  State  Educational  Society, 
1  State  Sunday  School  Society,  1  State  Tract  Society,  6  associa- 
tions, 1  weekly  periodical,  1 17  societies,  and  35  churches,  80  meeting- 
houses, 77  preachers,  beside  a  large  number  of  Sunday  schools,  Bible 
classes,  and  other  societies  for  religious  improvement.  The  net  gain 
for  the  last  8  years  has  been,  beside  in  other  particulars,  2  associa- 
tions, 16  societies,  48  meeting-houses,  and  48  preachers. 

JVeiv  Hampshire. — First  society,  1781;  first  association,  1824;  first 
meeting-house,  about  1808;  convention  organized,  1832.  It  has  now 
1  convention,  1  State  Sunday  School  Society,  1  weekly  periodical, 
6  associations,  85  societies,  70  meeting-houses,  and  38  preachers ; 
beside  Sunday  schools,  churches,  &c.  Net  gain  in  8  years,  1  asso- 
ciation, 13  societies,  55  meeting-houses,  6  preachers,  &c. 

Vermont. — First  society  formed,  about  1795  ;  first  association,  1804  ; 
convention,  1833.  It  now  contains  1  convention,  4  associations,  1 
weekly  periodical,  97  societies,  68  meeting-houses,  44  preachers,  &c. 
Net  gain  in  8  years,  17  societies,  38  meeting-houses,  19  preachers, 
&c. 

Massachusetts. — First  society,  1779;  first  association,  1816;  first 
meeting-house,  1780;  convention,  unknown.  It  now  contains  1  State 
Convention,  1  State  Sunday  School  Society,  8  periodicals,  5  associa- 
tions, 141  societies,  58  churches,  108  meeting-houses,  129  preachers, 
&c.  Net  gain  in  8  years,  51  societies,  59  meeting-houses,  62 
preachers,  &c. 

JVew  York. — First  society  formed,  1805  ;  first  association,  1806  ; 
first  meeting-house,  1815;  convention,  1826.  It  contains  now  1  con- 
vention, 1  State  Sunday  School  Society,  3  weekly  periodicals,  15 
associations,  235  societies,  143  meeting-houses,  147  preachers,  &c. 
Net  gain  in  8  years,  1  association,  50  societies,  65  meeting-houses, 
47  preachers. 

Pennsylvania. — First  society,  1781 ;  first  meeting-house,  about 
1808;  first  association,  1829;  convention,  1832.     Has  now   1   con- 


UNIVERSALISTS.  729 

vention,  1  publishing  society,  2  periodicals,  6  associations,  3G  socie- 
ties, 17  meeting-houses,  and  24  preachers.  Net  gain  in  8  years,  3 
associations,  16  societies,  8  meeting-houses,  and  11  preachers. 

In  the  Southern  States,  the  progress  is  much  slower.  In  the  West- 
ern States,  the  doctrine  has  been  introduced  more  recently,  and  its 
advancement  is  very  rapid.  In  the  United  States  and  Territories, 
there  are  now  (in  1843)  constituting  and  belonging  to  the  Universalist 
denomination :  1  United  States  Convention  ;  1  United  States  Histori- 
cal Society,  with  a  library  of  .500  rare  and  valuable  books;  14  State 
Conventions,  beside  4  State  Sunday  Schools,  and  3  State  Book  and 
Tract  Societies ;  8  high  schools  and  academies ;  24  periodicals,  be- 
side annuals;  68  associations  (or  ecclesiastical  councils,  formed  by 
delegates  from  several  societies  in  a  county,  or  several  counties) ; 
968  societies,  beside  about  250  churches ;  596  meeting-houses,  and 
635  preachers.  Net  gain  since  last  year,  1  State  Convention,  6  asso- 
ciations, 50  societies,  19  meeting-houses,  and  59  preachers,  beside 
Sunday  schools,  periodicals,  &c.  Net  gain  in  the  last  8  years,  4 
State  Conventions,  28  associations,  305  societies,  351  meeting-houses, 
and  325  preachers. 

In  the  United  States  and  British  Provinces  in  North  America,  com- 
bined, there  are  1  General  Convention  ;  14  State  Conventions,  beside 
other  state  societies ;  68  associations ;  24  periodicals,  one  of  which 
circulates  about  5000  copies  weekly;  990  societies,  603  meeting- 
houses, and  646  preachers.  The  number  of  unorganized  congrega- 
tions, and  individual  believers  scattered  abroad,  is  very  great  also. 
And  from  the  past  increase  and  rapidly  accelerating  spread  of  the 
doctrine,  aided  as  it  is  by  all  the  benevolent  feelings,  holy  desires,  and 
humane  tendencies  of  the  age,  its  continued  prosperity  even  unto  a 
final  triumph  is  certain  to  our  minds,  even  were  we  not  assured  of 
that  fact  by  the  promises  and  prophecies  of  God  recorded  in  Holy 
Writ. 


III.  THE  FAITH  OF  UNIVERSALISTS,  AND  THE  PRINCIPAL  SCRIP- 
TURE TEXTS  RELIED  ON  FOR  ITS  SUPPORT. 

As  we  have  before  stated,  the  principles  of  Christian  freedom  of 
opinion  and  of  conscience,  and  liberal  toleration  in  all  non-essentials, 
adopted  by  the  founders  of  the  denomination,  are  practised  by  Uni- 
versalists  at  the  present  day.  In  religious  faith  we  have  but  one 
Father  and  one  Master,  and  the  Bible,  the  Bible,  is  our  only  acknow- 
ledged creed-book.     But  to  satisfy  inquirers  who  are  not  accustomed 

47 


730 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


to  the  liberal  toleration  induced  by  a  free  exercise  of  the  right  of 
j)rivate  judgment,  it  becomes  necessary  to  state  in  other  than  scrip- 
ture lanfTuafre,  our  peculiar  views  on  theological  subjects.  The  Ge- 
neral Profession  of  Faith  adopted  in  1803,  and  given  above,  truly 
expresses  the  faith  of  all  Universalists.  In  that,  the  denomination  is 
united. 

The  first  preachers  of  our  doctrine  in  this  country,  were  converts 
from  various  denominations,  and  brought  with  them,  to  the  belief  of 
Universalism,  many  of  their  previous  opinions,  besides  some  which 
they  picked  up  by  the  way.  Murray  held  to  the  Sabellian.  view  of 
the  divine  existence,  and  that  man,  being  wholly  punished  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Saviour,  by  union  with  him,  suffered  no  other  punishment 
than  what  is  the  mere  consequence  of  unbelief.  Winchester  was  a 
Trinitarian  of  the  "  orthodox"  stamp,  and  held  to  penal  sufferings. 
Both  were  Calvinistic  in  their  views  of  human  agency,  and  both  be- 
lieved in  suffering  after  death.  Mr.  Ballou  was  Arian  in  his  views  of 
God's  mode  of  subsistence;  but  gradually  abandoned  the  doctrine  of 
the  pre-existence  of  Christ,  and  became  convinced  that  sin  and  suffer- 
ing begin  and  end  their  existence  in  the  flesh.  Others,  probably,  dif- 
fered somewhat  in  these  and  other  particulars  from  these  three  brethren. 
But,  very  generally,  Universalists  have  come  to  entertain,  what  are  com- 
monly called,  Unitarian  views  of  God,  of  Christ,  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
of  Atonement,  at  least  there  appears  to  be  a  very  general  similarity  be- 
tween us  and  the  English  Unitarians,  not  only  on  those  subjects,  but  also 
on  the  nature  and  duration  of  punishment,  on  the  subject  of  the  devil, 
and  demoniacal  agency,  and  on  the  final  salvation  of  all  moral  beings. 
The  Rev.  Walter  Balfour,  a  convert  from  the  Congregationalist  minis- 
try, in  Massachusetts,  by  his  "Inquiries  into  the  meaning  of  the  original 
words  rendered  hell,  devil,  Satan,  for  ever,  everlasting,  damnation, 
&c.  &c.,"  and  more  especially  by  his  "  Letters  on  the  Immortality  of 
the  Soul,"  led  some  to  adopt  the  opinion  that  the  soul  fell  asleep  at  death, 
and  remained  dormant  until  the  resurrection,  when  it  was  awakened, 
and  raised  in  the  immortal,  glorious,  and  heavenly  image.  But  all,  or 
very  nearly  all  Universalists  agree  in  the  opinion,  that  all  sin  and  suf- 
fering terminate  at  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  to  immortality,  when 
Death,  the  last  enemy,  shall  be  destroyed ;  and  sin,  the  sting  of  death, 
be  no  more ;  and  Hades  (hell  or  the  grave)  will  give  up  its  victory  to 
the  Reconciler  of  all  things  in  heaven,  earth,  and  under  the  earth, 
unto  God ;  and  God  be  all  that  is  in  all.  (See  1  Cor.  xv.) 

But,  as  before  stated,  they  keep  fellowship  as  Universalists  with  all 
Christians  who  believe  in  the  final  salvation  of  all  intelligences  from  sin 
and  death, whether,  in  other  respects,  they  arc  Trinitarian  or  Unitarian; 


UNIVERSALISTS. 


731 


Calvinistic  or  Arminian;  whether  they  hold  to  baptism  by  immersion, 
sprinkling  or  pouring  of  water,  or  to  the  baptism  of  the  spirit  only ; 
whether  they  use  or  reject  forms ;  and  whether  they  believe  in  punish- 
ment after  death  or  not.  In  short,  nearly  all  the  differences  of  opinion 
which  have  rent  the  rest  of  Christendom  into  hundreds  of  opposing 
sects,  exist  in  the  Universalist  denomination,  without  exciting  any 
division  or  even  strife;  yea,  they  seldom  cause  even  any  controversy. 
Such  is  the  harmonizing  influence  of  the  doctrine  of  one  Father,  one 
Saviour,  one  interest,  and  one  final  destiny  for  the  whole  human  family  ! 
Universalists  require,  as  the  great  evidence  and  07ily  test  that  a  professing 
Christian  is  what  he  pretends  to  be,  the  manifestation  of  the  spirit  of 
Jesus  in  his  daily  walk  and  conversation — practical  proofs  that  he 
loves  God  and  man — that  he  has  the  spirit  of  Christ  dwelling  in  his 
soul,  as  well  as  the  light  of  truth  in  his  understanding.  "  By  this  shall 
all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  that  ye  have  love,  one  to 
another,"  said  Jesus ;  and  the  only  certain  way  to  know  that  a  man 
has  such  love,  is  to  see  it  in  his  life  and  actions.  No  professions,  no 
forms  or  ceremonies,  can  ever  so  well  evince  this  love,  as  living  it. 

Those  who  wish  to  obtain  more  full  and  definite  information  re- 
specting our  views,  are  referred  to  the  following  out  of  the  many 
excellent  works  published  on  the  subject,  viz. :  Ballou  on  Atonement ; 
Ballou  on  the  Parables ;  Whittemore  on  the  Parables ;  Whittemore's 
Guide  to  Universalism ;  O.  A.  Skinner's  Universalism  Illustrated  and 
Defended ;  Pro  and  Con  of  Universalism ;  Williamson's  Argument  for 
Christianity;  Williamson's  Exposition  and  Defence  of  Universalism  : 
Ely  and  Thomas's  Discussion ;  D.  Skinner's  Letters  to  Aikin  and 
Lansing;  Smith's  Divine  Government;  Winchester's  Dialogues; 
Siegvolk's  Everlasting  Gospel ;  Petitpierre  on  Divine  Goodness ; 
(these  four,  and  several  other  good  works,  are  published  in  the  first 
ten  numbers  of  the  "  Select  Theological  Library,"  by  Gihon,  Fair- 
child  &  Co.,  Philadelphia — cost,  only  $1  00  for  the  ten  numbers); 
Streeter's  Familiar  Conversations;  Balfour's  Inquiry;  Balfour's  Second 
Inquiry ;  Balfour's  Letters  to  Professor  Stuart ;  Paige's  Selections 
from  Eminent  Commentators ;  Sawyer's  Review  of  Hatfield's  "  Uni- 
versalism as  It  Is;"  Asher  Moore's  Universalist  Belief;  or  any  of 
our  numerous  periodicals,  pamphlets,  &c. 

We  close,  (for  our  limits  forbid  further  remarks,)  by  giving  the 
following  scriptural  statement  of  our  faith  on  several  important  doc- 
trines— a  statement  which  has  been  widely  circulated  by  our  churches 
and  brethren  generally,  and  which  may  therefore  be  received  with  con- 
fidence, as  stating  our  sentiments  correctly.  May  we  all  be  instructed 


732 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


of  God  into  the  reception,  love  and  practice  of  all  divine  truth,  now 
and  for  evermore. 

I.  We  believe  in  one,  supreme,  and  self-existent  God,  who  is  love — 
the  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Bencfiictor  of  all  things — the  Father  of 
the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  and  the  Judge  of  the  whole  earth — whose  every 
attribute  and  perfection  is  but  a  modification  of  his  infinite  and  un- 
changing goodness — of  his  impartial,  unbounded  and  adorable  love — 
and  whose  unending  benevolence  and  almighty  power  are  unceasingly 
directed  to  produce,  ultimately,  the  greatest  possible  good  of  his  in- 
telligent creation.* 

II.  We  believe  in  one  Lord,  the  "  Mediator  between  God  and  men, 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified 
in  due  time" — who  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  zr/^o/e  ivorld — 
being  the  promised  Seed  of  the  woman,  and  descended  also  from 
Abraham,  to  whom  the  promise  was  made.  We  believe  this  Mediator 
to  be  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the  bright- 
ness of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  who 
has  revealed  unto  us  the  will  of  his  Father,  and  brought  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light  through  the  gospel.  We  also  believe  that  God 
endued  this,  his  Son  and  Messenger,  plenteously  with  all  good  gifts ; 
gave  him  all  power  necessary  to  execute  his  mission,  and  communi- 
cated to  him  the  Spirit  without  measure,  that  through  him,  (as  he  is 
the  way,  the  truth,  the  resurrection,  and  the  life,)  the  whole  human 
family  (for  oil  die  in  Adam,  or  the  earthly  nature)  might  finally  be 
ransomed  from  the  grave,  saved  {not  in  but)  from  5/w,  delivered  from 
misery,  and  be  raised  to  'power,  incorruption,  holiness,  glory,  and  be 
crowned  with  immortal  life  (not  death)  and  unspeakable  felicity  in 
the  resurrection — for  as  all  die  in  Adam,  even  so,  in  Christ  shall  all 
be  made  alive.  We  further  believe  that  when  Jesus  has  thus  seen  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul  and  is  satisfied,  he  will  deliver  up  the  kingdom 
to  God,  his  Father,  and  be  himself  subject  unto  the  Father,  that  God 
may  be  all  in  ull.\ 

III.  We  believe  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 

*  Wisliing  to  be  as  brief  as  possible,  we  must  beg  your  labour  to  examine  the  follow- 
ing, among  many  other  passages  of  scripture  which  might  be  quoted,  to  prove  the  fore- 
going, and  further  declare  our  views  respecting  our  heavenly  Father.  Please  to  consult 
them.  Dcut.  vi.  4  ;  Psalm  Ixxxv.  10,  and  cxlvii.  5  ;  Isa.  xlv.  21,  22;  Mai.  ii.  10,  and  iii. 
C  ;  Mark  xii.  29  ;  John  iv.  24  ;  Acts  xvii.  21-28  ;  1  Cor,  viii.  4-6  ;  Eph.  i.  11 ;  1  Tim.  ii. 
1,  o;  1  John  iv.  8,  16. 

t  Proofs.— Isaiah  liii.  11  ;  Matt.  i.  21  ;  John  i.45;  iii.  34,  35  ;  vi.  37-39,  and  xvii.  2,  3  ; 
Rom.  xlv.  7-9  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  G,  and  xv. ;  Eph.  i.  9,  10  ;  Philip,  ii.  10,  11 ;  Colos.  i.  14-00  ;  1 
Tim.  ii.  .'■>,  C  ;  2  Tim.  i.  10  ;  Hcb.  i.  2,  3,  and  ii.  14;  1  Jolin  ii.  1,2,  iv.  14,  and  v.  10,  11, 


UNIVERSALISTS.  733 

and  receive  their  doctrines  as  the  rule  of  our  faith,  and  their  precepts 
as  the  guide  of  our  practice.  We  beheve  them  to  contain  a  revela- 
tion of  the  character,  will,  and  attributes  of  God,  our  heavenly  Parent 
— of  the  mission,  life,  doctrines,  and  precepts  of  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord  and  Saviour — and  of  the  duty  and  final  destination  of  man. 
Believing  them  to  be  thus  profitable  for  doctrine,  reproof,  correction, 
and  instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the  servant  of  God  may  be 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works,  and  whoso  that  properly 
readeth  them  become  wise  unto  salvation,  we  do  most  devoutly  believe 
that  every  promise  and  evei^y  threatenivg  made  in  them,  and  relating 
to  a  period  yet  future,  will  be  fully  performed  and  completely  fulfilled, 
to  the  honour,  glory  and  praise  of  God,  and  to  the  benefit,  satisfaction, 
and  final  salvation  of  man.  We  do  not,  therefore,  believe  that  the 
Law  (or  threatenings)  is  against  the  gospel  (or  promises) — for  the 
promises  were  first  made  unto  Abraham,  and  the  law  was  given  to 
Moses  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  afterward,  not  to  annul,  but  to 
coiifirm  the  promises.  Therefore  will  all  chastisement  but  tend  to 
produce  the  blessings  promised  for  all  the  nations,  families,  and  kin- 
dreds of  the  earth,  in  Christ,  the  chosen  seed. 

Disavowing,  however,  and  protesting  against  all  merely  human 
authority  in  matters  of  religious  belief — from  that  of  the  greatest 
council  or  highest  dignitary,  down  to  the  humblest  layman — and  re- 
jecting the  binding  force  of  all  man-made  creeds  and  confessions  of 
faith,  we  acknowledge  the  Bible  as  our  only  creed,  and  claim  for  our- 
selves, what  we  freely  grant  to  others,  the  privilege  of  reading  and 
construing  it,  under  divine  aid,  according  to  the  teachings  of  our  un- 
derstandings and  the  dictates  of  our  consciences.* 

IV.  We  believe  that  man,  in  his  intellectual  or  spiritual  nature,  is 
the  offspring  of  God — that,  even  when  a  sinner,  he  is  authorized  and 
commanded  to  call  God  liis  Father  in  heaven,  and  to  pray  to  him  for 
the  forgiveness  of  his  sins — that,  though  a  backsliding  child,  yet  he  is 
called  on  to  return  to  the  practice  of  righteousness,  because  God  is 
"  married  unto"  him — and  that  though  mankind  are,  by  creation,  the 
children  of  God,  yet  they  may,  in  a  more  peculiar  manner,  become 
characteristically  the  children  of  their  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  by 
imitating  his  impartial  goodness  and  universal  perfections.  We 
believe  that  man  is  a  moral  agent,  and' as  such  an  accountable  being, 
— that  he  will  certainly  be  punished  for  every  crime  he  commits,  and 
rewarded  for  every  virtuous  act  he  performs.     We  also  believe  that 

*  Proofs. — Gen.  xii.  3,  xviii.  18,  xxii.  18,  xxvi.  4,  and  xxviii.  14,  compared  with  Acts 
iii.  25,  26;  and  Gal.  iii.  15-22  ;  Num.  xxiii.  19,  compared  with  Isa.  Iv.  8-13,  and  Heb.  xii. 
5-14  ;  2  Cor.  iii.  17  ;  and  1  Cor.  vii.  23 ;  Luke  xii.  57 ;  John  xii.  48,  and  1  Thess.  v.  21. 


734  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSALISTS. 

man  was,  by  his  Maker,  "  made  subject  to  vanity,"  gifted  with 
limited  powers  and  faculties,  and  is,  therefore,  a  finite  being,  capable 
of  performing  finite  actions  only — actions  deserving  none  other  than 
finite  rewards  and  finite  punishments.  But,  as  man  is  the  oflfspring 
of  God,  who  has  given  us  this  life  as  a  free  gift,  (it  being  unearned 
and  unpurchased  by  our  exercise  of  faith,  works,  or  other  conditions,) 
so  we  contend  that  the  immortal,  incorrwptihle,  or  endless  life  of  holi- 
ness and  enjoyment,  which  will  be  conferred  on  all  mankind  in  the 
resurrection,  will  also  be  the  free,  unpurchased  gift  of  our  heavenly 
Parent.  Believing  thus,  we  contend  that  man's  real  and  highest 
interest  is  to  be  virtuous ;  inasmuch  as  virtue  and  happiness,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  vice  and  misery,  on  the  other  hand,  are  as  inseparably 
connected  as  cause  and  effect;  so  that  without  a  firm  reliance  on 
God  and  obedience  to  his  commandments  there  can  be  no  real  hap- 
piness— or,  in  other  words,  "  follow  after  peace  with  all  men ;  and 
holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  [i.  e.  enjoy]  the  liOrd."* 

V.  Respecting  the  divine  laws  and  precepts  given  for  the  obedience 
of  man,  w^e  believe  they  all  may  be  summed  up  in  this  :  "Love  God 
supremely,  your  neighbour  as  yourself" — that  "  love  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law" — that  "  in  [not  merely  hy\  keeping  the  commandments  there 
is  great  reward" — that  all  the  penalties  of  God's  law  are  designed  to 
promote  \{s  fulfilment,  and  not  its  violation — to  secure  the  reformation 
and  obedience  of  its  transgressors,  and  not  their  endless  misery  and 
disobedience — and  that  being  framed  by  unbounded- wisdom,  with  a 
perfect  foresight  of  all  its  operations,  and  armed  with  almighty  power, 
not  one  jot  or  tittle  shall  ever  depart  from  it  until  it  receives  the  end- 
less, voluntary  and  happy  obedience  of  every  intelligent  being  in  the 
universe.f 

*  Proofs. — Gen.  ii.  7,  Num.  xvi.  22,  Mai.  ii.  10,  and  Heb.  xii.  9,  compared  with  Luke 
xi.  2,  4;  Jerem.  iii.  14,  and  James  iii.  9;  Matt.  v.  43-48;  Exodus  xxxiv.  6,  7  ;  Prov.  xi. 
21,  xvi.  5,  and  Rom.  ii.  5-13,  Titus  iii.  3-8,  and  Rom.  viii.  19-24;  Rom.  xi.  6,  compared 
with  29-36  ;  Isa.  Ivii.  20,  21,  and  Gal.  v.  22  ;  1  Cor.  xv. 

t  Proofs. — Rom.  xiii.  10;  James  i.  25;  Ps.  Ixxxix.  31-34;  Isa.  i.  5,  6  ;  Prov.  iii.  1 1 ,  12; 
Ps.  cvii.  Ps.  cxix,  67,  71,  and  Heb.  xii.  11 ;  Rom.  viii.  7-13 ;  Matt.  v.  17,  18, 


THE    END. 


e 


BW4065  .R94 

He  pasa  ekklesia;  an  original  history  of 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 

III'!!!"" 
1   1012  00051  9530 


